That Arab parties in Israel, Benny Gantz as Prime Minister is remarkable. But even so, it is not enough for Gantz yet. The Power tug-of-war could drag on, says Israel expert Tsafrir Cohen.
Is not yet on target: Benny Gantz
Deutsche Welle: The Joint list of Arab Israelis said they supported Benny Gantz only, in order to prevent Benjamin Netanyahu as Prime Minister. How do you rate this approach?
Tsafrir Cohen: Such a party representing the Palestinian citizens in Israel, in the last 70 years, outside of the normal political game. They were in the Knesset, but have never asked the Minister and never were part of a coalition. An exception to this, in 1992, under Prime Minister Izchak Rabin was. He led a minority government that was supported by the Arab parties. They were not officially part of the coalition, but on their side, for example, in the case of a vote of no confidence. Exactly the same seems now to initiate.
Tsafrir Cohen, head of the regional office of Israel, of the Rosa-Luxemburg-Foundation
The Common list would like to get rid of Netanyahu. On the other hand, the party Alliance is in a real Dilemma. The policy of the Alliance Blue-and-White Benny Gantz is miles far from the policy that would promote the Common list actually.
Would come to the Common list this time as a coalition partner for other parties in question?
It depends on who you ask here. The right-wing populists in the country, which account for about half of the electorate, to hold these parties to be illegitimate, and find, they can never be part of a government. Since Israel is a democracy, be allowed to parties representing the Palestinian minority in the Knesset. You’re not trying to hinder you by blocking clause has been increased to 3.25 percent. In a country that is very diverse is very much.
The Alliance Blue-White has clearly said that it sees no possibility of a coalition with the Joint list because the average amounts are much too low, and because it does not consider these parties actually legitimate.
Of the parties that represent the Jewish majority society, there are just two smaller ones that would go with the Palestinian parties. Both are with eleven members is less than the Common list with 13 members.
A week ago the citizens of Israel were called for the second Time this year to elect a new Parliament
What Benny Gantz then brings this endorsement by the Joint list at all?
It comes to the question of whom President Reuven Rivlin tasked as the First to form a coalition. By law, he goes to the Person who has been recommended by most of the Knesset members.
There are now enough supporters for Benny Gantz?
No. We have to do it with a standoff. Of the 120 Knesset members, the Netanyahu camp has 56 members behind. The three religious or radical right-wing parties plus the Likud of Netanyahu. On the other side, so to speak, the Anti-Netanyahu camp, are 56, 57 deputies, when the Common list of rabbit ears.
Who could ultimately be the king-maker?
Between the two Camps of the party “Israel our home” [Yisrael Beitenu] of Avigdor Lieberman, the former Bureau chief of Netanyahu. The far-right nationalist secular party got nine seats. Lieberman belongs to the right camp, but refuses to with Netanyahu in a narrow right-wing government advocate, on the grounds that as a government, the religious forces would have a lot of Power too much. The is advanced, in my opinion. The main reason for this is a battle between two macho men, between Mr Netanyahu and Mr Lieberman, are intimately connected by mutual hatred. The substantive differences between the two are small.
Prime Minister Netanyahu, President Rivlin and Challenger Gantz (left) during a commemorative event
How will President Reuven Rivlin?
You can’t tell. Basically, it is not so important, who he entrusted with the formation of the government. It does not necessarily mean that this Person can form the government. No one is able to rally the necessary majority.
The party, Mr Lieberman is the tip the scales. Lieberman, however, is to enter only ready in a coalition, if the two major parties, Netanyahu’s Likud with 31 members and Gantz’ Alliance of Blue-and-White with 33 members of Parliament, a Grand coalition deal. Blue-and-White, but refuses to make the Likud a large coalition, while Mr Netanyahu is in the top position. On the other hand, Likud refuses to Netanyahu to get rid of.
That is, we are dealing with here is a war of nerves with the question of who will draw the short straw. Will Blue-and-take-and-White in the name of the state, a government with the Likud, under the leadership of Netanyahu? Or will eventually, come the Revolution in the Likud, so that you can try with another person, together with Blue-and-White to establish a government? The Situation is the same as in April – and there was, therefore, elections. The bearings have not changed in principle. We are still several weeks of stalemate, at least. It is very possible that we will have in three, four months, new elections.
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Israel: the mood before the election
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Israel: picture of the mood before the election (16.09.2019)
Benny Gantz is always shown as an Alternative to Benjamin Netanyahu. What distinguishes the two from each other?
Benny Gantz and the entire list of Blue-and-White represents very clearly the old Establishment in Israel. This is a look at the key players of the Alliance, including generals, famous Israeli journalists. Although Netanyahu’s longest-serving Prime Minister, staged it continuously, than the one who fights always against the Establishment. There are huge differences between the two when it comes to the rule of law and the respect of various institutions, from the army through the office of the Prosecutor General to institution of culture and to the courts. Right-wing populists try to disavow this, while people from the Establishment, as Mr Gantz want the Power and the strength of these institutions under stress.
In other property issues such as the economic and social policy, or the policy of peace, the two are not so far apart. Both Netanyahu as well as Gantz reject a Two-state solution. We can not expect big jumps, if Mr Gantz should build a coalition government, and not Mr Netanyahu.
Shortly before the election, approved by Netanyahu, the construction of an Israeli settlement in the Jordan valley
Gantz should be Prime Minister, what will happen with Netanyahu?
We don’t know it. Netanyahu should be prosecuted in four different cases, due to corruption and illicit influence of the media in the country. I’m not a lawyer. Observers say that he is convicted in at least one of these cases also.
That would be his political end?
I think that would be it. Netanyahu has brought the Likud to be very many votes. That is, he is admired in the Likud. But we must not forget that Its success is paved with the corpses of his political opponents within the Likud. And in the sense that very many people are going to be in the party is also insanely glad when he is gone. Is not loved it. Even within the Likud.
Tsafrir Cohen is the Director of the Israel office of the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation in Tel Aviv.
The Interview was conducted by Uta stone Weir.