By Ira Sharkansky, Ph.D
JERUSALEM — The holidays have passed, and we’re back to work. More or less.
Bibi has used up almost half of the time allotted him to form a government, and still no results. Smotrich remains adamant about not relying on an Arab party, and without that Bibi remains short of a Knesset majority.
Bibi has made a half-hearted effort to recruit Sa’ar, telling him to return home to Likud, but that isn’t working.
And nothing clear from the components of the next try.
Too many parties that are anti-Bibi or close to it. Yesh Atid (There is a Future), led by Yair Lapid, Blue White, led by Benny Gantz, Yamina (Right) led by Naftali Bennett, Labor, Meretz, New Hope, led by Gideon Sa’ar, Israel Beiteinu (Israel Our Home) led by Avigdor Lieberman, as well as the United Arab List. Together they make up 64 Knesset Seats, but several of them have hinted, or signaled an opposition to joining with an Arab Party, or perhaps with Meretz.
Yair Lapid has called for unity among the anti-Bibi crowd. He’s not calling it leftist or rightist, but a combination that will work together for the sake of Israel. Word is that he’ll offer Bennett the first chance to be Prime Minister, with himself taking that job afterwards.
Bennett remains obtuse, without clarifying where he stands or what he wants.
We hear that Bibi has offered him a senior ministry, and his side-kick Ayelet Shaked, the position of Foreign Minister.
Whether all that would get the approval of Likud, or be enough to seal a deal, we don’t know.
And there are subtle signs of shakiness within Likud. Some have suggested naming Bibi the President, along with freedom from criminal charges. Others have more simply hinted at themselves as Likud’s leader.
Meanwhile it’s all food for endless commentary.
Who knows where it’ll end? Or what’s the next step?
There have been some actions vis a vis Iran, as well as with Gaza.
Both are open questions. Has Israel pushed back Iran’s aspirations to a nuclear explosive? And what about conflicts involving Israeli and Iranian shipping?
Are those actions associated with missiles fired from Gaza, and Israeli responses?
And what about the coronavirus, and the availability of vaccines among Palestinians?
There are those who see Israel with a responsibility for Palestinian health, and those who are not impressed by such arguments.
Israel does provide vaccines for Arabs who are Israeli citizens, who live in Eastern Jerusalem, or who enter Israel daily to work.
It’s not easy to find a neat solution for this or other issues among Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza.
We’re drifting there, as well as in the formation of a government. On all we’re divided among ourselves.
Bigger powers are currently concerned with other matters.
- Competition of the US with China
- Competition of the US with Russia
- Wondering about the development of US policy under Biden
- Preoccupation of almost all with the Coronavirus pandemic.
Israel is in an ideal situation with respect to the pandemic. A large portion of the population above the age of 16 has been vaccinated, and we’re now without masks out of doors. Inside we still are required to mask. Schools are open, but the teacher organizations are digging in their heels about extending the school year into the summer. And we’ll be open to tourists from more countries, providing they have had vaccinations.
But we’re still a long way from solving our political problems. Most of which focus on Bibi, and his now running criminal trial. It’s an odd combination of an indicted individual able to hold on to the highest office, but that’s where we are, given existing law and its interpretation by the Legal Adviser to the Government.
Who knows how long we’ll drift, on this or that?
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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