As opposed to Benjamin Netayahu’s image as an unflappable and solid leader, a number of well-informed observers had to coin a new Hebrew word to describe his true character. You don’t have to know Hebrew to understand the word “panickist.”
After being unable to cobble together a coalition following three elections that left national governance in shambles, Netanyahu was in a panic lest after the fourth election he would again fail. In desperation, in a panic-inspired attempt to finally form a government, Netanyahu broke two taboos.
This marriage of like with like needed no shotgun; polls were warning that neither faction – separately – would cross the threshold of the number of votes needed to enter the Knesset. The taboo against Kahanism had been so strong that the Knesset would empty out when the extremist rose to speak, Netanyahu lifted the ban for the sake of his own political survival.
Both Smotrich and Ben-Gvir are highly intelligent and capable. It is a shame that their views put them beyond the pale of democratic decency. This taboo, once broken, can only strengthen fascistic and anti-democratic elements in Netanyahu’s Likud and in the satellite ultra-Orthodox parties which (so far) have been in blood bond with Netanyahu.
The other taboo was including an all-Arab party in the coalition and in the government instead of it just supporting the government “from the outside.” The only Arab party amenable was Islamist. Netanyahu reportedly wooed Mansour Abbas, the political leader of the southern Islamist movement, by inviting him to his official residence and making offers whose full details are not known. There is no doubt that these involved promises about non-demolition of illegal housing, as well as positions in the government and in the Knesset.
Here is where ancient Greek culture enters. A central theme in ancient Greek drama is the tragic flaw in the character of the hero. The former prime minister’s tragic flaw is arrogance, excessive pride: in Greek “hubris.” Combine hubris with panic and you get the racist Smotrich-Ben-Gvir combination, vetoing a Netanyahu government which includes an Arab party. This made it impossible for Netanyahu to form a coalition. In other words, his rush to create a fascist-racist grouping actually was Netanyahu’s undoing. Thus both panic-driven moves: first to the far right and then to an Arab party cost Netanyahu his prime ministership. Furthermore, Netanyahu had made it kosher for Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid to build their coalition with the added Arab votes.
Rather than demonstrating cool and collected leadership, with the ability to think strategically two or three moves ahead, Netanyahu’s hubris and panic led to nemesis, his downfall. The mask fell, the real persona exposed.
The Knesset session when the new government was to be voted upon saw a well-orchestrated fishmongering display of cheap, threatened, panicky politicians. Their yelling and screaming against Bennett did not allow the about-to-be prime minister to begin his speech. One after another, seven of the 59-member Netanyahu bloc were hustled out of the session by Knesset ushers. After a rolling barrage led by a few women Likud MKs, and an outraged roar led by the physically restrained Smotrich, making cheap use of photos of terror victims, a few ultra-Orthodox members added their stentorian tones to the tumult. The outbursts, ugly hand gestures and body language of the ousted members and some of those who remained behind,were a precursor to the sneering and threatening speech of Netanyahu.
The two ultra-Orthodox parties have much to lose. The tough Ayelet Shaked is taking over the Interior Ministry, where Shas leader Arye Deri has presided with impunity over municipal council and other budgets. Who can predict what may be found there? They have also lost the chairmanship of the Knesset Finance Committee, whose long-time chairman Moshe Gafni was able to withhold approval of budgets until he got greater benefits for his voters. All this added to the desecration of the legislature named after the Great Knesset founded by Ezra 2,600 years ago.
Creating this rage in all of the Likud and satellite parties was the prospect that many would have to forego perks of office: the official car, driver, staff, expense account, travel, and the inability to dish out jobs for the boys (and girls). And finally, who knows how many instances of illegal crony appointments and outright corruption will now come to light?
No wonder that Netanyahu, speaking as prime minister and future leader of the opposition belittled Bennett in every way. The outraged outgoing prime minister will do all he can to unseat Bennett speedily, he promised. He expressed no wishes for success, spent barely half an hour handing over the reins of power in the Prime Minister’s Office the next day. He refused to participate in the customary photo ops of outgoing and incoming prime ministers. Arrogance? Hubris, for sure! Such behavior – a total lack of dignity, grace, political responsibility and statesmanship – is a disgrace to the teachings of Ze’ev Jabotinsky, whom Netanyahu’s father served at one time.
No wonder as well that Bennett, Avigdor Liberman, and Shaked, all of whom worked for Netanyahu in the Prime Minister’s Office, and Gideon Sa’ar, once a leading figure in the Likud, have turned their backs on Netanyahu. They know him without TV makeup.
As I wrote previously in this magazine, Bennett has the qualities to be an excellent CEO of a talented and capable cabinet. His quiet charm and pragmatism will place him highly in relations with foreign heads of government. The threesome of Bennett, Lapid and Benny Gantz can lead to full coordination among the foreign affairs/defense/intelligence teams.
The rest of the cabinet is impressive. Public Security Minister Omer Bar-Lev (police, firefighters) has already proved himself against the Smotrich-Ben-Gvir duo’s attempt to wreak havoc in the Moslem Quarter in the recent flag march in Jerusalem.
• To Bennett for keeping his cool in the rowdy inaugural Knesset session and presenting a program of work for national aims which no one in Netanyahu’s Likud and satellites has done. Further praise is due for his using “we” when Netanyahu knows only “I.”
• To Merav Michaeli, leader of the Labor Party, whose modest, dignified and impressive brief address to the Knesset commanded silence and attention from all parts of the House to her thoughtful and thought provoking theses.
• To Rabbi Shlomo Riskin and colleagues who issued a statement welcoming the new government and calling for mutual tolerance and national healing. There are doubtless many more orthodox rabbis who feel the same way but do not wish to expose themselves to the fangs of the rabbis who support Smotrich-Ben-Gvir.
• Finally, the entry of an Arab party into the coalition is a major step forward in Jewish-Arab coexistence. Naturally, many shrug it off claiming “Arabs are not loyal Israelis,” or “they are only doing it to get good deals for themselves and their voters.” I could use similar charges against the haredim. “They don’t serve in the army, they don’t obey state regulations against a pandemic, they don’t pay taxes.”
Yes, some, perhaps many Arab-Israelis regret the Arab defeat in 1948, but recognize that they live in Israel and should work within the system. Also the fact is that it is an Islamist party whose leaders are realists and pragmatists. They speak for the many Arabs who just want to make a decent living for their families and advance in their careers.
Some Israelis and friends abroad are afraid that the security cabinet will refrain from taking hard decisions with Arab partners in the broader cabinet. I suggest they measure their own military contribution to Israel as compared to Gantz, Bennett, and Matan Kahana. The latter, the new religious services minister, is a retired colonel who fought on land in the Sayeret Matkal commando unit and in the air as a fighter pilot and commander of an F-16 squadron.
The Likud and the ultra-Orthodox are wildly shooting fire and brimstone at the new government. This provides a chemically binding adhesive for the separate parties. Further, as Bennett told his new diverse cabinet, “we must all maintain restraint and moderation in ideological terms.”
In a previous column I saw Bennett’s potential as a national leader, and Shaked as an excellent future interior minister. I now believe that this government will endure and face whatever the future may hold with strength and wisdom.