The truth is that Netanyahu could have formed a national unity coalition between Likud and its 35 seats together with the centrist Blue and White party and its 35 seats leaving all the small parties with no power to blackmail the government for their support. But to do that he would have had to abandon his attempts to pass his proposed legislation to protect a sitting Prime Minister from indictment, a law his friend Trump is using here. That Netanyahu was not willing to do because he cares more about saving himself from jail than preserving democracy in Israel.
80
Originally, Ben Gurion exempted a small number of ultra-Orthodox Jews from military service because they were (he felt) the remnants of a pre-Independence branch of Judiasm which he thought was destined to fade away.
That's not how things turned out. There has always been conflict between secular and religious Israelis about the nature of the country. Only now, the balance of power, which resides with numbers in the population, is shifting. The very Orthodox have large families, do not serve in the military (which is compulsory for Jewish men and women at age 18) and often are not gainfully employed.
Ben Gurion once famously asked how he could ask a secular Israeli to serve and potentially die for Israel when the ultra-Orthodox do not. The ultra-Orthodox response was generally that they served by studying and keeping the faith.
That rings hollow, as many modern Israelis now send their children abroad to circumvent conscription.
Israeli politics has always been fragmented. However, Netanyahu has been a divider who preys on the conflict among Israelis and seems to be willing to stop at nothing to stay in power. Maybe he's reached the end of his rope? Time will tell.
However, the conflict between the ultra-Orthodox and everyone else will remain, no matter what Netanyahu's fate.
271
@Marcy Yours was a terrific explanation. I would only add for those seeking more information that over half of Israel's Orthodox population is just as nationalist (or moreso) than Lieberman. These are the "Nationalist Religious" (or Dati L'umi) who do serve in the IDF.
It is another mix of religious Jews - the so-called "Ultra-Orthodox," or more accurately, Haredim - who are opposed or apathetic to secular Israeli nationalism and in any case consistently place nationalistic goals very much below religious mandates (Jewish Law / Halacha).
These Haredim themselves are no monolith. There are ethnic divisions between those of European ancestry and those from Eastern (Mizrahi) backgrounds. This explains why there are two Haredi parties. Among those of European descent - despite sharing a political party - there are rabid religious rifts dating back centuries. Nevertheless, if Haredim share one thing in common it is their high level of opposition to IDF draft quotas.
What we are witnessing in this unprecedented Israeli governmental crisis is a secular ultra-nationalist who is part of a broad swath of Israeli secular and National Religious Jew that demand Haredi conscription. He is determined to leverage this position to bring down his (occasional) arch-nemesis Netanyahu.
Few foresaw such a danger to Netanyahu's endless rule coming from the right. Now we'll see what comes of it.
58
@Jeff. Excellent points, Jeff. I would add that Haredeem, generally, miss out on the networking that happens during military service and are disproportionately poor. So in addition to avoiding the military they also consume a lot of government social services.
45
@TMDJS
The haredim are not poor because they missed out on the "networking" of military service. They are poor because the men don't work.
121
Netanyahu and his right wing extremists have led Israel down a path into darkness. An about face is needed to get Israel back into the world of respected nations. If the ruling coalition cannot turn the country around, and insists on carrying out the colonization project, then the future is not bright for the State of Israel.
298
@Greg
The Palestinain Government pays 10% of its budget to give a life-time salary for Paelsntinian who attacked and/or murdered a Jewish person/child/gramma, in Israel or abroad.
10% of their annual budget. billions over time, just to intice terror and violence.
Nothing much any Isralei PM can do to change that.
5
All other things aside, I'm so proud of Blue and White for saying a firm "NO" to corruption, on its face.
296
@Eli Beckman:
The tragic irony is that ultimately it will be the Israelis themselves that will be responsible for the destruction of Israeli democracy and their cherished Jewish nation, Eli, not the Palestinians, not Iran, not the World. It’s much easier for Israelis to play the role of victim and blame their problems on others rather than to accept responsibility for the consequences of their own actions, such as legally discriminating against Palestinians, empowering right wing Jewish religious Nationalists, building illegal Jewish-only Settlements and maintaining a military occupation of the Palestinians for the last 52 years.
10
Like most politicians, Bibi is only thinking about the short term. With the Haredi set to be 1/3 of is Israel's population by 2050--their refusal to serve in the Army is a huge national security threat. Bibi has had no problem shunning the secular Jews of the diaspora for years now. If Bibi hadn't chosen Trump over the secular American Jews that despise him, now would have been a great time to have promoted Aliyah at a time of surging anti-semitism. Even if they manage to force the Haredi's into conscription--do they really trust that they will do a good job? Bibi should have been playing the long game by bolstering increased secular migration into Israel in order to maintain its military.
1
We can only hope that Netanyahu is unable to form a coalition government as he is a war hawk and a clear obstacle to any long term peace with Palestine and Middle East in general. Let's not forget that he's best buddy with Trump which tells you a lot about Netanyahu.
7
The world needs to move away from the Trumps, Le Pens, the Salvinis and Netanyahus. Save us from Putin’s bottom feeding pawns. Restore the dignity of the western world and our dedication to democracy!
7
Power greed is is not acceptable in being a leader. DJM
How come there is no discussion of the Arab members of the Knesset?
1
At last...Israel please do the right thing and remove Netanyahu.
4
All the world leaders who like Trump bear the same stench of narcissistic delusions, sadomasochism, and bald-faced lies.
Devolution proceeds apace.
6
When Lieberman landed a power position in the Israeli government I thought it was very bad news for peace and for just dealings with the Palestinians. Today's news of his firm stand on service in the IDF brings hope that Bibi will be held accountable and will lose his powerful foothold on the government. Next best step will be the onset of impeachment hearings here in this country
8
Perhaps it's a case of not even the far far right wing can put up with a leader that's being investigated for corruption. The people of Israel deserve better. Perhaps in September the voters will get it right.
7
The irony is rich here. Lieberman has been the right wing's right winger--his frequent racist declarations about what should happen to the Palestinians is more than equivalent to those Hamas members often cited as the obstacle to peace. Let 1000 flowers bloom from this right wing chaos....
7
Netanyahu vent his anger: “Avigdor Lieberman is now part of the left.”
He won the last election in April by shamelessly lashing out at the judicial system and the police for doing their jobs. He attacked the media for exposing his venality, public intellectuals for refusing to acknowledge his greatness.
Most of all he sees anyone critical of him as being on the left, and calls the old Zionist “left” as traitors.
Israel has swung so far to the right under Netanyahu that the term “leftist” itself is now a curse word.
Both the centrist Blue and White alliance, and the Labor Party have tried to shed that label. But both didn’t have the courage to stand up to Netanyahu’s demonisation of Israeli Arabs and refused to form a parliamentary alliance with Arab parties.
The only way to prevent Netanyahu and his religious right from usurping power is for Arab parties to regain the seats they lost – some 25%. But Palestinians aren’t motivated to go to the polls following Netanyahu’s “nation-state” law, that declares Israel as the nation state of the Jewish people. Sadly the Palestinian conflict is no longer an issue in election campaigns, let alone resolving it.
11
Isn’t it rather disingenuous to throw in the part about Kushners “ peace plan” being delayed because his father figure Bibi is in a spot of trouble; there is no viable peace plan on the table, the Israelis have no interest in a two state solution, and if memory serves me The Times have already reported the Palestinians will accept nothing less. Even more appalling is the unwillingness of the ultra orthodox to serve in the military when it is the settlements, which from my understanding they are primarily occupying, that have been one of the main causes for so much misery and bloodshed over the last many years: they apparently don’t have the same reservations about American blood being spilled all over the Middle East on their behalf. I’m not sure Lieberman is any better but Netanyahu is a blight on humanity. If he does lose which is unlikely, it would be lovely if he took the Kushners along with him to wherever political exiles congregate. Let’s give the left a chance in Israel, the Likud has done enough to create animosity towards Israel and Jews world wide.
14
@Ted The "deal of the century" no less. Like his father-in-law, Jared is nothing more than a game show huckster with no concept of the gravity involved.
Many of us are tired of the criminal Bibi trying to drag the US into more war while he shouts threats from behind our skirts. Please do not confuse Americans' disrespect of Bibi with a dislike of Israel. Nothing could be further from the truth.
10
I say GOOD! Let Israelis try once more to rid themselves of the scourge that is Netanyahu.
13
In sharp contrast to the general elections in India where Modi's party won a clear and majority and the prepoll alliance with other parties owon almost a 2/3rd majority, Netanyahu in recent election fell short of a clear majority and needed new post poll alliances to cobble a coalition with a majority. Netanyahu may have been considered a magician thus far but he is not a magician if his party cannot form a stable government and has to give up principles to accept the support of smaller parties. Another election will be in the best interest of Israel and force people to make a clear choice and either give Netanyahu's party a clear majority or give an alternative to Netanyahu a majority. That said Israel is at a fork in its path to continuing as a vibrant democracy where issues should matter more than personalities and a clear mandate whether the government should opt for a 2 state peace resolution with Palestinians or continued hostilities and impasse on resolving all issues with the Palestinians. Let Interfaith harmony be the winner.
6
Thank you Ms. Kershner for using the word "scuppered" - to scupper, meaning to wreck or thwart. I can honestly say in my 57 years of existence on this planet, I don't think I've seen "scupper" used in a newspaper article. I will be using it next time I fight with my spouse to describe what he's been doing to the marriage. That'll get him!
5
It seems like in the USA that the Israeli leadership needs to change.
Both countries have corrupt Heads of State and both support each other blindly.
Maybe Israel will actually be able to get rid of their menace but we here in the USA have to wait (no matter what further information is uncovered) till 2020 because of the almost silent GOP led Senate.
The long list of lies, payoffs and most likely fake taxes that will prove we have a REAL criminal in our White House doesn't seem to bother the GOP elected officials who are supposed to uphold the constitution. Instead they are constricted with fear to look at the truth and act upon it.
We seem to be doomed by a man who has no respect for the office of President or for the people of what was once a great country.
Pelosi needs to at least open an investigation towards impeachment so the American population can see and hear for themselves how they are being fooled.
Our cry should be "LOCK HIM UP".
14
@Sheila Shulman I believe France has it's own issues to worry about. Thanks but we're doing great in the US.
1
@Anthony
Reads like a Trumpeter assessment.
2
Now there is a hope - again.
Could Bibi be sent to jail a bit faster? It would simplify things.
6
@Joe43
To be quickly joined by Trump in an adjacent prison.
1
The Interior Ministry asked the producer of Elton John’s upcoming concert in Israel to sign a declaration of loyalty on John’s behalf as a condition of his appearance here in May, concert producer Shuki Weiss has said.
Not a loyalty oath to the United States. Not a loyalty oath to the state of Texas. Not a loyalty oath to Pflugerville Independent School District, nor to its students.
A loyalty oath to Israel.
A Texas Elementary School Speech Pathologist Refused to Sign a Pro-Israel Oath, Now Mandatory in Many States — so She Lost Her Job.
Texas is one of 26 states (with similar legislation pending in 13 others) which requires state contractors to certify that they “do not currently boycott Israel” and “will not boycott Israel” for the duration of the contract.
The definition of “boycott” includes “refusing to deal with” or “terminating business activities with” Israel or any “person or entity doing business in Israel or in an Israeli-controlled territory.”
9
@John: What it’s not bad enough Israel dictates our foreign policy, dragging us into wars of their choice, now it’s writing our laws, time to cut loose Bibi and Israel until they quit meddling in our affairs, no “meddling” is to mild a word, giving our elected officials their marching orders is more accurate, does Adelsons power and $35,000,000,000.00 control our whole country?bif there has ever been a case for getting money out of politics this is it.
6
@Ted
Israel has always fought its own battles.
How many American soldiers did we send to help Israel in the 1948 war? ZERO!
How many American soldiers did we send to help Israel in the 1956 war? ZERO!
How many American soldiers did we send to help Israel in the 1967 war? ZERO!
How many American soldiers did we send to help Israel in the 1973 war? ZERO!
...
2
@m1945 A very different Israel under David Ben Gurion and Golda Meir my friend, we have lost a lot of Americans over the last couple of decades and trillions in American taxpayer dollars, fighting wars in the Middle East Wars largely emanating from the Palestinian issue, later cloaked in “ the war on terror”, a war that didn’t exist before our involvement supporting both Israels policies and big oils profits, to deny this is for Israels benefit is disingenuous; even Sheldon Adelson doesn’t deny his reasons for spending hundreds of millions to elect whoever will do the most for Israel, why should we be any less hypocritical ?
4
you know there are many arab members of the Knesset that the opposition can form a government with but do to outright racism its considered a taboo . the Israeli Arab is the invisible man in Israel
5
One of the things with the last election was Arab vote in Israel got divided and they lost their representation. With the 'do-over', the question is will Arab Parties improve their representation?
From a 'game theory' point of view, this immediate election will be studied for a long time because political players are essentially getting a second chance to improve upon their mistakes in 'real time'.
But then what about $1Billion Israeli Tax Payers have to shell out? Well, Israel is a rich country, it can afford that. What about the cost of 'indecisions' at the state level for a while? Yah, all democracies pay that cost. Look at the UK, it is paying for such a price for the last 3 years - Brexit!
Oh and don't forget the bonus - the stupid 'peace plan of Jared Kushner' will go to the wind at least for a while.....(Is GOP calling Bibi for another Congressional Speech?)
3
I'm not sure who will be in jail first, Netanyahu, or his buddy trump. Either way, democracy wins.
6
It is about time someone stood up to the Ultra-Orthodox who demand a free ride from personal and social responsibility for simply being pious. Find a way to merge your religious beliefs with a responsible secular society. (Same rationale applies to the Christian evangelicals in the US and other religious fanatics around the world.)
13
Israel gets a redo.
Israel, do the right thing this time and get rid of Netanyahu.
Of course, never count Bibi out. I wouldn’t be surprised if Netanyahu wins even more seats for Likud in the fall elections and goes on to be longest serving PM in Israel’s history.
2
“According to the 1949 Israeli Security Service Law, conscription to military service is compulsory for all Israelis who turn 18. Only two groups are exempt from mandatory military service: the ultra-Orthodox and Arab Israelis. Together these groups constitute over 30% of the Israeli population and, as their birth rate is significantly higher than other groups within Israel, they are set to constitute a whopping 60% of the Israeli population by 2050. The implications of these groups’ continued absence from Israeli military conscription cannot be ignored.”
“Successfully circumventing mandatory enlistment is becoming an increasingly widespread occurrence in Israel. The enlistment rate among Israelis who are obligated to serve has plummeted from 75% to less than 50% in only 20 years.”
“Hence, compulsory military enlistment in Israel is but an old myth. In reality, 35% of the Israeli population carries the burden, while the remaining 65% find ways to avoid military service without having to suffer any consequences.”
“The military’s drafting agenda has transformed overwhelmingly into an army focused less on conventional warfare capabilities, and more on rocket defense systems and cyber capabilities.”
From https://www.jpost.com/Opinion/The-myth-of-compulsory-military-service-in-Israel-569779
So the once vaunted IDF is no longer willing to fight its enemies - Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran - with own ground troops. Too afraid to lose its soldiers to an effective military fighting force.
3
Underlying the clash of personalities is a struggle over how much power and special treatment should be afforded ultra-orthodox Jews. In a country where all Jews must serve in the military, why are the Haredim exempt? Shouldn't they all perform national service at least, instead of living off welfare? Lieberman is raising important questions. Secular voters on all sides should rally to support him. Israel needs more separation between church and state.
9
So it appears that two ultras don't make a right.
5
Best wishes to Israel for a stable new government as soon as possible.
I can't resist hoping this was some sort of delayed karmic payback for Bibi's outrageous stunt address to the U.S. Congress in 2015. Slapping Obama in the face by playing so blatantly to the GOP at Boehner's invitation was petty and divisive. If he behaves as high-handedly to his coalition partners as he did to Americans in 2015, no wonder he couldn't form a government.
4
@G
Netanyahu was invited by Congress. It would have been rude for Netanyahu to refuse.
2
Israel has finally come to an important crossroad after occupying their disputed stretch of land for the past seventy one years.
It's the time for Israel to decide just how much RELIGION they are to include in their menu for achieving a viable, permanent state of Israel.
Everything eventually gets down to the nitty gritty(The practical details of a subject)
For the state of Israel, this gets down to who will be exempt from Israel's mandatory military service of two years but much more is involved because this is Israel, "a state for the Jewish people" and what does this really mean.
The "nitty gritty" arrived in full force with Israel's recent election. The "real powers" there differ in how much "Old time Jewish religion"(orthodoxy) is to be involved in running Israel in a modern world.
Long time leader, Netanyahu, was issued a surprise by competitor Avigdor Lieberman who wants a more practical and secular way while previous leader ,Netanyahu leans toward Jewish orthodoxy.
Will religion control Israel's destiny ? Just ask the Shia and Sunni of the Muslim religion. They have been fighting for centuries over the old stories of long ago.
Some Jewish political parties also believe in the old stories of long ago.(orthodoxy)
The big election in Israel has ground to a halt.
Eventually, things will get down to the nitty gritty with either
Secularism or Orthodoxy as the guidepost for Israel.
the mandatory two year military service
4
@M.W. Endres
but the very claim for the Jewish home in Palestine is based on a mystical title of deeds - pure religion.
They can't throw it overboard easily.
2
@Joe43
Look at Israel's Declaration of Independence. There's no claim based on religion.
1
Its hard to govern when so much of your time has to be spent on criminal defense matters.
Here and there.
5
@Lawrence
The difference being that Trumps so-called executive time interferes with his ability to even learn the rudiments of governing a complex organization such as we have in the U.S.
The claim to be a unique beneficiary of divine creation will inevitably be perceived as a provocation by lesser mortals.
5
Let's take reality break for a second. There isn't a single world leader anywhere who is enjoying a dazzling reign of popularity right now. Parliamentary systems of government like Israel and England are especially vulnerable because the winner in an election has a limited time to form a new government. There is the dreaded vote of "no confidence" when the government is dissolved and it's time to start all over again with new elections.Theresa May is already cleaning out her desk it's still uncertain whether or not Bibi Netanyahu will follow suit before the Jewish New Year begins.
2
I love how Bibi declares that it’s the ultranationalists who are being intransigent and obstructionist when he could have said the same thing about the ultra-Orthodox regarding their inability to come to an agreement. And it’s also charming how Parliament chose to dissolve itself, rendering the government inoperable for months and having taxpayers foot the tab for another election, just to keep Rivlin from exercising his authority to find someone who can form a workable coalition. Bibi and his allies are brazenly choosing self-preservation over what’s best for the country. And you don’t have to be a leftist to see the absurdity of calling Avigdor Lieberman a leftist.
Just as the Republicans in the US are sacrificing every last ounce of their credibility at the altar of Trump, Likud and their right wing allies have demonstrated that they are willing to prop up Netanyahu at the expense of a functioning Israeli state. In both cases the right wing politicians should more properly be called cult followers, because they’ve given up being public servants and they sure aren’t patriots.
3
Contra the article, Rivlin or not, other parties did discuss alternatives to Netanyahu, but determined it was a no go. Netanyahu, under the circumstances, sees new elections as in his best interest. He is probably correct. He will win again.
“the secular ultranationalist and ultra-Orthodox factions”
That’s Israel’s current future: ethno-nationalism or Jewish theocracy.
Netanyahu’s debacle of not forming a coalition government gives Israel’s democracy, which has faced steady assault and is in decline under Netanyahu and Likud/right-wing rule, a second chance.
Hoping that Israel’s democracy prevails and Israel can remain a Jewish majority and democratic state that can live in peace and prosperity next to a secular, democratic Palestinian majority state.
@MC
Israel is not a theocracy.
Theocracy is rule by the clergy.
Israel is a democracy - rule by the people, not by the clergy
Netanyahu is not a rabbi.
Israel doesn’t even have an official religion.
Palestine does.
The Palestinian Constitution establishes Islam as the only “official religion” and requires that “the principles of Islamic Sharia shall be the main source of legislation.”
2
Netanyahu could form a government, but he can't, or rather won't, because his narcissism and corruption have finally caught up with him despite all the illegal protections his party, Likud, has given him for his crimes. (Just as the GOP keeps protecting Trump from the consequences of his criminality).
Netanyahu's going to wind up in prison for his crimes as every other political party either considers him a totally corrupt opportunist, or a racist, or both, and won't form a government with him, or if any additional political parties did somehow agree to form a government with Netanyahu, they'd refuse to insulate him from criminal prosecution.
The issue of the exemption of the ultra-orthodox from serving in the military is a very real issue for the country, but it isn't actually an issue for Netanyahu. Netanyahu needs a get out of jail free card, but unfortunately "the magician" is out of tricks and he couldn't find enough coalition partners to give it to him.
Netanyahu's going to prison, but he thinks if he rolls the dice again maybe he can find a way to not wind up in an orange jumpsuit. That's the real reason there are new elections.
2
I cannot stand how much money we send to Israel. They should be left to fend for themselves. Period.
2
@Frank
Major Gen George Keegan, Jr., former head of USAF Intelligence, said, "Between 1974 and 1990, Israel received $18.3 billion in US military grants. During the same period Israel provided the US with $50 - 80 billion in intelligence, research and development, and Soviet weapons systems captured and transferred to the US."
3
Perhaps this will mark the beginning of a long-deserved and long-awaited ouster. One can only hope.
I find it disconcerting that so many of the comments see this news as more reason to lament the moral demise of Israel and its leadership. But the new elections are the result of a messy parliamentary system that, in this case, checked what could become unbridled power. Some of us here woke up to the news that we have another chance to correct what could have become an historic wrong--"Bibistan". My American friends--how would some of you have felt if a mere two months after Nov.'16, new presidential elections were called?
1
This isn't political "chaos" occurring in Israel, it's the beautiful fulfillment of a multi-party democracy in action.
Netanyahu, by law, needed to form a majority coalition to govern...but he and his Likud party couldn't achieve it. So, they'll be a new election in September. This is NOT regime change. Rubber bullets won't be fired into civilian crowds. The Knesset won't be bombed. Opposition party leaders won't be arrested. A foreign government won't be forcing a puppet leader down the throats of the Israeli people. Election fraud will NOT be evident.
This is how a true democratic election should work...choosing a leader " of the people, by the people, and for the people ", even if a do-over is necessary based on constitutional law.
6
What will be different with the new election? The Israeli people will continue to support the ongoing rightward swing of its government and countenance the the right's unholy alliance with religious extremists.
Despite my disgust with Mr. Netanyahu, Likud, and the Israeli-right in general, I am not without sympathy for Israeli people and Israel's predicament in general.
While I truly believe that the Israeli government makes the plight of the Palestinians far more devastating than necessary vis-a-vis Israel's security interests...I also believe that Hamas receives insufficient condemnation as a terrorist organization that is heavily to blame for the persecution of the Palestinians. I also refuse to find common cause with those who would deny Israel's right to exist.
3
@Megan A very nice way to put it. The fact that Hamas speaks for the Palestinians really means THEY have no right to exist. Until they are removed from power there can be no peaceful solution. The Arab world could care less about the Palestinians
3
Holding a new election can generate an even worse result if the ultra and super right parties gain power. The only hope for Israel is a coalition with enough moderates to stop Israel's downward slide into a rogue state.
4
Bibi comes back.
He's just so steadfastly and unequivocally committed to the defense of Israel, as was evidenced by his response to the Syrian army's attempt to bring down an Israeli plane on Monday.
In the political arena, securing the move of the US embassy to Jerusalem and further cementing Israel's control of the Golan Heights were big wins.
1
Impatient to form the coalition government Benjamin Netanyahu perhaps forgot that politics in addition to being a power game is also an art of the possible that requires compromises, gibe and take, and not just boastful power grab through populist rhetoric.
1
Seems like "only I can fix this" is less effective when you need to form a coalition government. Also wouldn't seem to bode well for other nations where the center is losing and hard right-left groups are gaining.
1
Good that the Blue and Whites will get another chance at winning. Under Netanyahu, the State of Israel has been ordered by the U.N. to return its people, settlers included, to within the real, and still valid boundaries of Israel. He has refused.
This is not a support of Hamas. It's more a support of justice for Palestine. You would be angry, too, if you had been walled out of your own land. Israelis must learn to build up, not out, and give Palestine back to its people. And stop killing rock-throwers with automatic weapons.
Mandatory national service is good for any country. One doesn't have to be a soldier, just do something good for the State. Most Orthodox men do not work and their job is studying and disputing the meaning of the Torah. They do the same in the U.S., have large families, their wives work and they are all on welfare.
I believe religious study is important, and I also believe supporting oneself through work is equally important, and not shirking national duty.
Netanyahu's alliance with the Saudis and with an extreme right group, his convictions on criminal charges, and his aggression (desired) against Iran, do not make him the ideal leader for a modern Israel.
The Israelis I know are proud to be Israeli, but they are very secular. They want peace, not war, in the Middle East, and a two-state solution.
Israel needs a secular leader who will give back, or buy, Palestine's land, does not want war, and who will separate Synagogue from State.
113
@Lilou. And who is the magical mystery Palestinian partner for peace that any Israeli government can negotiate with and will accept any Jewish state, or even any Jews, in the Levant.
Name this person. Please.
28
@TMDJS--Mahmoud Abbas https://www.timesofisrael.com/abbas-says-he-can-negotiate-with-whoever-wins-israels-vote/
8
@Lilou
The same Abbas who pays suicide bombers and names streets after them? He says he is willing to negotiate, but his actions have long proven otherwise.
27
The soon-to-be announced Kushner-Netanyahu composed "Deal of the Century" will first require a controlled denouncement by the Israeli government. The outrage will need to be carefully constructed so that Israel is not blamed for the failure and keep the "deal" alive. This is arrangement is surely the most difficult part in Netanyahu's forming a coalition government.
24
@Greg. Your conspiracy theory isn't even germane to the article.
37
@TMDJS
Sure it is. Netanyahu has composed a script that his coalition partners must accept or the whole play won't work next month. Looks like there is much resistance to the script as written. The potential actors disagree with the director.
35
@Greg. The issue involves the Haredis, an ultra-orthodox sect, whose members generally don't serve in the military and who don't practice birth control so they have larger families and few economic prospects. As such they take a lot of state welfare. There is a lot of resentment against towards other Israelis towards the Haredis, as the rest of Israel literally put their lives on the line in the military to keep Israel safe, only to see Haredis then consume a disproportionate level of tax dollars. Israel has very high tax rates, btw, with income over about 20K USD being taxed at a high level.
Lieberman is one of Bibis many, many enemies and is using this schism to scotch Bibis attempt at making a government.
This is the actual schism in the polity. In spite of the loud voices of the Haaertz Left, amplified so strongly by the Western Media, Israelmis actually pretty well united in Palestinianism: Oslo proved to be a "land for terror" deal and Israel eagerly awaits a partner for peace, realizing full well that they do not have on in Abu Mazen nor with Hamas in Gaza. Maeertz, the party representing those that may want to negotiate NOW with no preconditions or plans won like 4 seats.
11
The orthodox get to write their own rules, get the benefits of a society they don’t contribute to, sounds like red states in the US.
220
@Paulie The people in our Red states do not not avoid military service. Quite the contrary, their son and daughters are a large force in US armed services. They do fight and die for their country unlike the Orthodox.
32
@EMM
Most ultraorthodox men avoid the draft. Most Orthodox serve with pride as a matter of religious conviction, defending the Jewish state. Don't confuse the two groups-180 degree difference in outlook and action regarding support of the State-the beginning of redemption of the Jewish people.
20
An analogy that is incorrect. please don't project American issues on to our situation.
3
We should end our alliance with this country.
53
Why? Because the Netanyahu administration can’t form a majority government? Better we should drop support for Netanyahu and back a more reasoned Israeli leader.
Come to think of it, that’s what we should do with our own Trump regime.
44
@Paul S
What does Hamas want to do after it defeats Israel?
When the rocket attacks first began against Israel, a senior Hamas leader, Dr. Yunis Al-Astal, published an article in the Hamas journal, Al-Risala, where he compared Hamas’ al-Qassam rockets to the Manjaniq catapult which the Prophet Muhammad used against the Jews of Khaybar. The fall of Khaybar, he explained, opened the gates of the Byzantine Empire to Muslim conquest and was the first step towards the fall of Constantinople. Now, the fall of Israel, he said, would open the gates of Europe to Islam and lead to the fall of Rome.
Hamas MP and cleric Al-Astal proclaimed in 2008, “We will conquer Rome, and from there continue to conquer the two Americas and even Eastern Europe” (Al-Aqsa TV, April 11, 2008)
It’s in our interest to give Israel weapons so that Israeli soldiers will fight Hamas over there rather than needing to have American soldiers fight Hamas over here.
13
@Paul S - we should end our strategic partnership with the only democracy in the middle East and the most stable country there? Which of the surrounding barbaric dictatorships do you suggest the USA allign itself with?
24
Time for Netanyahu to go. I’d love him to take his pals Donald and Jared with him.
52
The weakness of parliamentary democracy is the problem of what happens when one party cannot achieve a majority - that is to say, the need for coalition governments. When the fringe parties dictate the formation of a coalition, the very smallest sectors of society find themselves with inordinate power. In an ideal world, no leader would allow the "deal with the devil" that come out of the coalition-building process. This is not, however, an ideal world.
What I wonder is this: who really walked away from the table here?
5
The parliamentary system is naturally-evolved democracy. The evolution of democracy can only accelerate from the advent of global instant communication.
@Steve Bolger
And exactly what planet have you been living on this pas decade?
Unaccountable, unregulated, only-for-profit 'social media' enterprises like entities Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc., are the problem, not the solution.
Once the Rightwing parties realize that the Israeli PM position might fall into the hands of a more overall centrist coalition, they’ll compromise and coalesce around Netanyahu... and Israel will be mired in the same muck into the foreseeable future.
Time for Bibi to go and deal with the criminal charges against him and leave governing to more reasonable people.
11
This is good news for Israel and the world. I agree that the ultra-Orthodox should not be drafted into the army even though I see the logic of preparing for self defense. American Orthodox Jews, unlike Quakers, were not exempted from the Vietnam draft because Judaism, although a religion of peace, does not proclaim objection to wars of self defense, and Jews have participated in combat since Biblical times. Netanyahu is a provocateur to his neighbors and, like Trump, an unethical man. Surely the other guy was better and should run again.
11
It is sad to see the extremists of Israel battling for power while the moderates watch from the sidelines. The country is ill.
17
It's sad to see outsiders claim to have ownership of Israeli politics when they would never do such a thing with Russia, as a relevant example.
1
Greg there are enough problems in France. Perhaps it's best for you to concentrate on the.m and not on our far away and tragic situation that you do not understand. (it isn't colonialism). France may soon be facing a Marine LePen government,so maybe you should concentrate on that
2
You could be talking about the US there . . .
2
Ironic that he was thwarted in his attempt to form a government by his erstwhile coalition partners from the extreme right and his old friend Avigdor Lieberman. Lie down with dogs, get up with fleas.
9
And the walls of Trumpism come a tumbling down.
8
It makes no difference why Mr. Netanyahu failed.
He failed. Politics are ugly. You win some and you lose some.
But when you fail in a major issue, you should go.
Only God is God; no one is (politically) invincible. Everyone can be replaced.
The longer Mr. Netanyahu remains, the worse it will be for him.
Knowing when to throw in the towel, even when the results might be difficult, is a skill that unfortunately many politicians learn the hard way.
12
@Joshua Schwartz: It is not possible to govern for everyone when constrained by religion.
6
@Steve Bolger A coalition government requires agreement of parties and factions, but will never really "govern for everyone" with or without religion.
The unfolding political travesty has very little to do with religion or "religion. Indeed it might be defined as a travesty of religion, a caricature of what religion should be. The Hebrew phrase is goal nefesh. I leave it untranslated.
2
“... his plans ran aground on a power struggle between two blocs of his potential right-wing coalition — the secular ultranationalist and ultra-Orthodox factions — who refused to compromise...”
L.O.L.
14
Gotta love it. A whole bunch of commenters not wasting an opportunity to bash Netanyahu. Let me ask you, how many of you actually voted in Israel's elections that were just held and actually understand the situation beyond what you read here? Right. Figured as much.
Lieberman is an egotistical jerk who despises the religious so much he'd rather take down the government. He also despises Netanyahu and I think, given his massive ego, sees himself as PM. Betenyu gets their votes from the Russians who immigrated to Israel, most of whom aren't religious or even Jewish.
Hopefully in this next round the Right unites even more, Bennet and Shaked are part of a winning party and get to hold posts in the new government. Netanyahu and Likud will prevail again.
8
@Greenie
'Figured as much' If you are voting in Israel's elections and taking such keen interest what are you doing living in VT? I live between NY and VT and despise Netanyahu because he and his wife are corrupt and will hopefully land themselves in jail soon. Netanyahu has taken the world to the brink of war with Iran because he wags the dog in order to stay in power. I was a supporter of Israel until Netanyahu and now I support BDS because of his policies.
33
@Greenie It's not like what people say here has the force of God. Why are you so knowledgeable? Surely voting in an election doesn’t make the voter an expert on politics.
Netanyahu has held back the peace process for too long. And from this stunning rebuke of his “wizardly” political prowess, it appears he's been the egotistical jerk who won't let go of the power he's lost.
16
@Dave Wyman
In 1947, the scholars at Al-Azhar University (The highest authority in Sunni Islam.) declared holy war to return Palestine to Islamic rule. Therefore, as long as most Palestinians are devout Muslims (85% of Palestinian Muslims want sharia law.) and as long as the Jewish State controls even one square inch of land, peace is impossible.
10
Israel is a vibrant democracy, where small voices, religious and secular, Arab and Jew, can make a difference. One coalition idea could be Blue and White, Labor, and Arab Slate, but probably will not happen now. But the potential is there .... Shame on the the world and some commenters here who still find reasons to chastise Israel, even as it allows for the voice of the people to continue to be heard. We in the US have a lot to learn ,,,
But I wouldnt be so quick to celebrate Netanyahu's demise -- the larger issues of security in a troubled violent area of the world remain. Iran's threats to annihilate the Jewish, the half million dead in Syria from chemical gas, Iran -- and of course Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Palestinian terrorism, the deaths of thousands of innocent Israeli civilians, not to mention soldiers defending the Jewish state.
And if we are honest, the real power brokers here are Abbas and the PLO, for that matter, all Palestinian leaders. If they were courageous enough to accept 2-state solution compromises Israel has offered they would take away the security issues, the Israeli electorate would listen, Netanyahu would be voted out of office, and the right wing would lose control of power in Israel. But of course extremists both among Jews and Palestinians are interested in continuing to stir the pot of violence ....
17
@robert Democracy, as it exists today, is very overrated. US, India, Israel, etc.
2
To your list I would add Hungary, England, Brazil, etc. unfortunately and i blame it on a public informed by social media, reluctant to analyze, willing to invest in the notion that forceful extreme solutions work as opposed to compromise. Sadly, social,media has revealed how truly uninformed most people are. Has always been so, but now uninformed opinions occupy the social airwaves accompanied by rumor and conspiracy theories.
However, let us not forget the villainous ways of non Democracies such as China that as we write is holding over a million Chinese Muslims in camps to rid them of their religious heritage, or Syria that continues its mass killings, or Iran that foster the militancy of terror groups, or Saudis that slice up the opposition literally. The sadness is that Trump has eroded the platform where moral authority once existed. The US has done many troubling things but at least it projected a sense of moral consideration. Now that is all gone, and the world is spinning off its moral compass.
@Tamza: Democracy succeeds only where all seek to find objectivity.
I hope he goes away. We need a compassionate and fair leader. Netanyahu isn't the man.
32
“Netanyahu” is the Hebrew word for debacle.
19
@ASD32
It means God gave.
3
@ASD32
In Israel the renaming of individuals was a way to nativise foreigners.
This included the Belarussian Nathan Mileikowsky becoming nativised as Nathan Netanyahu. So Bibi is actually Benjamin Mileikowsky.
4
@Greg
For clarification, Nathan was Bibi's grandfather.
The fact that Netanyahu couldn't seal the deal inspite of the fact he tried to induct the far right, plus his corrupt charges, don't you think it's time to find a healthier alternative?
27
Netanyahu is allegedly corrupt, and he should be tried accordingly. Further, to attempt to pass legislation to immunize him from corruption, is just as corrupt.
If a new election is necessary, so be it. It's time for a change there as well.
Further, to continue to exempt religious Israelis from Israel's military is also wrong, and should be modified.
In fairness, everyone there should serve in their military. It is patently unfair for others to give their lives for their country, while others avoid service.
29
Memo to Foreign Leaders.
Do not invite Republicsn Governor Disantis of Florida for a big political show on your behalf. He is bad luck. Look what happened to Netanyahu on the way to his presumed new government when DiSantis showed up.
13
What is wrong with Israel? Bibi is clearly corrupt....
28
@Ro_Go The same thing that is wrong with the US. Trump is clearly corrupt.
40
How disgusting. Netanyahu fails because he can't galvanize the super-right wing and the super-super-right wing. if there had been a super-super-super-right wing, he would have wooed them! Anything to keep him in power. He has no scruples and no principles beyond demagoguery. He is no longer of any use to lead Israel.
37
@William O, Beeman - I think it really boils down to this: after four terms, he has nothing left to give away, bargain with, or sell to the far right. They have all that they wanted already.
4
Poor Prince Jared, his dream of a Nobel Peace Prize dashed by this unanticipated turn of events. Perhaps he can now turn his negotiating genius to the U.K., and solve the Brexit conundrum.
54
Netanyahu used to sleep in Kushners bed. This is actually true.
7
@John Please tell me there will not be a "tell all" documentary after the parties have all left public office.
If Haredi refuse to serve in Israel's defense programs, then Israel should refuse to serve them in welfare programs.
39
A lot of Americans refuse to serve in the US military, and that hasn’t affected their eligibility for welfare, so why would you demand that of Israel’s Haredi?
I used to love Israel. As a young teen, I loved watched Abba Eban, polished, erudite and an impeccable British accent.
No longer. Netanyahu is a right winger, and Lieberman is worse.
And the ultra-orthodox, who increasingly dominate Israel's politics suppress women. No women pictures allowed in public places, no women pictures in their newspapers, no women sitting next to men, no civil marriage allowed, and you can't get divorce until your husband gives you a "get"
What kind of country is Israel becoming ?
84
@Lily
For most of American history, women weren't allowed to vote.
Israeli women could vote from day one & Israel has had a female prime minister. Also, Israel has female fighter pilots.
19
It’s becoming the same thing every other country controlled by fundamentalists is becoming, including the USA.
15
@Cassandra
Self-defense is brutal. Self-defense involves killing & wounding, fences, walls, checkpoints. Palestinians suffer, but it's not brutalization because the goal is protecting Israeli lives, not causing suffering.
5
Hooray! I hope this is the end of Netanyahu in Israel. He's made comebacks in the past so I'm not holding my breath, but I truly hope he is cast out at last. He has been a terrible leader for Israel and the people there deserve better....
42
Sometimes, prayers do get answered!
Netanyahu is corrupt and a war monger amongst many other things.
And the worst crime of all, is and was his sycophantic stance with Trump, like DT was his mega duenna! Moving the embassy, that last minute promise of Golan heights, and that incite-full rhetoric...
Bibi, there’s a price to pay.
And that rift between the ultra orthodox and the secular groups has been going on since Israel’s birth. It’s coming to a head.
I’m glad for the stand taken by Mr Lieberman. Well, also if he can poke a finger in Bibi’s eyes, Avi is your man. No love lost there!
19
Long past time for Netanyahu to go. Sick of corruption all around the world.
30
Maybe Jared and Ivanka Kushner could move to Israel if one or the other was offered the title of Prime Minister. Jared has a peace plan, and has borrowed hundreds of millions from Israeli banks over the past several years. Ivanka knows how to deal financially with the Chinese. They are both related to a powerful man, a self proclaimed "stable genius", who is backed by Putin and his Russian oligarchs.
Jared and his spouse Ivanka use could make a new life over in Israel. Most Americans would not miss them a bit.
It would be a perfect fit.
27
@Joe Miksis - Jared Kushner and his wife Ivanka Trump could move to Israel if they chose, since both are Jewish, Provided Ivanka's conversion meets the requirements of Israel's immigration laws, they could both claim citizenship under the right of return. If Ivanka cannot, then there are still avenues she can pursue. One does NOT need to be Jewish to live in Israel: it is a secular democracy. No one needs to be a prime minister to make aliyah from the USA to Israel. They just needs to want to emigrate
4
Maybe enabling right wing governments around the world isn't the best look for the PM of Israel.
21
Yeah, where’s Victor Orban when you need him?
4
The goal post will be moved, once again, so that Bibi can prevail.
6
A criminal surrounded by killers demanded immunity. Religious Governments today.
15
@Peter Marquie You do know that Israel is a secular democracy by its written constitution, right? Just like the USA has a strict separation of church and state.
5
@E.G.
In theory, yes. In practice, that seems debatable. In both countries...
There ought to be a law against being allowed to make laws that would exempt one personally from being prosecuted for a crime.
35
Israel has pushed laws making certain american states actually pledge allegiance to Israel. American businesses cannot bid for contracts if they question Israel.
3
@John. Any specific examples of what you claim in your first sentence?
3
@John - This is inaccurate. Corporations cannot bid for Israeli business is they advocate for the destruction of the State of Israel or contribute to organizations that do the same. Considering whether this is reasonable, as yourself: should the USA do business with companies that advocate for the overthrow (destruction) of the USA or contribute to organizations that do? Enough said.
4
Maybe God is beginning to wake up
Best news I have heard all day ..
34
I never thought I would be praising Avigdor Lieberman on a matter of principle.
22
Like the United States, Israel's greatest threat is from within, and that threat has the same title - religious extremism.
73
@Paul
Israel is also threatened with religious extremism from outside.
On Dec. 2, 1947, just days after the UN General Assembly passed a resolution to partition historic Palestine into Jewish and Arab-ruled sections, the Ulama or chief scholars of Sunni Islam of Al-Azhar University in Cairo– the leading university of the Arab World– issued a fatwa calling on the world’s Muslims to launch a Jihad to destroy the incipient Jewish state. It was reiterated by the Ulama, in April 1948, days before the Egyptian Army and three other Arab armies attacked Palestine, giving the campaign a “religious imprimatur.” The fatwa was reissued later that year.
“It was clear the Arabs had lost the war,” Morris said, but reissuing the Fatwa signaled it was meant “to stand for future years, for future generations, for whatever bout there will be against the Jews.”
As noted in his book and repeated at the conference, Matiel Mighannam, a Lebanese Christian woman who headed the Arab Women’s Organization in Palestine, affiliated with the Arab High Command, told an interviewer: “The UN decision has united all Arabs as they have never been united before, not even against the Crusaders.” She added that a Jewish state had no chance to survive and “All the Jews will eventually be massacred.”
8
Did you read what you just wrote? “Just days after the UN General Assembly passed a resolution to partition historic Palestine into Jewish and Palestinian-ruled sections...”
This is not an exact analogy, but what do you think would be the reaction if, next week or next month, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution to partition Long Island into European and Native American-ruled sections? Would you be surprised if the people currently living on Long Island weren’t exactly thrilled by being forced by the UN to divide their land with people who had been driven off that land centuries ago? Would your sense of justice be so strong that you’d willingly yield your land and property to the Shinnecock tribe, or would you be thinking about a little fatwa of your own?
And it isn’t strictly a matter of what was done, but also how it was done. I invite you to nvestigate the history and actions of the Irgun and Lehi.
2
Netanyahu didn't win. They used the same tricks with voting totals in key towns to win. Some towns were reporting over 100% turnout, same as here in PA, MI, and WI. Israel said "it was just a glitch". I wish my ATM would have that glitch!
30
@hounddogg : I have no idea if there is election fraud in Israel, and I have no direct knowledge about Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, but the innuendo you're repeating about Michigan is completely baseless. There is no town or precinct in Michigan that had "over 100% turnout".
I'm the county clerk for the county that includes Ann Arbor. We (election officials) got halfway through a recount of the 2016 presidential race in this state. More than two million ballots were hand counted. The difference between the hand-count totals and the tabulated totals was negligible.
While it's true that most of the city of Detroit didn't get recounted, Mr. Trump got only a small proportion of the votes there.
I despise Mr. Trump, and I devoutly hope to see him defeated next year, but there is no question that he legitimately carried Michigan in 2016, by getting more votes than his opponent.
And why did Netanyahu fail to form a coalition? Because he insisted that his own immunity from prosecution - for corruption- be part of the deal.
This is all on Netanyahu.
He cares far more about his interests than he cares about Israel, and yet he has the gall to blame others for this
unprecedented “delay.”
Look in the mirror, Bibi.
66
@SCZ If he looked in the mirror he might see Donald Trump
according to your assessments.
8
Why would orthodox men be except for the draft - that makes no sense at all.
26
It makes perfect sense for politicians who want to curry favor with the Haredim.
What makes no sense is why Israeli voters continue to elect politicians who perpetuate this unequal treatment.
Bibi, listen carefully. Trump can't save you again. If you lose the election, you may go to jail. SAD!
31
It appears that the art of the deal failed for Trumps best friend .
Hard to believe that the smartest politician couldn’t get a deal done since his landslide election
Now they have to campaign all over again. Telling the same lies. This time the results maybe different. People might actually go out and vote
What happened to the Jared peace deal that received a warm reception here in America?
Since the prime minister is facing corruption charges he needs to visit Trump the mastermind of the “Art of the Lie”
20
The real issue is that Netanyahu is fighting to avoid prosecution. His new partners agreed to help Netanyahu to quash the investigation. Trump's economic development plan would not change the situation for Palestinians meaningfully as long as Netanyahu was PM. Israel has come to the conclusion there will be no consequences to the right wing gov'ts abuse of Palestinian rights. Now hopefully with the Netanyahu religious right coalition ended perhaps an Israeli gov't more amenable to recognizing that the Palestinians are not invisible unimportant people being shuffled around to make sure that they are not in the way of Israeli settlers.
19
@c harris
I am amazed at how good Israel is to the Palestinians. Israel delivers hundreds of truckloads of food & supplies to Gaza every day even though Gazans persecuted Jews for centuries & have fired thousands of rockets & mortars at innocent Israeli civilians. Israeli doctors treated 180,000 Palestinians last year. Israel even treats members of Hamas in Israeli hospitals.
9
Are you for real? They shoot unarmed women and children on a regular basis. Former congresswoman Cynthia Mckinney was actually taken hostage by psychotic IDF Forces when they attacked the humanitarian aid ship the "Rachel Corrie". By the way, Rachel Corrie was a peaceful human rights activist who was run over on purpose and brutally killed by an Israeli Bulldozer.
6
@John
Imagine you are asked to watch a short video (above) in which six people-three in white shirts and three in black shirts-pass basketballs around. While you watch, you must keep a silent count of the number of passes made by the people in white shirts. At some point, a gorilla strolls into the middle of the action, faces the camera and thumps its chest, and then leaves, spending nine seconds on screen. Would you see the gorilla?
Almost everyone has the intuition that the answer is "yes, of course I would." How could something so obvious go completely unnoticed? But when we did this experiment at Harvard University several years ago, we found that half of the people who watched the video and counted the passes missed the gorilla. It was as though the gorilla was invisible.
1
Another country wishing to self destruct. It’s getting tiresome watching. Iran and NK need never fire a shot.
23
Netanyahu will surpass Ben Gurion's record regardless.
@Jabo Netanyahu will have been PM longer; Ben Gurion will have been PM better, ethically, and heroically -- a true in the heart of Israelis for all time.
Netanyahu may win the technical, calendar count for most days in the PM chair, but David Ben Gurion will live on as the spiritual heart of the nation forever for his service to the people.
@Jabo Netanyahu will have been PM longer; Ben Gurion will have been PM better, more ethically, and heroically -- a truly "prime" leader in the heart of Israelis for all time.
Netanyahu may win the technical, calendar count for most days in the PM chair, but David Ben Gurion will live on as the spiritual heart of the nation forever for his service to the people.
Can anyone tell me why Blue and White, with 35 seats, the same as Likud, doesn't get a chance to form a government? I'd think they would get a turn first, instead of Parliament getting to vote on whether it should dissolve itself. And, I'm surprised Parliament then passed the bill to dissolve itself, 74-45. I can see the Likud coalition of maybe 55 voting to dissolve Parliament, but I would have thought the other 65 might have given Blue and White a chance.
5
These are Misadventures in Bibi-sitting, where the children are extreme, demanding and obnoxious... and the caretaker is a candy stealer.
8
Whew! There's still hope. Netanyahu has GOT TO GO!
29
Israel's polarization and the new elections are 100% Netanyahu's fault.
Israel has a parliamentary system with proportional representation. It thus has the capacity, unlike the United States and first-past-the-post parliamentary systems, to have a centrist government that would represent (to a degree) all Israelis, and not a government of the Right or Left.
The Likud plus Blue & White had 70 seats. That would have been a comfortable majority and enabled a somewhat right-of-center course, but without alienating any Israeli constituency too severely.
That Netanyahu had no interest in doing this and only talked of a "government of the right" with his "natural coalition partners" shows how committed he is to both himself an an exclusively right-wing Israeli polity.
27
“Avigdor Lieberman is now part of the left.”
Netanyahu is apparently hallucinating. As Kellyanne would say, "alternative facts."
They gave us a country and we blew it!
12
@David M. Fishlow -- Maybe Bibi meant that as in, "left me all alone, so I'm leaving to pout now."
I'm pretty sure that no one on the political Left in Israel would be happy to scoop up Lieberman's five, who will most regularly vote somewhere far to the Right of Attila-the-Hun.
The results of the recent elections were a lump in my throat. I identify as liberal and a non-conformist. it is a painful realization to come to terms with the notion that also the upcoming elections in September will not change the current paradigm in Israeli politics regardless as to whether the balance goes left or remains at the right.
I am also an Israeli citizen, however I cannot vote from outside the country. As a US Citizen in Israel, I can vote at the US embassy.
6
@Eran I am not joking when I suggest that this September may be an excellent time for those who have dual nationality to visit Israel - over the election day! If you can get to Israel and vote, VOTE.
(I do realize that getting to Israel is not cheap, so if you cannot get there, in no way should you feel guilty about it. Dual nationality does NOT require that you show up to vote by any means.)
Avigdor Lieberman is playing hardball (and his cards right) and guess who will end up with egg on his face: Jared Kushner. With Israeli politics in disarray, he cannot risk alienating any Israeli voter from Netanyahu. Any peace plan presented is bound to do just that. So, the peace plan will have to be put on hold, and the conference that both China and Russia already declined to attend will now appear as nothing more than an election-timed ploy designed to help Netanyahu get re-elected. Moreover, any attempt to assuage the Palestinians with offers of cash from the Qataris will also have to be put on hold, after all this is Mr. Lieberman's chief bugaboo. Lieberman forced Netanyahu to guarantee that the Qataris would not fund Gaza; Netanyahu, of course, could not do that. And, so now we get new elections. Jared Kushner is discovering that Middle East politics is much more complicated than NYC real estate. Better late than never.
31
Bye bye Bibi, so glad to see you go.
52
While I've never quite understood the vitriol directed towards Bibi, I would have voted for B&W. I've always been a big Lapid fan. Israeli Democracy is working as it should. It's frustrating that a minor party can stifle the formation of a new government, but then the schism between the secular and religious on the right regarding military service is a major one in Israeli society. Both are a part of Bibi's coalition and he cannot keep them together. Nor can Bibi incorporate the center, whose concerns about his alleged corruption, and their own political expediency give them no pragmatic reason to align with Bibi to shape the governing coalition.
A society with so many passionate divisions and parties and a political system that allows representation to small parties does not have a leader that can make a majority out of the current representation. So they start anew straightaway. Democracy at its finest. All in.a country surrounded by dictatorships and monarchies.
Truly, a lignt on to Nations!
Am Yisrael Chai!
16
@TMDJS
Bibi pretended to be Joni, but he was not. I believe he cared more about himself than about his people.
11
Bibi and Sara Netanyahu should be left alone, so they can be indicted, go to trial and be sentenced for their many years of financial corruption. In the end, the Netanyahus are not the kind of moral leaders that Israel wants, needs and deserves.
104
But they’re the kind of moral leaders that Israel keeps electing, so I guess SOMEONE in Israel wants them - and voters deserve the leaders they freely elect, no?
It’s easy to stop Bibi. Don’t elect him in the first place.
"But Mr. Netanyahu pre-empted Mr. Rivlin, whom he considers a foe, from choosing someone else to lead a new government by having his Likud party advance its own bill to disperse the Parliament before the president could act."
---
I wonder what King Solomon would say about this... apparently Netanyahu would rather cut the baby in half than see it live with another... figuratively speaking, of course.
30
I would not count Bibi out.
He will somehow come out on top
2
“I am for the state of Israel, I am for a Jewish state, but I am against a state based on Jewish religious law."
This is the step every nation controlled by religious leaders should take.
We are all human beings and know that regardless how it is used, "Freedom of" has no more right than "Freedom from"
23
@Ian MacFarlane
If it's not based upon Jewish law, then what makes it a Jewish state?
2
@VCuttolo The Jewish people are indeed more than just their religion.
13
Israel is not a theocracy. Jewish law - meaning the law of the Bible - is NOT the law of the land in Israel. Israel has a Constitution and is a SECULAR DEMOCRACY. This is in contrast to say, present day Iran, which is a theocracy under Islamic law. In our own dear United States there are some that would like to replace Constitutional law with some perverted version of the Christian Bible (see Mike Pence for example number one).
23
Just another criminal head of state.
23
This is what can happen in a democracy. Interestingly, after the Knesset debate and vote to dissolve the government, MK Ayman Odeh, of the left-wing Arab Hadash Ta'al party spoke from the Knesset podium and mocked PM Netanyahu for all the concessions he was willing to make to form a government and jokingly added concessions that he "reportedly" made to the Arab party to woo them into the government. It is a tribute to Israel's pluralistic democracy to see that he is a member of the government who can participate in a vibrant and confident manner. It would be highly unlikely to find Jews living in Arab countries, much less participating in the government. Mocking the country's ruler would not have a happy ending.
24
@Barry R
Imagine this article being solely about Netanyahu and his failures and someone has to turn it into a "well we're still better than the arabs" debate.
4
@Barry R The Arab members of the Knesset are few, and they tend to belong to the parties of the Left for very good reason. If the Knesset represented the people of Israel "perfectly" - and NO democracy represent perfectly, including the US - the number of Arab Knesset members would be higher than it is, just as a reflection of demographics. The fact that there are ANY is a huge improvement on the situation from when I lived there in 83-84, when there were NONE.
Better than tracking the ethnicity of those razzing Mr. Netanyahu, we should look to the fact that Netanyahu's usual "cool" has been totally blown in this election. He has been petulant, irritable, rude, and decidely NOT charming. This is a very different Bibi than the one I first met when he was the Israeli envoy to the United Nations in 1983. Time seems to have worn him down, worn him out, and worn away his optimistic, suave good cheer. Maybe it is time?
FINALLY
With bribery and fraud hanging over him, Bibi needs to be shown the door.
[And his buddy Trump as well.]
30
@srwdm The thing about your comment that makes me nervous, is "Bibi". I wrote a letter to the TIMES a long time ago, stating how many American's, of Jewish heritage, always winced when we read a column in which "Bibi" was, mostly, praised or (timidly) disagreed with. Try referring to any other head of state of any other country on this planet, by his nickname. Know why: It's a tell.
1
@Tony's mom
Could just as well say, and his buddy Donnie as well.
[And of course Bernard Sanders, who happens to also be of Jewish heritage, also goes by his nickname Bernie. In fact everyone calls him Bernie. And if he becomes the next head of state he’ll still be called Bernie.]
Send him the same place trump's going...oblivion.
16
Trump should not be sent to oblivion. He should be clearly remembered as a perversion of American ideals so that we don’t repeat allowing this mistake again.
7
Good. He is a liar and should be in jail
84
Anyone in Israel, I am hoping over this criminal Benji. He lowers the global esteem of the Nation of Israel.
25
In the credit of the orthodox parties i must say, that they are not willing to be forced to be drafted to the army.
Its any mans free will, and democratic right to do as he wishes.
1
Thats anarchy. Why should a secular child be forced to risk his life by doing military service, for the security of a
ultra orthodox child?
6
@David
In a country like Israel in which every citizen - male and female - has an obligation of several years' national service (military or other for conscientious objectors), I am troubled by the strong arm tactics of the ultra-orthodox parties who traded their membership in the government coalition for a permanent exemption from national service for their sects.
This is NOTHING to admire. It reeks of favoritism in a system that already has accommodation for religious or other objection. This is not how democracy is supposed to work at all. It is corruption.
Israel must do exactly what we must do here in the United States: put politics aside and simply say no to corruption.
Once that is taken care of, THEN we can resume the political debates.
41
Note to all candidates running for higher office. Don't have Donald Trump intervene on your behalf. Ask Bibi. Ask Roy Moore. Ask Chris Kobach. While he may believe he is doing you a great favor, the results skew in the opposite direction.
24
I really hope the door hits him on the way out.
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@JS27
I hope the building does ,let alone the door .
9
Bini is a criminal and should be removed from office. No wonder he can’t form a government.
36
This whole thing is about the need to pass a law to reduce quotas for military service by ultra orthodox Israelis?
3
@Kraig OK, you said it, and I was ready to RECOMMEND. But I paused and decided to REPLY. Why? I don't understand what you're saying. Help us.
Looking at Israel one understands why separation of church and state is such a good thing. In Israel there is still no institution of secular marriage. Interfaith marriages have to be conducted abroad. The options for secular burial are extremely limited. The state continues to pay considerable stipends to all yeshiva students, without any age and time restriction. Many of them continue as “students” into their 40s and even 50s, after they have become parents and grandparents. They don’t study for a degree, but just “study”. Basically it is a form of massive welfare for a large portion of the population that leads essentially parasitic existence. There is no public bus or train service on Shabbat, with rare exceptions. And, of course, there is the matter of the military service, which all but a tiny fraction of the yeshiva students are continuing to evade. Israel badly needs to break the hold of the Haredim on the state and to make the state a non religious institution.
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@Berto Collins You are right about separation of church and state. If memory serves, it was just such a rift between the ultra-orthodox and the more secular that undermined the last Jewish state, in the days of the Maccabees.
This gives his BFF Trump time to wag the dog to push Bibi over the finish line. Trump could move a few more embassies if he had them. Iran should be worried.
11
Peace will come to the Middle East when we see headlines like this about all of Israel's neighbors.
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@Observer of the Zeitgeist
Bingo!
3
@Observer of the Zeitgeist Oh don't make me gag!
@Cassandra
I took the commemt to mean there is some semblence of Democracy.
1
netanyahu's corruption and unfitness for office has finally caught up with him
54
Netanyahu is a corrupt leader without any morals. I hope Israelis elect another decent human instead of Netanyahu.
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@Jay
There are legal opinions from American lawyers who say the allegations against Bibi and Sara would never make it into a courtroom/hearing/trial in our country. However, even if petty, Netanyahu would be wiser to discuss them openly verses insisting nothing at all occurred.
2
@Rosalie Lieberman You can't apply American legal standards around the world. They're not even being applied in this country.
Besides, you can find lawyers to give you opinions on just about anything. Remember the 1000+ prosecutors who attested to the fact that the current occupant of the White House has, indeed, committed obstruction of justice? Hasn't changed the fact that he's still in office, wreaking havoc, now has it?
10
And despite those opinions of American lawyers concerning American law, Sara Netanyahu agreed to a plea deal on corruption charges.
Could it be that Israeli law and American law aren’t identical?
Is Netanyahu's grip on the Israeli right slipping?
8
@Barbara From your mouth to god's ears.
3
Trump will interfere again as Bibi is Kushner's partner in crime ,Bibi wants to put thru a law making him exempt from prosecution same deal Trump has both are corrupt leaders that will be exposed for who they are eventually.
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Is the criminal indictment next?
8
There’s a lot to unpack in this account. First of all, it’s been a disgrace that the ultra orthodox have had such an outsized influence on the government. So anything that diminishes this is welcome. But, even more importantly, Netanyahu is as corrupt as they come. He’s the Israeli Trump, just a lot smarter (who isn’t?). He needs to go. There are plenty of other more ethical figures who can lead and defend the state. It would be wonderful if we too could call a halt to the horrible path down which our government is being led.
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Doesn't this smells like something familiar and c
lose to home?
19
The results of the Israeli election were not the results of a Brexit-like vote where voters apparently did not understand what they were voting for. Israeli voters knew they were voting for someone to continue to lead the country who is likely to be indicted, but they didn't care. A new election won't change that result. It will only determine who Mr. Netanyahu's partners will be.
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@Jay Orchard
Wishful thinking. Netanyahu and Gantz both got 26% of the vote and 35 seats. I have no idea what will happen after the next vote. At the beginning of February the number of projected seats for "right-center" versus "center-left" was quite close, at the end the spread widened.
4
Netanyahu is a fundamentally bad person so it was inevitable that eventually he would fail. Trump is also a fundamentally bad person and whilst he may lead in some polls with regards to the 2020 elections, he will not prevail because ultimately Americans are good people who will not tolerate that someone with such a flawed character will remain in power for longer than necessary period.
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I find it difficult to accept the implied comparison between Netanyahu and Trump. Netanyahu has his failings but they fall short of Trump's failings. Trump is narcissistic and a congenital liar who changes views frequently, so one is never certain of his policies. Few leaders are as chaotic as Trump or his administration have been. Netanyahu is certainly not perfect and may have accepted bribes but his policies have always been clear cut.
4
@W Finger's crossed!
3
Blaming Mr. Netanyahu for doing his utmost to defend his people from their enemies as many people do is like accusing me of being a close friend of Donald Trump because I once slept overnight in one of his hotels. (It was raining hard, I was very tired and I am still ashamed of it.)
Netanyahu is a realist and a man of action. He is not expecting Palestinian leaders to come around to accepting a permanent Jewish State of Israel anytime soon, maybe for another 100 years.
In the meantime, he is doing everything he can to persuade Palestinians that the only route to statehood for them is with new leaders willing to accept Israel as their permanent Jewish neighbor.
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@A. Stanton
No more shame than owning a Trump brand tie-my husband and a son in law.
Your comments are noticed, and liked. Too bad the majority of commenters use the opportunity to dump on Israel, period. Netanyahu may be a petty person, but nowhere in the realm of what our President has done for years to cheat business associates, and in his taxes. Talk about corporate welfare.
9
“Man of action” = “hatemonger” = “demagogue.”
It’s really remarkable how many leaders don’t take bribes and stir up hate just to stay in office. Why not try one of them?
5
@Rosalie Lieberman How would you know this? Ah wishful thinking. I'm Jewish but secular. I would never live in Israel and don't even care to visit. Net. is a fake and an amateurish dictator interested only in money and power. Sound familiar? Ultra orthodoxy is viewed by most Jews as yet another infiltration of religiosity supported by welfare. Let their families support them while they have too many children to support, pray and study forever and the women get fat: all in the name of religion. Fanatics and opportunists run this government hence the Net.
4
Cynicism is the greatest enemy of democracy. Netanyahu is the poster boy for cynicism. It is very difficult to enter into a partnership with someone you know can't be trusted. Republicans and Democrats were partners in governing America until Reagan and they were no longer able to trust their partner.
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@Montreal Moe -- I would suggest indifference is a bigger threat, but the two may be related.
4
On this issue, can't disagree with Lieberman. Over across the pond I am sick to death of religious lobbies writing special exemptions for their own religions to the rules everyone else has to follow.
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@Sean
Perhaps that would be because you don't understand the issue?
It's hard to escape the thought that Netanyahu and Trump share a potential common destiny of having to win re-election or going to prison.
53
A note for NYT editors:
Hebrew “pizur” generally means “dispersal.” But in a parliamentary context isn’t it better translated as “dissolution?
1
Yes! Yes! Yes! A do-over election for Israel, just what is needed to get rid of corrupt Bibi.
28
Israel, you need term limits!
28
In the upcoming Israeli election redo, Netanyahu's party likely will get the most votes again but the loser will either be Mr. Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu secular ultranationalist party, or the ultra-religious parties. Either way, the Blue and White party will be on the outside looking in. Claiming that Mr. Netanyahu's inability to form a government is a bad omen is wishful thinking on the part of those who oppose his continuing to serve as Prime Minister.
9
@Jay Orchard
If the results are the same, he may not get the first mandate to try to assemble a ruling coalition.
Great. One more corrupt politician on his way down.
24
Thus Benjamin Netanyahu joins the long parade of world leaders who are on their way out the door. The next election isn't until September and anything can happen between now and then. Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara have a lot of baggage which is the main cause of their downfall. I read on the Jerusalem Post Website that Sara Netanyahu agreed to a plea deal to avoid a trial. All she has to do is pay a fine to reimburse the government for the funds she took to pay for a private chef and other luxuries.
I do hope the next Israeli Prime Minister meets with the approval of Isabel Kershner, the NY Times editorial board and the bloggers.
9
Really hope Bibi is done, but I imagine his nickname portends the opposite.
7
@Jeremy Yes, Jeremy! As long as our pundits continue to refer to the Prime Minister of Israel as "Bibi," we will know where they stand, and so will the people of Israel, the Arabs, the Russians, the entire world. And, i.e., no hope for Palestine. And no hope for Israel. Why should Israel even consider changing its policies? Our dear intimate, almost cousin, BIBI, as he is addressed in our "paper of record," they think, must be doing OK.
1
We ALL must be open to diversity.
We ALL must be open to accepting others.
That's the way to pledge a firm determination to never again repeat the atrocities of the history.
1
And like Trump's claim of Kim's label of Joe Biden that is really Trump's label, "Is this a signal to me?" If Bibi fails, Donnie fails.
9
Whatever his motive, I support any attempt to force the religious to contribute to society from which they benefit, as much as the non-religious are already being forced to.
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@Imagine
The religious contribute plenty.
Let me ask you a question. If the Vatican exempted their own scholars from military duty, but not others, would you be more understanding? Without religious Jews, what makes Israel a Jewish country?
2
@VCuttolo
No, I would not be more understanding.
Israel will never be without religious Jews.
12
@Imagine
Imagine if the Israeli-Palestinian dispute would be rid of religious connotations and redlines. Then it would be a mere land dispute, not a zero sum game, with the Jewish infidels ruining land supposedly holy to Islam. Humbug.
Only, it never was. As late as the early 1900s, the Waqf published pamphlets stating that Jerusalem and the Temple Mount were holy to Jews from time immemorial.
That was long before religion became politicized, and vice versa.
8
Lieberman is right.His children served in the army and risked their lives.The religious right do not want to serve.Fair is fair.
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I'm going to go way out on a limb here and predict Bibi will win again, this time with more seats and an easier time putting together a government. The electorate voted for right wing parties and they are just going to double down to make sure they get what they want and strengthen his hand. This isn't the result I'd prefer, it just stands to reason.
3
@Stevenz
limbs are getting sawed off these days.
4
And so goes delays another [failed] attempt between Israel and the Palestinians at ending the conflict and agreeing to a two-state solution.
3
Oh, wow, well this cheers me up! Perhaps a foreboding for Mr. Trump? Let's hope so. Bibi is a corrupt politician who does Israel no good. Hope this is the end for him.
161
Best news from Israel in a very long time.
Shalom.
101
Maybe a good sign that Trump is also on his way out.
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@Areader Out? Only if we VOTE him out of office. This is the mountain we must clamor or claw our way over.
12
@LPO -- That's right. Right wing politicians are in the ascendancy everywhere. In Israel it's only a matter of how far right they want to be. I only hope the democratic party is noticing and learning.
5
@Areader if only.... *stares wistfully in the distance, full of nostalgia for an America with President Obama*....
"At the core of the latest political crisis was a sharp disagreement between Mr. Lieberman and Mr. Netanyahu’s ultra-Orthodox allies over legislation to replace a military draft law that exempted ultra-Orthodox men."
This has been debated for years. Ultra Orthodox refuse to serve in the IDF yet they are the loudest group to complain that IDF soldiers aren't eating enough kosher meals.. Only in Israel!
77
One thing I like about Avignon, and there is much I don’t, is his position that the Haredim should serve as most other Israelis do. I stopped giving when the “definition” of who is Jew became the province of the Orthodox. Now, their problems are not my problems. If I lose the Right of Return, they lose the rRight to Receive.
60
So now the center-left has another chance. Bibi was only in a position to form a government because Labor didn't join forces with Blue and White. Shades of what happened here in the States in 2016...
10
It’s remarkable how many educated Times readers compare and confuse Netanyahu with Trump.
Netanyahu is a highly educated man. MIT and Harvard graduate. Member of an extremely distinguished family including among them an eminent historian and world-renowned Rabbi.
Who has successfully engaged over the course of his life in multiple careers as a politician, diplomat, writer, economic consultant and marketing executive.
A proud Jew, skilled orator and politician, soon-to-be Israel's longest serving Prime Minister, served five years in an elite unit of the Israel Defense Forces in several of Israel’s wars,
wounded in action, married to the same wife since 1991, deep knowledge and experience with virtually every branch of the Israel’s government, supporter of free market economics, gay rights and the integration into Israel of Ethiopian Jews.
Is it possible that this man’s critics are comparing him to some other Trump?
16
@A. Stanton Comparing Bibi to Trump is a grievous insult to Trump. Netanyahu should be tried as a war criminal in the Hague for his actions in Gaza. His personal corruption by comparison is very small beer. For all his faults, and there''s a lot of them, Trump's record doesn't come close.
8
@A. Stanton
Well, let's be fair. Bibi and Trump do have a lot in common. Both are serial liars; both are right-wing ideologues; both cheated on their wives; both are accused of crimes following investigations by their own governments; and both may end up being removed from office & sent to prison.
So it's no surprise that people confuse the two.
20
@A. Stanton. Maybe if he stopped imitating Trump and spouting out the same “fake news” nonsense people would stop comparing the two. Netanyahu is also a corrupt politician who is trying to manipulate Israeli law and influence the courts so he won’t be held accountable, this is Trump like behavior.
18
He’s paying the price for his association with the current U.S. President and the mis-guided advice from his son-in-law.
29
@PowerT.
No. He has a lot of enemies. Lieberman chose his strike well. This actually has nothing to do with Trump or "Palestine".
1
What did they expect when they gave power once again to an indicted criminal?
29
@Parker Green Indictment has to be followed by trial and a guilty verdict or a plea sua sponte--only then and only then, you can call the present PM a Criminal.
3
@Dr. MB
You're so right - and OJ agrees with you. Formal justice is never in error, so OJ never killed anyone. Ask him and he'll tell you that he's still seeking the murderer, night and day.
And I'm sure you agree with him.
9
The great majority of Israel. who served in the military, have no inclination to exempt yeshiva students serving, Why should their kids put in harms way to protect these young men and women who have no respect for non-observant Jews who fund them and their yeshivas and large families with tax money.
Since no party has a majority, the secular parties on the right and left buy out the votes religious parties by showing them with millions and millions of shekels. This trend already started since Ben-Gurion times.
37
Netanyahu’s brother was the only soldier killed at Entebbe. Is his motivation a blood feud, or is he just totally corrupt - or is it both?
7
@H.A. Hyde
Both
4
Well, I am buying a lottery ticket today. This could be the day that both Trump and Netanyahu meet their demise!
21
"Tremendous victory", said Bibi Netanyahu about his close election 10 April. Where have we heard those words before? A new election for Israeli Prime Minister will take place in 3 months since Mr. Netanyahu failed to form a government. The tremendous failure to form a government will cloud Bibi's remaining time as Israel's too long serving prime minister. Meanwhile,Mr. Netanyahu is facing charges of corruption -- bribery, fraud, legal troubles -- and his best friend, Donald Trump, has his back. Democracy is facing problems in Israel while we have our own problems in this hemisphere with our 45th American President, for whom impeachment may be on the table. Both democracies, Israel's and America's are in serious default. A fascinating few months lie ahead, folks.
30
@Nan Socolow.
Love or hate Bibi, but Israeli Democracy is operating exactly as it was designed to. Jews were frequently disenfranchised in Europe and Arabia. As such, they made a Democratic system designed to provide proportional representation, allowing "small" parties seats in the Knesset. Like other parliamentary systems, this can allow a small party to play kingmaker. That may be anmoying, but I don't see how new elections are a sign of a Democracy in trouble.
Meanwhile, in Ramallah, Abu Mazen is in year 15 of a 4 year term. There's a failed representational government for you!
9
It’s time for Bibi to move on. He has too much baggage to effectively lead the country or effectively negotiate a lasting treaty with the Palestinians.
41
@Indy1: Time for Trump and Jared and Ivanka to move on, time for this whole corrupt world to move on.
17
Please God let Netanyahu be defeated. This is a very welcomed do-over. Israel has a chance for change, a chance to say no to corruption and move forward.
156
@Linda
Well, lets put our will into Common Sense. God seems to be out to lunch a lot. But either way, this goat has got to go.
12
I feel Israel is hostage to a new interpretation of its legal existence that is divorced from the intent of the original founders. Netanyahu is just great at playing off this reality.
9
@Frederick.
Then why are there new elections? Do you really think this is the outcome Bibi wanted?
1
This forestalls the Israeli parliament from passing legislation to shield Netanyahu from criminal prosecution. He's a criminal, on many levels.
34
Any prospect of getting Netanyahu out of there, or reducing his power, is a good one.
He and Trump are two peas in a pod.
197
Right wing vs. right wing. I hope for defeat all around.
23
@Cary
I hope for stability. Soon.
5
Clearly... effectively a vote of no confidence.
If the members of the Knesset could not agree to form a coalition around Netanyahu..... that is pretty much saying.. they have no confidence in him as PM.
11
I support Israel, and despise Netanyahu. I pray for the success of the Blue-And-White Party, and for Netanyahu’s arrest, which I believe he is now vulnerable to.
143
Cmon Israel don't let me down, get this man out of office!
66
Netanyahu is bad for Israel. I hope his days are numbered.
85
perhaps netanyahu doesn't have enough criminals to help him out. perhaps we can send him some of trumps
23
@Dan: Perhaps we could just send Trump? I hear they love him in Israel. And perhaps Trump could take along any willing Evangelicals who could go be in his Cult Fan Base over there.
5
Netanyahu is just as bad and stupid as Trump. I won't even consider traveling to Israel as long as he is in power. Wake up, Israel, and get that moron out of office.
116
Why would you not travel to Israel? He no more represents all of Israel than Trump represents all of the United States.
22
@Steve Hughes I'm boycott everything Israel until he is out. I don't want to give any money to a dictatorship. I also wouldn't visit Putin's Russia right now.
37
@Steve Hughes I wouldn't blame someone if they didn't want to visit the U.S. right now either
28
Imagine teaching a college course on the beneficial aspects of a democratic system of government and having to respond to the question - "What about Israel?"
32
@asg21. Their Democratic is functioning exactly as it was created..Smaller parties do have a lot of power, but that is a response to Jews' disenfranchisement in Europe and Arabia.
18
@asg21 What about Israel? You are watching democracy at work. Lieberman is doing everything he can to represent his voters, in a parliamentary system where you need to build coalitions and work out compromises in order to govern.
A better question for a class in democracy is "what about the US?" We have a president who was elected by a minority of Americans (3 million fewer votes than his opponents), and a Congress with a "checks and balances" system where one party (the Republicans) have completely abdicated their role.
375
@Ralph -- In parliamentary democracies, such as the UK, Israel, and here in New Zealand, among many others, the leader of the party in power becomes the chief of state. That person runs in a district much like a US congressional district. In NZ, that person might get 20-30,000 votes in a nation of over 2 million voters. If that person has been chosen by his or her party to be leader, they are prime minister. Similar with other countries that use this system. A comparable situation would be that Nancy Pelosi became president because she won her district in San Francisco. That's democracy?
4
Meanwhile, in Ramallah, Abu Mazen is in the 15th year of a four year term having never faced a real election, while governing over a corrupt governemnt that denies equality to LGBTQ persons, looks the other way at homor killings, outlaws abortion outright, and misappropriates international aid to pay stipends to the families of convicted terrorists.
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@TMDJS
Excellent points! We should sequester them all in a region where they have no autonomy or rights while we continue to take their land illegally - serves 'em right!
41
@asg21. The point being that one society has a functioning democracy and one does not. Guess which one has rejected peace and state hood in 1937, 1948, 2000, 2001, 2008 and 2014!
52
@TMDJS The Israeli government occupies and rules with an iron fist in the territory of another people in flagrant violation of internationsl law and numerous UN Security Council resolutions. Controlling the lives of people while denying them the vote is not democracy. In addition, within the legal boundaries of Israel, the rights of the 20 percent of the population that is Arab-Israeli are severely limited. The fact that they are allowed to vote while facing massive discrimination hardly makes Israel a democracy. It is only a democracy for Israeli Jews.
22
I never figured how a five seat switch with large voting blocks could be hailed as a major victory. The Arabs also had a low turnout to spite themselves.
13