Lawmaker says PM’s irresponsible, destructive attacks on law enforcement are leading the country to ‘chaos’; calls for leadership contest in next two weeks
By TOI STAFF
Likud MK Gideon Sa’ar, speaking during a conference in Tel Aviv on September 5, 2019. (Hadas Parush/Flash90)
Senior Likud lawmaker Gideon Sa’ar on Saturday castigated Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for describing the charges against him as an attempted coup, demanded an immediate leadership contest in their ruling Likud party, and claimed he could “easily form a government.”
The Likud lawmaker warned that Netanyahu’s response to the criminal charges announced by Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit on Thursday, in which the prime minister has claimed he is being framed and has demanded that the law enforcement agencies who investigated him should themselves be probed, was irresponsible and dangerous.
“This is not an attempted coup. That is not accurate,” said Sa’ar. “It is not responsible to make this claim. It harms the Likud’s statesmanlike approach. It aims not for reform but to destroy the law enforcement hierarchies.”
“You cannot call a decision by the attorney general an attempted coup,” he insisted, noting that Mandelblit is “a man of integrity” and a Netanyahu appointee. “This is causing chaos in the country,” Sa’ar warned.
He also lamented “this poison, this demonizing of sections of the populace.”
Sa’ar stressed that Netanyahu retains the presumption of innocence, and said he hoped the prime minister can clear his name. He noted, too, that there is no legal impediment to Netanyahu continuing as prime minister at present. “The problem isn’t legal; it’s political,” he said.
He said Netanyahu had proved in the last two elections that he was incapable of winning a majority and should step aside to allow someone else to lead Likud. Only with a new leader, such as Sa’ar himself, could Likud retain power, end the political deadlock, and “save the land of Israel.”
“In the two previous elections, [Netanyahu] could not put together a government. He had complete backing from all of us [in Likud] even though he made mistakes, like dispersing the Knesset [in May],” said Sa’ar. “Does anybody think that in any third, fourth, fifth or sixth elections, he could create a government? Either there’ll be a continuation of this [political] crisis, or heaven forbid, we’ll lose power to our rivals.”
The only one way to save the state from its crisis, and to keep Likud in power, said Sa’ar, was to immediately hold a Likud leadership election.
“I urge the prime minister: allow early primaries; allow a free contest, so that we can ensure Likud retains power, and resolve this [electoral deadlock] crisis that you rightly says is making us a global laughing stock.
He said primaries should be held within two weeks, and that he was turning to the Likud Central Committee Chairman MK Haim Katz to seek his support for the move. This would allow the new leader to try and form a government within the current 21-day period allotted for the Knesset to agree on a prime minister before Israel would be forced to go to new elections.
“If we go to quick primaries, we can have a democratic result, we can save the Likud government,” he said, confidently predicting that he could “easily form a government and unite the nation.”
“There may be others who think they can do so,” he acknowledged. “And if the voters think Netanyahu should [continue as the Likud leader], that would be the decision of the party members.”
Following his remarks, made in an interview on Channel 12, the Likud party released a statement saying that Sa’ar was being typically disloyal.
“It is sad to see that at a time when the prime minister is protecting the country on all fronts and working to preserve the Likud rule, Gideon Sa’ar is, as he usually does, displaying zero loyalty and maximum subversion.”
Sa’ar is so far the only senior Likud lawmaker to challenge Netanyahu. He said Saturday that he had been targeted for years by Netanyahu and his family, “but that doesn’t affect me. My interest is the wellbeing of the state and the [Likud] movement.”
Channel 12 analysts said it would take a dramatic plunge in the polls, or a ruling from the attorney general that Netanyahu was barred from heading a government, to unite the pretenders to his throne.
Yes this is a coup by Israel’s leftist deep state and Bibi needs to fight it. If the Israeli people want to vote him out that’s one thing, but whether he remains PM should not be decided by the deep state. It’s not coincidence this is happening to Bibi at the same time as the sham impeachment hearings against Trump. The Israeli left is doing more damage to Israel than the mullahs in Tehran, hamas or hezbollah could ever dream of doing. You people need to wake up to what’s happening.
@ Bear Klein:
That’s how the desperadoes of the old Wild West, got rid of anyone who stood in their way..Skilled gunfighters, they would challenge a hated opponent in a manouevred situation, where he was at a complete disadvantage, but to show his manhood would have no recourse but to be drawn into what was nothing but blatant murder
@ Adam Dalgliesh:
Tragic is the word…a well chosen word for most of Jewish History. The same calibre of people who never forget the Altalena, will also never forget this coup d;etat…
Never has the Jewish politicians shown themselves up so blatantly and greedily. Imagine preferring a failed general and political imbecile like Gantz.
,,,,,
Perhaps it will be like General Naguib, who, if you recall, was the figurehead behind whom Nasser worked to get rid of Farouk, and then shortly after, openly took over the dictatorship.
@ Bear Klein:
If it were for the good of the country …of course. But I KNOW , I am convinced, that it has been a put-up-job, and is only for the good of his envious and jealous opponents, who despaired of ever getting him out of politics. EVERYTHING points to it. How can it be for the good of the country even temporarily, when his brilliance and foresight, has brought Israel into becoming a first world power. He has a political genius than none other in Israel possesses today. If it was not for the Honest John Mandelblit hit job, he could be there until hes 90, and as long as he is compos mentis. He doesn’t benefit personally, except in nachas…
The polls about the majority wanting him to go…..well…they are polls…. and there are many times when the people are little better than sheep…even lemmings. And this is one of them.
Anyway, it can go any way it pleases. I care only for the utter unfairness, and the swindling corruption that has been displayed by his enemies, like wolves at vulnerable prey, and given their opportunity by Mandelblit. They’ve been trying for years.
If there was another like Netanyahu politically, that would be O.K. because Israel has entered a most critical stage of its existence, and what ensues will decide if it survives as it is, or loses its push and becomes another fringe nation. I’m talking about the long term. If this happens it will be all traced back to this period, when, from jealousy they turned on one another and destroyed themselves. Seemingly, a Jewish trait…….
@ Edgar G.:Yes, Bibi has done good things for Israel. There is a time to go for the good of the country. It is now and many in the Likud are starting to realize. All are not as forthright and blunt about it as Gideon Saar. Someone in the Likud needed to have the guts to say as Bibi has run the Likud straight out of Machiavelli’s book. Other Likunik MKs and members are starting to say it. Nir Barkat came up with a way to show loyalty to Bibi plus the party would have an official number 2 who would be a NEW Chairman and would replace the PM if he had two step down.
Jerusalem Post Israel News Israeli Politics
Barkat, Sa’ar propose solutions in Likud to end deadlock
Sa’ar wants snap primary, Barkat calls to elect vice party leader who will replace Netanyahu if he has to leave office.
Big picture Saar is right there could be multiple new elections and Bibi could not get a coalition together. It is possible the left wins the next elections. He says it is a political problem and I agree. Let him get himself acquitted and then come back into politics if he still has the desire.
Actual you are wrong the country as a majority no longer wants Bibi as PM. Last poll reported 56% wanted him to step down. He twice failed to form a coalition. That would get you booted in most parties.
@ Edgar G.: I agree with you 100%, Edgar. You have injected a note of sanity into our discussions that is badly needed. Obviously, Netanyahu is being persecuted. The entire system whereby judges and prosecutors have unlimited, absolute power, are appointed by each other, cannot be fired, and are not subject to any restraint or scrutiny by either the executive or legislative branches of government, is a formula for tyranny. And that’s what Israel has become–an oligarchical tyranny ruled by self-appointed lawyers committees. It is tragic.
@ Bear Klein:
Do you recall as a schoolboy-if you can remember that far back- when the big kid would challenge the smaller one just after he had an accident which put him at a disadvantage…. Saar is showing himself up to be an opportunist, who can kick someone whom he believes is down. His antagonism to the PM prevents him from seeing that the Likudniks are quite right, he shows no loyalty.
He says Likud and Israel need a new leader, and maintains that “Honest John Mandelblit” is just doing his duty, despite all the open signs of a deliberate attempt to sabotage the Likud from winning the election, as it would have, had not Honest, stepped in at the critical moment and pulled his stunts, each announcement at a vital moment.
But Sa’ar goes through the usual kow towing mantra, that Mandelblit is good, all lawyers are good the Supreme Court is good, Netanyahu is bad..
Reminds me of Animal Farm…
Likud and the country would prefer Netanyahu to be P.M. Bennett’s suggestion of a vote just for PM is as good as anything else right now. But the opponents bring up the 2 other PMs who were elected separately and who were failures.. As if there was any comparison… Sharon was one, the other escapes me for the moment, but also as much a failure as Sharon. Netanyahu has consistently been a success., first through his financial reforms, which transformed chaos into stability, and later as the most brilliantly capable PM Israel has ever had.
Sure looks like a coup to me. Same thing going on here against Trump. I think standing by Bibi should be a matter of principle. Mandelblit and the legal deep staters are the ones who need to be brought down. What a pity,. Trump and Bibi can’t just declare martial law and have them executed.
Saar in his interview was interview was very impressive and has completely challenged Bibi to agree to Primaries immediately.