Expending all his nine lives many times over, 71-year-old Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu looks like he’s on his way out, having run out of options to keep his 12-year rule as the longest serving Israeli leader. Israeli leaders, conservative, moderate, liberal and Jew-hating Arab parties, have all joined together to oust Netanyahu. Forget about his pending trial for corruption, Netanyahu has a loyal following, having devoted his tenure as Prime Minister to protecting the interests of the Jewish State. When his right wing colleague 49-year-old Naftali Bennett takes his New Right party and joins forces with 57-year-old Lair Lapid’s Yesh Atid Party, he’ll be able cobble together a governing coalition to present to 81-year-old Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, ending a stalemate that’s plagued Israel over the last two years. Netanyahu could not put together a governing coalition.
Even longtime Netanyahu and Likud Party loyalist Gideon Sarr has decided to join the “change coalition” that gives Israel the opportunity to finally end Netanyahu’s political career. Bennett or Lapid have big shoes to fill with Bibi’s undeniable charisma and oratory. Netanyahu still hangs by a thread while other members of various political parties decide to go with Bennett’s grand coalition. Netanyahu has rejected completely the corruption trial, alleging he received favors-and-gifts over the years from various groups. “It’s still too early to declare that [the] “Bibi era” of Israeli politics has ended. But if change is ultimately achieved, Netanyahu will have been toppled by his colleagues on the right, who had it with his leadership,” said Aluf Benn, editor of left-wing Haaretz newspaper. Netanyahu craves the media attention, often controlling the news cycle with his publicity stunts.
Calling attempts to oust him from office the “fraud of the century,” Netanyahu showed his flair for the dramatic, something he admired in 74-year-old former President Donald Trump. Netanyahu had the longest run in office of any Israeli prime minister. Truth be told, he’s fighting for his political career with ferocity but knows that his inability to piece together a governing coalition, related purely to limitations of the parliamentary system. If Israel adopted a U.S.-style republic, with it upper and lower houses of the legilature, the presidency and the Supreme Court, Netanyahu would probably, without term limits, govern indefinitely. But that’s not the way it works in Israel, following the British model, where political parties must piece together a governing coalition in parliament or the Knesset. Netanyahu became a victim of Israel’s outmoded parliamentary system.
Parliamentary systems have the distinct advantage of keeping leaders in power indefinitely as long as they can maintain a governing coalition. On the other hand, without a joining forces with other political parties, a parliamentary leader is stuck, where Netanyahu just can’t piece together enough seats. Yair Lapid is now the kingmaker, having until a Wednesday deadline to join forces with Naftali Bennett, something now expected to happen. Netanyahu’s still trying to persuade Lapid’s Yesh Atid and Bennett’s New Right parties to balk when the vote nears. Neither party leader can afford any defections if they hope to end Bibi’s rule. Netanyahu warned his detractors that they’re endangering the Jewish state by joining a coalition with the left, especially Arab parties. Calling attempts to unseat him the “fraud of the century,” Netanyahu still borrowers heavily from Trump.
If Bennett and Lapid pull off the coup and cobble together their grand coalition, they won’t have much error for any defections. A government coalition with so many competing parties would be very fragile, easily undermined by one party not getting their way and pulling out. Israeli hoped by piecing together a new coalition without Netanyahu, they’d avoid another election, the fifth in the last two years. “Thank goodness we have a strong prime minister, Bibi Netanyahu,” said one resident whose home was hit twice by Hamas rockets during the 11-day war that ended in a fragile ceasefire May 20. Neither Bennett nor Lapid have a proven track record of dealing with skirmishes with Hamas. Both leaders know that there can be no peace process with Hamas, still calling for Israel’s destruction. All the parties can agree on now is they want some kind of change.
Change for change sake is never a sure thing, especially when it comes with Israeli national security. Netanyahu was a wily veteran of multiple wars with Hamas, including a second Intifada [uprising] that brought waves of suicide bombings to the Jewish state from Hamas and other radical Palestinian groups. Ending Netanyahu’s 12-years reign as Prime Minister raises doubts in rank-and-file Israelis concerned about security in a increasingly unstable world. Bennett and Lapid are willing to do just about anything to get rid of Netanyahu.. Whether it’s now or sometime in the near future, Netanyahu’s on his way out. Some Israeli news pundits thought the Gaza war helped extend Netanyahu’s reign of power. But not long after the May 20-Egyptian-brokered ceasefire, it was clear that to a younger generation of Israeli leaders that it was time for a change.
