By Ira Sharkansky
JERUSALEM –It isn’t easy governing with a one vote majority in the Knesset.
Two proposed laws have not come to a vote, on account of not having enough pass them.
One was a measure to give the Minister of Culture and Sport the power to decide on which groups would get government support. The Minister would have used the power against groups or individuals who–in her view–challenged the legitimacy of the status quo.
Another would follow the dictates of the Supreme Court and regularize the issue of drafting yeshiva students. It was opposed by one of the Ashkenazi factions, who threatened to leave the government if it was brought for a vote.
We’ve also heard that the government was prepared to slip money under the table to yeshivot in order to compensate what would be lost for the failure to reach recruitment standards. But that would not happen, insofar as the whole package will be kept from a vote.
If voted down, each of these would have ended the government.
Now the government has received an extension to mid-January from the Supreme Court on its decision that the government must regularize the recruitment process.
It’s not neat.
And at the same time, there is news from the prosecutor that his staff will recommend an indictment of the Prime Minister on cases 1000 and 2000. The first concerns excessive receipt of gifts, and the second an effort of the PM with the editor of Yedioth Aharonoth to arrange better treatment in the press. That indictment would be for bribery, which is about as bad as can be held against a government official.
And now there is a recommendation from the police to indict the Prime Minister, his wife, the former head of the Telecoms Company, and his wife, on charges that include bribery as well as some lesser nasties. This is case 4000.
And there remains criticism of case 3000, concerned with submarines, and the statement made that the Prime Minister was not involved in that one. Only a cousin and the PM’s lawyer, plus a number of other people with connections to the PM.
But don’t rush to judgment. The chief prosecutor is appointing another cluster of aides to examine yet again the files 1000 and 2000. Just to be sure. Another few months.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister is hyping relations with Chad, as well as with Sudan. They’re two poor countries just south of the Sahara, with Israel’s PM speaking about a new opening to Africa.
Why the fuss? From Israel’s perspective, both are Muslim countries and suggest an effort to marginalize the Palestinians. From the perspective of Chad and Sudan, Israel is an opening to the United States, along with the aid that can come from there.
Is Bibi’s African campaign another effort to stay out of the slammer?
And what about that one vote majority in the Knesset?
Several of his partners are speaking of an early collapse.
What’ll come with Bibi’s indictments?
By law, any minister, except the Prime Minister, must resign when indicted. The myth is that the Prime Minister may continue in office until found guilty. And appeals are exhausted?
All that could take a very long time.
Olmert did resign when indicted.
Bibi may continue to say there is nothing to be found, but his colleagues may not agree.
Those who see him as the lone defense of Israel against evil may not understand.
The rest of us will.
And now there is another issue likely to shake the government.
The appointment of a new police chief has been sitting on the desks of the committee to screen high ranking figures, and– a weekend prior to the end of the present chief’s term– the committee decided by a 2 to 2 vote to advise against the appointment.
Among the reasons: when the figure was head of the police unit to work for road safety, he had allowed ranking subordinates to speed without punishment.
And there is argument between members of the screening committee as to whether the candidate passed his lie detector exam.
Several members of the government are holding out for the appointment in any case. They are saying that the committee is only advisory, and that the government has the say in a decision. And that years of good service should not be cancelled by some errors.
Meanwhile, the government has appointed a temporary fill-in for the departing chief of police. And it is waiting the opinion of the legal adviser to the government about following the decision of the screening committee.
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Sharkansky is professor emeritus of political science at Hebrew University. He may be contacted via ira.sharkansky@sdjewishworld.com