Israel Needs a New Coalition ASAP

The Israeli media are busy faux negotiating, publishing all sorts of possibilities.

By: Batya Medad

Published: January 28th, 2013

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At present I’m in rainy Phoenix, Arizona. It’s record-breaking rain weather here. I’ve been spending too much time taking responsibility for the rain. That’s better than blaming my hosts for conning me. All those claims of gorgeous spring-like weather in late January were just a con to get me here, right?

But news from back at the ranch, in Israel is much worse than rain in Phoenix. At least I’m protected by wearing my winter coat and boots. The Arab terrorism that has returned after a short break to Israel is much worse.

Sunday saw a number of incidents in which Arabs shot at Israelis, rioted, and threw rocks at kindergarten children (Arutz Sheva).

Technically, the present government isn’t an “interim” government, because it’s pretty much obvious and accepted that the only MK who can fashion and negotiate a coalition is the Likud’s Binyamin Netanyahu, the sitting Prime Minister. The incoming 120 MKs are not the same as the outgoing MKs. Many are the same politicians, but a very large sizable number are new to the position of Member of Knesset.

Being a Knesset Member isn’t so simple, as they will soon discover. Some of the parties have very few experienced MKs to help mentor the new ones. And some of the new MKs aren’t the type to conform to rules. And they, for instance, those representing Lapid’s Yesh Atid and the NRP-Bayit Yehudi are expected to be in the new ruling coalition.

From Yisrael Hayom:

A two-phased coalition agreement, first with Yesh Atid, then with haredim and Habayit Hayehudi, could be in the works, sources say.

…

Although President Shimon Peres is expected to ask Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to form a new government only after Wednesday, preliminary negotiations are already underway behind the scenes and are gradually intensifying. Likud officials are bracing for what could turn out to be a lengthy and complex ordeal.

I’m not quite sure why President Shimon Peres is waiting until after Wednesday to call in Netanyahu and offer him the chance to make a government. Maybe it’s to extend the time to its maximum. In the meantime the media are busy faux negotiating, publishing all sorts of possibilities. Considering Bibi’s love of the surprise and unexpected, I have no doubts that he will come up with something the media just can’t guess or predict.

In the meantime, I’ll enjoy the rain…

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