By Ira Sharkansky, Ph.D
JERUSALEM — Benjamin Netanyahu (Bibi) claims to be making progress.
He’s offered Internal Security to Itamar Ben-Gvir, Interior and Health to Aryeh Deri, so far nothing to Smotrich, with Ben-Gvir saying that he won’t join a government without Smotrich.
What will remain for Likud? And how will disappointed Likudniks vote with respect to approving a new government?
Bibi can’t afford to disappoint four or more Likudniks, and still maintain a majority of the Knesset.
So how firm are his promises to Ben-Gvir and Deri?
We’re hearing about an expansion of Ben-Gvir’s ministry to include control over part of the police force, but also comments that such an advancement would require further decisions from the police and military.
So there is a lot still to be decided.
Bibi still has a couple of weeks in this opportunity to make a government, plus another two weeks he might receive from the president.
Will he do it?
At this point it ain’t clear.
Presumably, Bibi’s strategy is to assign ministries to his favorites, and to leave Bezalel Smotrich with what is left.
Will Smotrich accept that? Will Ben-Gvir join a government without Smotrich?
And what about Likudniks left with little or nothing?
Against the panics heard from moderate or left wing commentators, there is much work to be done before we can be sure about the functions assigned to one or another minister. Or whether Bibi will succeed in putting together a government able to resist the wanderings of dissatisfied Likudniks.
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Ira Sharkansky, Ph.D., is professor emeritus of political science at Hebrew University. He may be contacted via ira.sharkansky@sdjewishworld.com