Some two weeks ago Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lost his temper on live television after a reporter on Channel 12 News asked him whether he was to blame for Israel's rising coronavirus figures.
For Netanyahu, who always sticks to his talking points and keeps his cool, this unscripted moment was very unusual. The outburst underscored the predicament he is in.
Just before he lambasted the reporter on live television, he conceded that he lifted some of the lockdown measures too early, citing the reopening of large event halls. This is was his third admission of a mistake, having already apologized for violating the lockdown on Passover (he had let his son attend the Seder despite not living in the same household) and after apologizing for asking for tax breaks in the midst of a pandemic.
The outburst also followed his announcement that he was responsible for the second wave of the outbreak. There is nothing Netanyahu hates more than to publicly acknowledge that he has been wrong, especially now that the public sees the buck as stopping with him on practically everything that happens in Israel. And this includes his most ardent supporters.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter
There is also his shaky political situation, including within Likud. In normal times, the coalition whip is someone who makes sure things are run smoothly in the prime minister's faction and in the Knesset. In practice, Coalition Chairman Miki Zohar's conduct has generated a lot of friction and noise both within Likud and among coalition parties, and this has undermined Netanyahu's governance.
Netanyahu is surely aware of how bad things are, and this explains why he has adopted a new strategy over the past several days. After months in which he has avoided going out to meet people on the street, on Tuesday he visited a hospital in Beer Sheba and then met with Blue and White leader Benny Gantz in public and praised the unity deal they had struck. "We are working together. It's not a coincidence that Benny Gantz is here, he will speak right after me," Netanyahu said on the man who is supposed to replace him in some 18 months as part of a rotating premiership agreement.
What does Netanyahu want? The truth is that he has two options, and both are very bad. The first: He can continue his partnership with Gantz, which would result in him vacating the Prime Minister's Office in November 2021.
The second: He can form a right-wing government – either by triggering an election or with the current Knesset makeup. Netanyahu truly believes that he can muster a Knesset majority for such a government with the help of Blue and White or small factions that are not going to survive another election.
But any right-wing government would be at the mercy of his right-wing rivals: Gideon Sa'ar in Likud, and Yamina leader Naftali Bennett.
Blue and White are well aware of this scenario, but they don't believe Netanyahu will actually go ahead and form a government with the help of defectors from other parties. "We may be political roadkill, but forming such a government in the midst of a national crisis will not go well with the people," a senior minister from Blue and White told Israel Hayom.
Regardless of what Netanyahu opts for, Netanyahu is in a delicate situation. "Politicians can smell blood, and this time it is Netanyahu's," a senior official said, metaphorically, regarding the prime minister's situation.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
