By Marney Blom
Israel Elections: Round Two
The Israeli Knesset voted last night to dissolve and initiate an unprecedented repeat election – scheduled for September 17. And with it, Israel set sail into choppy unchartered waters.
How did that happen?
For the first time, an Israeli leader tasked on election night to form a coalition government had failed. A stinging blow to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who on April 9, had a right-wing-based majority and an almost certain shoo-in as the next PM.
Failure to reach a compromise on an ultra-orthodox mandatory conscription bill was the pivotal impasse that stopped Yisrael Beitenu party leader Avigdor Liberman from bringing his five seats to the coalition “table”. Add to that an inability to coax other party leaders to join, Netanyahu couldn’t corral the 61 seat majority needed to form the next coalition government.
But there’s more.
Currently, in discussions, is the “overcoming clause”, a controversial piece of legislation vehemently opposed by Netanyahu for the past 15 to 20 years, because this bill has the potential to weaken the judiciary system of Israeli democracy. With the pending hearings on his personal corruption charges the PM, however, had a change of heart. Why? If found guilty, this bill, if passed, could potentially lead to his immunity.
Whoa. Doesn’t that sound a bit self-serving? Precisely. And it didn’t go unnoticed by the PM’s base, nor by other Israeli party leaders who expressed their objections and balked at joining the coalition.
As to be expected, Israeli political antics rose to a fever pitch yesterday, in the late hours prior to the Knesset’s historic vote. Yet, as the dust settled this morning, some political analysts woke up relieved. In their minds, the failed coalition may not be an entirely bad thing – simply a check and balance keeping Israeli rule of law from drifting too far off its democratic course. And, perhaps, a second chance at forming a more righteous government.
by Marney Blom
Marney Blom is news director for the Acts News Network.
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