Opinion: Israelis need not fear the billions that an election would suck out of the state coffer, but rather focus on whether they want another failed Netanyahu attempt to run an ungovernable government
This government, “the coronavirus government”, died on the day it was born.
Now is not the time to look at Blue & White and say, “we told you so”, although the prospect of a viable government with Likud and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the helm looked improbable from the beginning.
During their 100 days in a government headed by a defendant on trial for bribery, fraud and breach of trust, they have done their best to foil moves that were supposed to promote his personal interests.
In the meantime, they also managed to block Netanyahu’s intention to extend Israeli sovereignty over parts of the West Bank and the Jordan Valley, which eventually also resulted in full diplomatic ties with the United Arab Emirates.
However, Netanyahu’s demand to have a veto right on the appointment of senior law enforcement officials was the final straw.
Justice Minister Avi Nissenkorn told them he will only allow it over his dead body, and they charged at him regardless.
And so, Likud brought forth a misleading statement over the weekend about suspicions against Nissenkorn not being investigated because of a deal he allegedly made with the attorney general at the time of his appointment.
Nissenkorn’s response deserves to become the epitaph for this dying government: “Disgusting.”
Netanyahu and his cronies paved the way over the weekend for the final way out of this impasse – elections.
Why should we go to elections? Because of the despair that more than half of the people are experiencing, and because of the complete lack of governance to which we have been exposed since this government’s first day on this Earth.
A prime minister who conceals peace talks from his defense and foreign ministers on the grounds that he suspected they’d leak the secret to the Iranians, can’t expect them to pretend as if everything is okay.
Netanyahu completely ignores Defense Minister Benny Gantz, the Blue & White leader, at times.
There is no reason to fear that the election would drain billions from the state coffers. Democracy costs money.
The demonstrations outside the prime minister’s official residence in Jerusalem and on every bridge across the country requires us to turn to taxpayers and the hundreds of thousands of unemployed and once again ask them if they want another failed Netanyahu attempt to run an ungovernable government.
Remember, these billions would not have landed in the bank accounts of those who had lost their livelihoods anyway.
In the meantime, Likud ministers still don’t dare to say a single word that could be interpreted as criticism of Netanyahu.
After the deal with the UAE became official, Netanyahu wrote on social media, “no more peace for tears. It is time for peace in exchange for peace. We will continue making history.”
I did not hear a single Likud official to respond to the arrogant statement, for it was Likud founder Menachem Begin who said, “no more tears, no more bloodshed” after signing the 1979 peace agreement with Egypt, the largest Arab state.
He made peace with Egypt, while Netanyahu will maybe go down in history as the one who sold it submarines and allowed the UAE to lay its hands on F-35 fighter jets.
This week, the ultra-Orthodox Knesset factions will make every effort to transfer at least NIS 400 million to their yeshivas in order to ensure their existence.
The discussion about the curricula in these educational institutions will continue in parallel, and all parties have well-founded reasons for justifying their position. A great deal of criticism will also be voiced against the transfer of money, and the arguments between the parties are likely to reach jarring tones.
However, there is one issue that is not in dispute: The political discourse raises much hatred between the different sectors in Israel, but at least hatred is free, and we do not have to pay hundreds of millions for it.
“Do not deny justice… Do not accept a bribe,” we read in this week’s Torah portion (Exodus 23 6-8).
Hebrew jurisprudence expert Rabbi Professor Nahum Rakover wrote: “He who interferes with justice is destroying the foundations of the nation.
Integrity is a trait required of every person, but it is especially required of one who is supposed to determine the rights of others.”
As reported by Ynetnews