Ben Packer's Week in Review

Last week, Prime Minister Netanyahu suffered what seemed like a severe political setback. The parties seeking to replace him, with the support of the Arab Ra'am party, formed a majority on a strategic Knesset committee.

Naftali Bennett of the Yamina Party has declared his desire to be prime minister. Him being elected to that position in March is about as likely as me growing taller.

Betzalel Smotrich of the National Union party announced that he would be launching a new party to run in the upcoming elections and would not partner with Naphtali Bennett's "New Right" Party.

The continued spread of the virus is mostly being attributed to the "British Mutation.” This strand of the virus has attacked much younger people and specifically late-term pregnant women.

Blame for the continued spread is mostly being attributed to new mutations of the virus. And anti-Semites are just blaming the charedim.

Five thousand proposed residential units were advanced in the respective planning meetings. That's a very large number, but the overall number is not what's nearly the most important part – it’s where they are!

After the normalization of relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was announced, it was rumored that other Muslim countries were on the brink of following suit. That hasn't happened yet.

What we have here is a game of "Mexican chicken" to see who blinks first. There cannot really be a viable left-wing/Arab/fake right government – the numbers just aren't there.

Everyone agrees that these numbers are up, but that's pretty much where agreement ends. Will the lockdown decrease the numbers?

Restrictions on outdoor weddings and protests have been lifted. While it's unclear how many people can protest at a wedding, 20 people are allowed at weddings and 20 million people are allowed at protests.

Reports continue that Israel will establish relations with at least Sudan and Oman in the next few weeks. President Trump has said the number could be as high as nine countries.

As his detention has continued without charges being filed, the terrorist went on a hunger strike. He has now been on that hunger strike for over 90 days!

Unlike in the States, now right-wing protesters are starting to show up to counter (read: fight) the leftists.

Prime Minister Netanyahu just extended the head of the Mossad's term by another 6 months, so I think we can reasonably expect a continuation of Israel putting Iran in its place.

All of these conflicts between mostly Muslim countries further serve to fragment the Islamic world and could potentially push more countries to seek and benefit from the strength and relative stability of Israel.

A few days into the conflict, it was announced that Naftali Bennett was no longer willing to join a coalition with the left-wing and Arab parties.

Now Trump Administration officials, including Ambassador Friedman, are regulars at the Wall. Visiting such a revered place should never have been a question, much less prohibited.

Hezbollah is doing everything it can to conceal this information. Not since O.J. Simpson has a party appeared more guilty and yet claimed it wasn’t.

Malawi announced plans to open an embassy in Jerusalem. It would be the first African country to do so.

.

In truth, it's been known for a while that Israel and the UAE did things together, quietly. UAE even has a small, but active, Jewish community.

Tourist and religious sites have been packed over the holiday. If infection numbers don't spike the week after Passover, expect whatever restrictions remain to be significantly eased or completely eliminated.

We have mentioned the overall incompetence of the Israeli police numerous times in the past, but this is a pretty egregious example.

It's not uncommon for Bennett to do very well in the polls and then not perform on election day.

Meanwhile, Saar announced some of his party's platform, such as a term limit for being prime minister, regional representation in the Knesset and… who cares, none of this stuff is going to happen.

Israeli Arabs continue to riot and attack Jews and Jewish religious buildings throughout the country. The police refuse to deal with it in any meaningful way.

Prime Minister Netanyahu, after receiving the mandate to form a coalition government from President Rivlin, continues to try to do just that.

So far, Naftali Bennett continues to rise in the polls and his party is now polling in third place overall. This is quite impressive, but Netanyahu still has two weeks to take voters from Bennett, like he has consistently done in the past.

Certainly the highlight of the process, at least for me, was Naftali Bennett's nominating himself.

A nationwide lockdown is being considered, but in the meantime it was decided to lockdown only charedi areas because the courts won't protect them like they would other places.