At the end of the dramatic day that saw a new government sworn in, leaving new government members with huge smiles on their faces and those who were now in the opposition visibly disappointed, one message sent by a coalition member to the new prime minister was conspicuously left out of news reports.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter
"Take a clear stance on what is going on in the occupied territories," Meretz MK Moshe Raz wrote to Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Prime Minister-designate Yair Lapid in a letter that perfectly sums up the entire story of the formulation and functionality of this new government.
At the same time, Bennett received a phone call from US President Joe Biden. In a statement, Bennett's office said Biden had congratulated him and that Bennett has told the president he looked forward to working with Israel's greatest friend. Barely a few minutes had passed before we learned Biden had in fact had something else to say to the prime minister. In a sentence that was kept out of Bennett's statement but explicitly appeared in the White House statement released minutes after their phone call, Washington shared that the US president expressed hope of renewing diplomatic talks toward a two-state solution. So while, for now, the new government is still in the honeymoon stage, things are about to get much more interesting very quickly.
Bennett can try to adhere to right-wing principles in the face of pressure from left-wing ministers, but to do so, he will need to enlist the support of opposition members, including those from the Likud. After all, there is a right-wing majority in the Knesset. Frequent use of such maneuvering, however, will leave him with bitter ministers, rebel lawmakers, and a fragile coalition that falls to pieces earlier than expected.
The only way for Bennett to ensure a stable government is to break left. This would make the government more homogeneous and as a result more likely to survive. But wouldn't that be a violation of Bennett's campaign promises and a shift in the ideology Bennett flaunted throughout his political career?
Well, so what?
With the new government now in office, the prime minister doesn't appear to have any inhibitions left.
Should a Left-hand turn spark protests among Yamina or New Hope members, Bennett and Lapid have spares: the Joint Arab List.
The conduct of the three Joint Arab List lawmakers, who waited to see whether a government could be formed without them, and only entered the Knesset plenum to vote against it when they saw it would, has done more than anything else to clarify the Arab faction has a great deal invested in the establishment of the government and responsibility for its survival.
Ta'al party head Ahmad Tibi's statement, Sunday, that his party could provide the government with a security net – within the framework of which every vote and enlistment would come with a price, means this government will be constantly given to Arab blackmail from Ra'am on one hand and Ta'al on the other.
In contrast to expectations, the person to adapt the quickest to their new role is Benjamin Netanyahu. The opposition leader tried to calm Likud party members and supporters and assure them they would be back to leading the country in no time. Despite the security situation, it's impossible to say how long the current government will last.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
