As of this writing, in the unprecedented third Israeli election in only one year, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Likud Party seem to have won a cliffhanger election by gaining 37 Knesset seats as opposed to the opposition Blue and White Party’s 33. Before the election, Bibi controlled 32 seats. Three Israeli news outlets reported the right-Haredi coalition at 60 seats to the center-left-Arab coalition’s at 54 Knesset seats. There are 120 seats in this governing body and a majority of 61, which would include the unity of a group of like minded ones, rules the roost.
Just following these elections in Israel, makes one dizzy. Coalitions must be formed. Deals have to be made with the smallest of parties in order to achieve a majority vote. As much as we rue our own system of government, Israelis have problems understanding and accepting the back-door wheeling and dealing, give and take that is necessary to get things done, if ever. There are eight parties that fill the seats of the Knesset. One of them, scarily, is the Joint List, an all Arab party, now holding 15 seats. They rank fourth in number among all the political groups. So, the talk of Israel’s racism against these people is a lot of malarkey.
Netanyahu struggled through a challenging campaign which was his strongest of the three, all of them within the last year. This time, to appease hard line voters, he vowed to annex major sections of Judea and Samaria and the Jordan Valley. He may have hit pay-dirt and gathered in support by these actions. Reports stated the voter turnout, the highest in 20 years seems to indicate this is what Israelis want. It also didn’t hurt Netanyahu that he had the full support of our president. The release of Trump’s Middle East Peace Plan and the hinted death of the Two State Solution must surely had an impact on the voters who are tired of waiting for the Palestinians (PA) to come to grips with the situation and finally make peace with Israel. The Blue and White Party hinted that they were ready for appeasement with the PA to continue the stalemate that has lasted 72 agonizing years. That may have killed them.
And let’s not forget that the insidious Sanders campaign also played a role in Netanyahu’s victory. Israelis became more than a bit freaked out when watching the self hating Jew and Israel detractor win a few US primaries and caucuses. Just the thought of the Vermont senator actually being elected as America’s 46th president and implementing his anti-Israel policies, was just too much to bear, and rightfully so.
We pray that Israelis have finally settled the question of what party and its Prime Minister rules their nation. They cannot endure another election, a fourth one in one year. Their patience is wearing thin. So is ours.
