Conflict in the coalition is not a sign that it will be breaking up. The opposite: a decision by either side is to split is what causes conflict. In the past few days, when questions have been raised about who has an interest in an early election, everyone looks at the prime minister, and rightly so. The paralyzed government Netanyahu has formed with Benny Gantz has no purpose other than to ensure that he remains in power for another year and a half.
Outside the coalition, things look rosier. Polls show Netanyahu doing well as his rivals drop, and it seems that a new election wouldn't be as big a gamble for him as the previous ones. Apparently, Netanyahu could form a government that included only right-wing parties, thus defeating all those who seek his demise in politics, the State Attorney's Office, and the court. He could also declare sovereignty without anyone bothering him and, of course, not have to share power with anyone. He could serve as prime minister for another four years.
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But even if Netanyahu has plans like these, it seems as if recent coalition tensions will not allow him to act on them. There will be better times for him to leave, if and when he decides to. Right now, it looks as if what we're seeing is both sides testing each other's limits. They are seeing how far they can go while trying to position themselves more advantageously.
A month after the new government was sworn in, the prime minister has remembered that the Supreme Court can still reject the framework that would make him the alternate prime minister when Benny Gantz assumes the rotation, leaving him without a job. It's strange that Netanyahu is only thinking about that now.
Gantz should take up his rotation as prime minister honestly, and with an orderly handover, not through manipulations by the Supreme Court. On the other hand, the Likud decision to freeze the Norwegian law the party agreed to has less legitimacy. They signed it. Luckily for Gantz, the Norwegian law will also benefit United Torah Judaism and Shas, who have made it clear that with all due respect to wars at the top, the law will pass.
We must not make the mistake of thinking that Gantz's visit to the Justice Ministry and the loyal speech he gave there in defense of the prosecutorial authorities and the judges were innocent. Like Netanyahu, Gantz is testing limits and trying to curry favor with his base.
The same goes for Blue and White ministers who attack Likud ministers and the prime minister, or when Justice Minister Avi Nissankoren takes over the Ministerial Committee on Legislation and does what he wants there. In the end, all this will be swept away, and the government will last a few more months, until someone decides to put an end to it. Then everything will look completely different.ย
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