Truthfully, the agenda of the new Netanyahu government for the next two years is chock-full. It has to: Restore the Israeli economy to a state of growth, while continuing to handle the epidemic; apply Israeli law and sovereignty to the Jordan Valley; handle the Iranian nuclear threat and the Iranian presence in Syria; and take in approximately 1 million new immigrants in the next three years.
This is the government of MK Orly Levi-Abekasis, MK Penina Tamanu-Shata, MK Yoaz Hendel, and MK Zvi Hauser no less than Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Benny Gantz. The four aforementioned MKs are the ones who eliminated the delusional possibility of a minority-Arab government and forced national unity upon us. For their courage, they are being dumped on by top officials who have turned out to be lacking in any national responsibility.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter
When we discuss Israeli-US relations in the diplomatic and economic contexts, we need to take into account that coronavirus has changed the equation. Israel is the one who is providing major help to Jewish communities, especially in and around New York, which means it is the one providing aid to the US. This is being underplayed so as not to embarrass the Americans. What is important at this point is a certain level of coordination with the US administration when it comes to the Jordan Valley. As far as Israel is concerned, the sooner, the better. We shouldn't wait until July 1.
The diplomatic and legislative activity required to apply sovereignty will create a strategic issue around which the government will organize itself. Despite the prevailing impression, the talk about American reservations about sovereignty were designed to obscure the full support for Israel's move. But if it's true that President Trump would like Israel to make the move going into the final stretch of the election campaign, in September, then Israel's interest changes. The right thing to do would be to take the step immediately, to disconnect it from the US election. Even if the prime minister prefers that Trump stay in power, the far-reaching diplomatic move must not be seen as an intervention in US domestic politics.
Since the international border between Israel and Jordan lies along the Jordan River, the current situation is absurd. A border, but without territory? It doesn't make sense. Jordan's conduct over the past few years on the matters of Naharayim, Tzofar, the embassy crises, and the Temple Mount is designed to harm Israel. Applying sovereignty to the Jordan Valley goes some way to correct the problems of Israel's peace treaty with Jordan. The king would prefer to close the Jordanian Embassy in Israel rather than cancel the treaty.
Despite the conventional bias by analysts, the make-up of the cabinet is influenced by political necessity within the Likud, but even more by forethought. This is a hawkish lineup, with Yoav Gallant, Yuli Edelstein, Israel Katz, and Yuval Steinitz, that will allow Netanyahu to handle Gantz's security battery.
Steinitz was the best minister in the various Netanyahu governments since 2009. His achievements include his time as finance minister, when he led Israel out of the financial crisis of 2008-2009, and then the natural gas framework agreement during his time as energy minister. We can assume Bibi is angry about the excellent book Steinitz wrote about the gas deal. Even if he doesn't have grand ambitions, the very continued existence of the gas deal –- which includes energy supply relations with important Mediterranean nations – is critical.
In Gantz's speech on Sunday, which was met with crude shouts and calls, one could see that Gantz is growing into a national leadership role. One could see the difference between the hesitating man who eventually took responsibility and his friends Yair Lapid, Moshe Ya'alon, and Mickey Levy, who were too soft. This is a cumbersome government reminiscent of the one from 2009, but the Netanyahu-Barak government was one of the best Israel has ever had.
