Justice Minister Yariv Levin convened the senior staff of his ministry on Wednesday for the first time since he took office four months ago. This is a welcome development, coming from someone who heads a cabinet-level agency. But it appears that more than anything else, this move underscores that the new situation facing the government has dawned on him. He realized that before you go on a mission to reform, you make sure you have the necessary backing.
Those who have yet to undergo this painful maturing process are the members of Otzma Yehudit. In protest of the government's conduct in the latest Gaza flare-up, its MKs decided to play childish games by not showing up to the Knesset on Wednesday. Instead of taking part in plenum votes, they held a faction meeting with residents of the south to show solidarity.
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This symbolic act is indeed commendable because when residents of Sderot suffer from rockets, the entire country feels the pain. But no matter how you slice and dice it, the way to address their grievances is not through weakening the incumbent government. This is the message that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has tried to convey when he said that if Otzma Yehudit leader Itamar Ben-Gvir disapproves of his policies, "he is welcome to resign." Ben-Gvir didn't take up this offer, defiantly retorting with, "Be my guest, fire me." In other words, we have a schoolyard brawl on full display.
With the current state of affairs, Netanyahu's government cannot launch a full-scale Gaza offensive; it simply doesn't have the legitimacy to do that. That's why these childish games played by Ben-Gvir and MK Danny Danon or any other attack by lawmakers from within the Coalition only erode the government's standing even further. They act against their own political interest – as well as the government's.
If these attacks from the Right continue, they will ultimately bring down the government. Do they really want a sixth Knesset election, followed by a Benny Gantz premiership that would not advance their agenda politically or ideologically? They are not going to serve under Gantz, and it is a fool's errand to harbor hopes that he would launch the full-scale invasion they so keenly hope for and take over the Gaza Strip. What is their endgame in undermining the Coalition? How would rocking their own boat serve their interests or political thought?
Ben-Gvir, Danon, the Haredim, and frankly all other Coalition members must reset their agenda for the next four years, just like Levin did when he got back to the basics on Wednesday. Only then they can pursue more lofty goals. Yes, Netanyahu promised to pass a bill that would cement the Haredim's exemption from military service, but he is currently unable to deliver on this. There is also no one else who can give the Haredim more. Thus, their goal should be to stabilize the government rather than weaken it from within. This is politics: a choice between alternatives.
The most urgent matter Coalition members must address is restoring public confidence – improving the government's standing in the polls. Only after winning back the hearts and minds and obtaining legitimacy for reforms can such a massive military campaign take place in Gaza.
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