As of the night between Wednesday and Thursday, the rules of the political game changed. Until the stroke of midnight, the game was played by the party heads. Not it is the business of the backbenches.
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The Likud's strategy has also changed. If until now Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has waged an orderly war, initiated moves and sent proposals, the next week and a half will see the battle will turn into guerrilla warfare in which n all cylinders fire in all directions.
Anyone who seeks to unseat Netanyahu will be a legitimate target. It is a desperate battle, but it's the only one left to wage.
Each of the political players involved in the coalition knows what it expected of them: The Right has to gain as may achievements as possible so as to make this extremely bitter pill easier to swallow for its base, and the Left has to give up pretty much everything so as not to scare away the brave few who have agreed to join the ultimate mission of removing Netanyahu from power.
The Left's mandate stems from one thing only – replacing Netanyahu. That's the holy political grail. To achieved that, they are willing to sidelines all principles – from civil, economic, political and security issues, to civil issues, religion and state, LGBTQ rights and the promotion of liberal values.
After all, if the Left fails to see the opportunity to unseat Netanyahu through, there will be no redemption.
The principles of the coalition cobbled together by Yesh Atid head Yair Lapid and Yamina leader Naftali Bennett can be divided into two groups: those written in stone and those written on ice.
The issues written in stone involve the division of portfolios. MKs from the seven parties comprising the new coalition will assume office and go about the business of getting things done, repressing actual accomplishments to present to voters.
The issues written on ice involved legislative proposals and government resolutions. The Right has no majority in the new coalition so meeting any deals reached on backing potential bills by any party are subject to the partners' good will.
Still, within the coalition, if anyone plays hard to get it would only bring about the government's early demise – something none of its partners want to see happen.
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