Netanyahu seems to think he can use some lessons from this round and do better next time, but it seems more likely that he will, once again, find more voters deserting him as they tire of him putting Israeli politics in limbo to protect himself from looming indictments.Continue Reading
Ehud Barak characterized his new party as a challenge to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and for the moment, that’s what it is. But it is also an effort to unseat Avigdor Liberman from his position as kingmaker. Liberman has thrown the Israeli electoral system into disarray by essentially demanding that Likud, without Netanyahu, and Benny Gantz’s and Yair Lapid’s Blue and White coalition form a unity government.Continue Reading
Former Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman has succeeded in bringing down Benjamin Netanyahu’s new government before it formed. The elections held in April mean little now, although that Knesset will remain in place until September 17, when Israelis return to the polls. But without a functioning cabinet and with a placeholder parliament, Israeli politics will remain in something of a holding pattern. It’s far too early to say much about how this will all shake out, but here are a few takeaways.Continue Reading
The new government will, once again, be the most right wing in Israel’s history. But this time, the length of the new government’s tenure will depend more on Netanyahu’s legal troubles than on the political dynamics of the coalition.Continue Reading
The status quo, which has moved ever rightward, is not likely to change unless Israeli moderates and liberals “need to win” as much as Likud does and decide to reach out to majority Arab parties. That day seems very far off, but perhaps desperation may eventually overcome prejudice.Continue Reading
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