Bibi’s Nine Lives
What a weird, weird time in Israeli politics. With lethal threats on every border, the Knesset appears to be unstable, in that two elections cannot separate one candidate from the others for a full mandate as prime minister. Benjamin Netanyahu, now in office for a staggering 10 years, is perhaps the “victim” of a media machine so vicious, they make their American counterparts look like Donald Trump’s pr machine.
It was reported just last week that Benny Gantz, Bibi’s primary challenger for the top job, was given a chance to form a government. The leader of the “Blue and White” party is inexperienced in politics, but that generally doesn’t deter former military guys from running.
Now, more fireworks are going off, as Netanyahu has given the Defense Ministry portfolio to younger rival Naftali Bennett, of the New Right. His ally, Ayelet Shaked, is still hanging around too, but the small party didn’t do well in the last elections.
What makes the Bennett appointment even more intriguing is the fact that it was being reported that he was flirting with joining a Gantz government. Honestly, I didn’t think this was viable, and it turns out, it wasn’t. Gantz is willing to bring in Arab parties, and this strikes me as virtual treason. Can you imagine give the “Joint List” access to national security information?
And then we have “kingmaker” Avigdor Liberman making noise about entering a minority coalition with Arab parties (meaning joining forces with Blue and White), if Netanyahu doesn’t make the concessions Liberman demands; this is mostly about Liberman’s dislike of the ultra Orthodox parties that court Netanyahu.
So we have several career political opportunists playing fast-and-loose with Israel’s immediate future. At this moment in time, no leader is better suited to guide Israel than Netanyahu. Anyone to the left of him will be weaker-to-much-weaker, and that is cause for real concern.
Continue to pray for Israel, of course. The Lord is in control. I pray that he thwarts the plans of the wicked in the Holy Land.