Israel Election Results: If Netanyahu’s Right, Get Ready for a Third General Election

[Right_in_Virginia]

Israel Election Results: If Netanyahu’s Right, Get Ready for a Third General Election
Haaretz, Sep 19, 2019

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spent a long time with the heads of the rightist-ultra-Orthodox bloc Wednesday. To them he looked deathly tired, which is natural, but he didn’t appear despairing in any way.

After he received their consent that now, through Tourism Minister Yariv Levin, he would be conducting coalition talks, they asked how they could know he wouldn’t betray them somewhere down the line. “I promise you, that won’t happen,” he told them. United Torah Judaism’s Yaakov Litzman and Moshe Gafni pressed him again and again, and he repeated: “I won’t abandon you. We’re together in this.”

The conversation continued in a bitter tone. “I lost because the media deliberately anesthetized the Likudniks,” he complained. “They conveyed that I’d definitely bring in 61 [seats]. It wasn’t even close.”

It was as if he was thinking out loud. “Next time,” he said, “we have to improve the way we work, prevent the waste of votes, unite from the start, exploit the amazing potential of the right.”

The others stared at him in shock. Was he preparing them for a third election campaign? What he later said to the subdued Likud legislators who met in the Knesset only reinforced this feeling. “Only two governments are possible,” he said, “one led by me, or of the left and the Arab parties.” If he sticks to this notion, there’s almost no way to prevent another dissolution of the Knesset in 120 days.

Let’s dwell a little on what this means. On October 2 and 3, a hearing will take place for Netanyahu in the three corruption cases he faces. The chances of the charges being dropped are slim. Attorney General Avichai Mendelblit is expected to announce his decision by the end of December. In other words, if there indeed is another election in March, Netanyahu will be contending under indictment.

Would Likud, assuming it wants to survive, let something like that happen? Likud has its own DNA. It doesn’t depose its leader, no matter how much of a failure he is. On the other hand, over the past decade the ruling party has developed another kind of DNA: the desire to remain in power. Or in the words of Ze’ev Jabotinsky, “God has chosen us to rule.” Which will prevail?

The time has never been riper for a changing of the guard in a party that has had only four leaders: Menachem Begin, Yitzhak Shamir, Ariel Sharon and Netanyahu. The only way to do this is to hold a primary for the party leadership, but the time for that isn’t ripe. Such a scenario could only happen after the current leader maxes out his efforts to form a government. Then the party will face a choice: forming the next government with a different chairman or a new election under the worst circumstances possible, with the party’s candidate for prime minister appearing in court between election rallies.

In the meantime, Netanyahu finds himself in the shoes of African leaders, or of the Eastern European dictators of old. He can’t go abroad for fear that he won’t have anywhere or anything to return to. He has been forced to forgo one of his favorite hobbies, addressing the UN General Assembly, and the meeting planned with U.S. President Donald Trump. They were meant to discuss a defense agreement (a “historic” one, of course). In these hard political times, hysteria has beaten history.

The full column will appear on Friday.

https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/elections/israel-election-results-if-netanyahu-s-right-get-ready-for-a-third-election-1.7861964

[Right_in_Virginia]

Netanyahu urges coalition with Gantz and the right, which vows to back him as PM
Times of Israel, Sep 19, 2019

PM invites Gantz to unity talks ‘without preconditions,’ but has locked in support from right-wing, Haredi parties; Blue and White: PM knows he’s lost, is scheming for 3rd election

The leaders of all the parties in the right-wing religious bloc on Thursday signed a document pledging to recommend Benjamin Netanyahu as the next prime minister and vowing to enter a coalition only as a single unit, as the premier called on Blue and White chief Benny Gantz to join a “unity government” that includes those parties.

“I suggest we meet as soon as possible, without preconditions, to work together to establish a broad unity government representing all who believe in a Jewish, democratic Israel,” the prime minister urged, having made a similar call in a statement earlier in the day, after Israeli elections Tuesday left the rival blocs headed by Netanyahu and Gantz short of a Knesset majority.

Speaking at a state memorial event marking three years since the death of former president and prime minister Shimon Peres, Netanyahu hinted at a readiness to rotate the premiership, as Peres and Yitzhak Shamir did after deadlocked elections in 1984. “Shimon believed in uniting our people” and with that goal “he and Shamir agreed to cooperate,” Netanyahu recalled.

It wasn’t clear whether Netanyahu’s mention of talks “without preconditions” included the significant condition that Yamina, United Torah Judaism and Shas be included in his proposed unity government.

Blue and White rejected the offer as “spin,” noted that Gantz’s party was ahead of Likud in the non-final election count, and accused Netanyahu of seeking to blame Blue and White as he seeks the eventual recourse of a third round of elections.

[...]

The united front was first announced on Wednesday, when Likud said the party chiefs had decided to set up a joint negotiation team for coalition talks and act as a “single right-wing bloc” moving forward. The all-or-nothing alliance would aim to prevent a different unity coalition, composed of Likud, Blue and White, and Yisrael Beytenu, which Liberman is pushing and that Gantz would seek to head. Liberman has also insisted that such a coalition pursue liberal policies that would preclude the inclusion of the ultra-Orthodox parties.

With almost all votes counted, the Orthodox/right-wing bloc led by Netanyahu has 55 seats, the centrist/left bloc led by Gantz has 44, and Yisrael Beytenu’s Avigdor Liberman holds the balance of power with eight. The predominantly Arab Joint List, which has not said whether it will actively back Gantz, has 13 seats.

Blue and White dismissed the offer, with senior sources within the party telling Hebrew-language media that it was political spin by Netanyahu: “He has decided to go to third elections and is trying to foist the blame onto us. If he stepped aside, there would be a unity government within a day.

“Blue and White is the biggest party, and Benny Gantz should form a unity government and head it,” the sources added.

“Netanyahu understands he lost and isn’t willing to accept the election results,” said a senior Blue and White member in a separate statement quoted in the media. “This is a desperate call to lead Israel to a third election instead of accepting the voters’ decision.”

Netanyahu and Gantz then met later Thursday morning at the memorial event for Peres. At President Rivlin’s urging, the two posed together for photos and shook hands.


More:  https://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-urges-coalition-with-gantz-and-the-right-which-vows-to-back-him/

[TomSea]

Yes, truly intriguing, we will see how Netanyahu plays his cards, it doesn't look good for him and he is refusing to give up.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Yes, truly intriguing, we will see how Netanyahu plays his cards, it doesn't look good for him and he is refusing to give up.

Israel Election Results: Gantz Widens Lead Over Netanyahu With 98 Percent of Vote Counted
Haaretz, Sep 19, 2019

With 98 percent of the vote counted in Israel's election, Kahol Lavan grew by one seat to 33, widening its edge over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud Party.

Kingmaker Avigdor Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu party lost a seat, leaving it with eight in the incoming Knesset.

The results give the center-left a slight advantage of 57 seats, compared to 55 seats for the right-wing bloc.

More:  https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/elections/israel-election-results-gantz-widens-lead-over-netanyahu-as-98-of-vote-counted-1.7863812 

The 33 Blue and White to 31 Likud count is the number of seats in the Knesset each political party has --- making Blue and White (Kahol Lavan) the largest political party.  The 57/55 number refers to how close--without Lieberman -- each side is to the 61 number needed to form a government.

Part of Netanyahu's call for a unity government with rotating prime ministers has included a proviso that he serve as PM first.  Tough call with Likud coming in second.  But Netanyahu knows if Gantz were to serve first, he would be without any protection at all against indictment.

But a third election would allow Netanyahu to again retain the premiership and buy him time and some cover against whatever indictments may come.  His pre-indictment court meetings are scheduled for Oct 2 and 3.  If elections are again called, formal indictments for bribery, fraud and breach of trust could come in December while Netanyahu would still be serving as PM.