Clearly Bibi is stymied. He has returned to bashing Bennett. Bennett owes nothing to Bibi. He is within his rights to negotiate as he sees fit. To my mind, Shas and UTJ should be castigated for being unwilling to compromise. I believe the majority in the country want this. As for a new election strengthening the Left, I don’t think so. I think Lapid and Bennett will be strengthened. Bibi may lose his right to form the government. I don’t think he will take the chance. Why does Bibi want the Hareidim in the government? Is it because they can be bought off with money? If he really wants them in the government, it is incumbent on him to get them to compromise with Bennett on power sharing and sharing the burden. That’s how to untie the Gordian Knot. Ted Belman
Netanyahu tells ministers Lapid and Bennett are advancing themselves at the country’s expense, according to Likud sources.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is furious at what he believes is a conspiracy by Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid and Bayit Yehudi chairman Naftali Bennett to try to prevent Shas and United Torah Judaism from joining the coalition, Likud sources said on Sunday.
Sources who attended Netanyahu’s meeting with Likud ministers said he spoke of Lapid and Bennett with contempt, complaining that “their strategy is not to reach solutions on key issues, only to push out the haredi parties.”
Ministers quoted Netanyahu as saying that Lapid and Bennett cared only about advancing themselves politically rather than the good of the country.
Mocking Lapid’s plan for equalizing the burden of IDF service, Netanyahu said that “it will neither bring equality nor ease anyone’s burden.”
Sources close to the prime minister went further, alleging that Lapid and Bennett were aiming to break the 36-yearold bond between Likud and the haredi parties, so that following the next election, they will not recommend that Netanyahu form the government.
The Likud ministers said Netanyahu clearly intends to keep the foreign portfolio for his No. 2 in Likud Beytenu, Avigdor Liberman, even though he will not be able to become foreign minister until he is cleared of the charges against him in his trial, which began Sunday and will continue in April.
A Likud source said that if Netanyahu could trust Lapid, perhaps he would try to break out of his commitment with Liberman, but he is far from that point now.
Channel 2 reported that Netanyahu intended to build a coalition with the 57 MKs of Likud Beytenu, Shas, UTJ, The Tzipi Livni Party and Kadima, and then give Bennett a choice between joining the coalition without Lapid or initiating an election in which the Left could come to power.
Livni denied a Channel 10 report that she had accepted the justice portfolio.
In other attempts to break the political pact between Lapid and Bennett, Shas cochairmen Arye Deri and Eli Yishai met respectively with the leader of Bayit Yehudi and the leaders of the Council of Jewish Communities in Judea and Samaria.
One settler leader told Yishai, “Bennett is making a mistake if he is seeking a momentary deal with Lapid rather than a stable bond with Shas.”
Yishai warned the settler leaders that “if there will be a diplomatic process, Lapid will throw Bennett out of the government.
We [in Shas], however, are not a spare tire for the Left.”
Sources close to Bennett denied that his party sought a coalition without haredim.
They said that if Netanyahu wanted to find solutions on equalizing the burden of service and changing the electoral system, deals with Bayit Yehudi and Yesh Atid could be reached quickly.
Bayit Yehudi MKs blasted Netanyahu for seeking to build a coalition with Labor and The Tzipi Livni Party and for suggesting that Bayit Yehudi was violating the will of its voters by making a deal with Lapid.
“The Likud is insulting the intelligence of the public when it accuses us of defrauding our voters,” said MK Ayelet Shaked.
“The Likud’s first partner is Livni, who will conduct negotiations [with the Palestinians], the same Livni who ran on a campaign of creating a Palestinian state, who would divide Jerusalem, and who said Netanyahu is leading Israel to a disaster. Is that not defrauding voters?”
Shaked said that reports the prime minister was offering the finance portfolio to Labor leader Shelly Yacimovich also indicated he was defrauding voters, after years of the Labor leader and Netanyahu explaining the differences in their economic policies.
“Suddenly, Netanyahu will agree to an economic plan that costs NIS 138 billion and become a social democrat?” she asked.
“Come on. We were silent amid all the Likud attacks on us during the election. Friends in Likud, the election is over. Stop attacking Bayit Yehudi and simply form a government.”
MK Uri Orbach wrote on Facebook that “suddenly the Likud, which portrayed us during the campaign as closed-minded Jews, is now presenting us as gentiles who are willing to sell out to the secular Lapid. The Likud, which just recently slung mud on our rabbis, is now chasing after them and trying to persuade those same rabbis to pressure us.”
MK Yoni Chetboun added that he expected the Likud to focus on drafting the guidelines for Netanyahu’s government rather than leak political spin to cause friction.
“Parties are leaking political spin to reporters in order to anger and divide,” Chetboun said.
“The party that has been in power for four years should lead the way to clear coalition guidelines. It’s called ideology. Take a time-out and think about the good of the country.”
The Likud responded that Netanyahu was seeking to build a coalition with his party’s natural partners on the Right and then widen it to parties on the Center-Left.
“We aren’t tricking anyone,” a Likud official said. “Bennett is mistakenly trying to stop a right-wing government from being formed. He made a mistake by falling in love with Lapid, who is only using him.”
I tried to edit what I intially wrote. Please go with the second writing.
Thanks!
There have to be compromises within the government – like it or not!!!
It seems that the PM has to look at his loyalty, first. Since the ultra religious parties have supported him in the past,
he owes them something. Trying to strike a compromise situation with them seems necessary and justified; and if those parties are unable to compromise, then they cannot blame the PM.
Will Lapid lessen his demands? If not, he, too, will have to make a necessary compromise by going along with the number of posts that already exist – until there will be legitimate reforms. By being stiff-necked, he will damage any leverage that he seeks to gain.
It would be a serious error for the PM to bring both Livni and Yacimovich, together, into the coalition because I cannot fathom their adding anything to the government’s agenda outside of their own agendas. Can you? Given Livni’s record, I would suggest that she and the PM do not work together in a coalition. She seems the least likely person to make any compromises; that is, speaking from the left. With any budget crisis, which seems more than likely in the advent of another war, offering Yacimovich the finance portfolio seems terribly impractical to me. The only addition on her part will be a demand for money for her projects.
As for Bennett, it’s difficult for me to assess his close and new tie to Lapid. It would seem to be an ideal coalition if there were Likud/Israel Beytainu, Beit Yehudi, Yesh Atid, and possibly Kadima. But then, I am a neophyte in Israel politics, so maybe, I have it all wrong!!!
@ Kenneth Mathews:
well, the only way to succeed against BiBi’s dirty machinations is to apply his own strategies. that’s the way – lahvdil- David achieved peice in Israel: he was even more cruel to our ennemies than they were – but cruelty is a language they understand. So – lahvdil – Benet needs to make BiBi tremble a little…. until he is cooked 🙂
@ NormanF:
don’t be sure – that’s what BiBi want’s to make you believe. i think it is more than reallistic that Lapid replaces BiBi. Ohhhh, Sarah’le will be unhapyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
Shas’ MK Atias and Likud’s MK Feiglin have both offered reasonable compromises on the military service issue both have been ignored by MK Bennett. Bennett seems to have completely forgotten about Zionism and the threat of the “two-state solution” and now to wants to profit along with MK Lapid from encouraging division and animosity among Jews rather than seeking a reasonable compromise and smooth transition to equal service. There are some excelent people on the Jewish Home list who need to very seriously challenge MK Bennett on this issue. Infighting on the right has already strengthened the left & more infighting forcing a new election will do the same. I don’t want to see a PM Lapid shaking hands with Abbas and Pres. Obama on the White House lawn. Do you?
4 comments have now been put in moderation. What’s up Ted?
@ NormanF:
He could call for new elections but won’t because the next time the Likud could be halved and Lieberman won’t stick to a stinking sinking ship.
BB will cave to Bennett and Lapid if they stick together till the end.
BB has always wanted acoalition where no partner has the power to topple him, that’s more important for BB than any other consideration.
Don’t forget he has to cut some 20 billion shekels from the budget and Lapid and Bennett are the only ones who will allow and even support such major cuts or increased taxation. Problem is Bennett if he forces or blocks BB’s sale of Y&S as per Obama demands.
If BB screws Lieberman before or after completion of coalition negotiations Lieberman has already indicated he will Jump the Likud ship.
New election will only weaken the Likud and Lieberman outside of the Likud looks to be a decreasing star Foreign Minister might improve a politicians credentials as a normative candidate but the ministry lacks opportunities and budget for any significant patronage and his confoming to BB’s policies have decreased his popularity among astute hard nosed Russians.
BB is afraid to enunciate his policies domestic and foreign. Problem seems to be the parties that support his domestic needs are not on board with his security and policies re: the Territories and the Arabs, not to mention the EU and Obama.
The electorate will blame BB and the likud if BB fails to form a reasonable government.
jew Said:
Realistically, there is no alternative to Netanyahu. Right now he is seeking to wear down his suitors so he’ll pay the lowest price to form a new government. He has something they want – power and being able to get things done. If not, he can always threaten early elections to club the politicians into line. He’ll be around because he knows how to play off every one against each other and no one else in Israel has his stature.
jew Said:
They’re using Netanyahu and he is using them. Don’t believe the spin and leaks to the Israeli media.
Shy Guy Said:
And a shared dislike of Netanyahu.
Bernard Ross Said:
Potential middle ground.
@ Bernard Ross:
Benet and Lapid share in common the wish to circompass BiBi’s machinations. i do not trust Lapid neither, but why not use him?
Both Lapid and Bennett have formed a bloc to give them leverage in negotiations with the Likud.
Its a strategy that appears to be working as Netanyahu’s only alternative is a minority government formed with the haredim and backed from the outside by Labor and the Tzipi Livni party.
Lapid and Bennett both want equalizing the service burden, electoral reform and making sure Netanyahu does not deviate from the Bar Ilan parameters.
All of which frustrates Netanyahu to no end and the Likud is upping the pressure by warning of new elections, which no one wants now.
everyone knows tha BiBi cannot be trusted, he would betray everybody for his personal interest, his word is worth nothing. everybody knows that, and it is a shame that such a person is the PM of Israel. BiBi stands for lies and machinations, and he does not know what scruples are. i would not be sad if finally all his machinations and lies would turn against him and his wife. i would not shed tears if he finally would be replaced by somebody else. BiBi’s time is out!
What do Lapid and Bennet share in common?
Why not just keep the ruling coalition at Yesh Atid, Hebrew Home and Likud? I know it is not a big majority, but it will be easier to keep just three parties in line than 4 or 5.