Yesterday Benjamin Netanyahu’s 12-year run as Israel’s longest-serving prime minister came to an end. An unprecedented multiparty, multi-ideology governing coalition has taken over. This from msn.com.
What changes, if any, can we expect on the world stage with Naftali Bennett now at the helm of Israel?
We should expect Bennett to have a contentious relationship with President Joe Biden due to their differences about Iran and other issues.
He supports settlement expansion and is opposed to the creation of a Palestinian state.
He supports cutting taxes.
For the first time in Israel’s history, the new coalition will include an Islamist party, the United Arab List, or Ra’am. While Mideast experts have called the inclusion of an Arab party to a governing coalition another normalization of Israeli-Arab relations, references to a historic moment should be tempered.
This isn’t a deal to promote mutual understanding but a deal designed to oust Netanyahu from power. It is a Machiavellian ploy by Bennett and Lapid.
Still, the coalition does have a significant opportunity to enact much-needed reforms to Israel’s welfare state.
It is also likely to take on special interests granted to the ultra-Orthodox and to confront the corrupt rabbinate.
Time will be of the essence. It is expected that the coalition will last less than a year (I predict it will fall after six months).
But even if the ultra-Orthodox riot in response to any reforms, the government shouldn’t back down. It is high time that ultra-Orthodox young men join others in performing national service.
Other reforms, which will upset the ultra-Orthodox, will reportedly include expanding the kosher-certification market, in which the ultra-Orthodox dominate. The beauty of the free market and licensing reform will allow kosher food to be sold at more places and at cheaper prices.
Given that research suggests the ultra-Orthodox population will eventually outgrow the rest of the Israeli population, there is the counterargument that such reforms will not be enacted. Bennett and Lapid might decide they need to retain some ultra-Orthodox favor in order to form future governing coalitions.
The coalition agreements reportedly include placing an eight-year or two-term limit to the position of prime minister (if someone serves as prime minister for eight consecutive years, they must take off four years before running again).
The coalition will reportedly focus on reducing government red tape, cracking down on crime, revamping the healthcare system with a focus on mental health, taking better care of Holocaust survivors and military veterans, and decentralizing power to local governments.
It’s apparent Netanyahu did not want to relinquish power. Why the change?
Many articles and books will be written about Netanyahu’s downfall. Here is the gist of it: Despite strengthening Israel’s standing at home and abroad, and taking on Iran, Netanyahu was in power for 12 years and became corrupt. The Israeli people sent him packing.
So, what does this change mean for America? Will Bennett get along with the handlers of the Biden regime?
Annexing the occupied West Bank and invading Gaza are probably off the table, but so are any major concessions to the Palestinians. This government will likely expand Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem, and will anger the Biden administration in doing so.
The new government is expected to maintain Netanyahu’s hard-line stance on Iran and oppose Pretender Biden’s efforts to revive its international nuclear deal.
But senior officials have already vowed to do so behind closed doors rather than bringing the rift out into the open, as Netanyahu did during the Obama years.
The new government will also likely work with Biden to strengthen ties with Arab states.
