Yes, even here in Israel we must always ask the question: “Will it Be Good for The Jews?”
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s latest coalition government has many competing factions.
MK Tzipi Livni, Israel’s newest Justice Minister, stressed on Saturday that she would not support the basic law bill “Israel is the national state of the Jewish people,” whose promotion is part of the new coalition agreements with the Jewish Home party.
Maybe “competing” is too gentle a word.
Netanyahu is hoping to be able to control his warring partners, certainly long enough to see himself soaring in the polls and trying for better election results. Bibi’s Likud and partner Yisrael Beitenu bombed terribly in the recent elections, losing a critical amount of Knesset seats. His formal announcement to President Peres was the easy part. Governing with such partners will no doubt be the greatest challenge to Netanyahu’s political career.
Livni’s chance of being Prime Minister is now nil, but by controlling the Justice Ministry she will have a lot of power. That’s why she demanded it. And unfortunately, Bibi gave in.
Yair Lapid and Naftali Bennett have both been promoting themselves as Centrists, just like Bibi had done earlier in his political career, since neither are shy about admitting that they dream of holding the top position, Prime Minister. Right now they are working together against Bibi, but when they weaken him sufficiently, no doubt their alliance will crumble, like very fresh matzah.
Do I feel sorry for Bibi? No!
Benjamin Netanyahu made his bed when he put pragmatic secular politics over Jewish values and Jewish History and Jewish Rights to The Land of Israel. Our greatest leaders, from Biblical time onward were those who could see that God controls the big picture.
That’s why the only two of the “spies” who had been sent to לתור (latur), stakeout the Land (Numbers Chapter 13 בְּמִדְבַּר), who merited to enter it forty years later were the ones who trusted that God would make it possible for the Jewish People to rule it as Jews.
Remember that our first king, the Benjaminite Saul was deposed by God as punishment for not obeying His orders. God replaced Saul with David who understood the power of God could overcome all human power and weapons.
Too bad that Benzion Netanyahu didn’t name his second son David…
Visit Shiloh Musings.