Pushing the fear button

Not long ago, in a closed-door meeting of members of Likud’s central committee, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made it perfectly clear that his political opponents would not be able to deal with the security challenges facing Israel.

He mocked his political rivals — Isaac Herzog from Labour and Tzipi Livni from Hatnuah — describing them as unfit to run the government and contend with the security challenges in the future.

He did not miss the opportunity to boast about what he did in Gaza two months ago. Yet, his grandstand show should not conceal the fact that Netanyahu is panicking.

But is the issue about who is fit and who is not fit to rule?

It does not have to be that way, especially when Israel’s predicament is — and herein lies the crux of the matter — the inability to successfully push for peace with the Palestinians. Livni claims that Netanyahu had tied her hands, fearing that she would succeed in making peace with the Palestinians.

But again, if the situation is really as constraining as she has been telling us, how can she justify her participation in a government that only undermined her efforts?

Casting aside Livni’s claims, the fact remains that Netanyahu was never in a position to make peace even if he wanted.

He has been hostage to the settlers and the extreme right. For this reason, Yoel Marcus — a leading Israeli who writes for Haaretz — argued that it is time for a revolution.

He argues that “booting Netanyahu from power” will be in the best interest of Israel.

Many in Israel consider that Netanyahu failed both in economy and in security. As the most recent opinion polls conducted by Israeli institutions reveal that a joint coalition between Herzog and Livni has an edge over Netanyahu, many in Israel seek to raise the slogan “Anyone but Bibi”.

It is as if all Israel’s problems were caused by one man.

Israel’s dilemma in the region has to do — first and foremost — with the nature of its domestic politics.

I wonder if the mere raising of such as slogan will bring peace any benefit.

In fact, we have seen this movie before. If Netanyahu loses power, it will not be the first time. But even during former prime minister Ehud Olmert — who was not seen as extreme as Netanyahu — peace failed to materialise.

One wonders if it is at all about personality. Obviously, the mutual accusations levelled by Israeli opponents boil down to one point: They all need to enhance their chances in the next elections.

It is not a secret that Livni is dreaming of becoming prime minister. She believes that if she assumes the premiership, she will be in a position to make peace with the Palestinians and all Israel’s woes will come to an end.

But that is easier said than done. The agreement Herzog and Livni reached will undoubtedly help them in the upcoming elections, but will not lead to forming a government to the liking of either.

If the elections were held today, Herzog may still need around another 40 Knesset seats to form a government. 

Yossi Verter, who writes for Haaretz, said: “… assuming, of course, that the president gives him the chance to do this. A combination of Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid and the ultra-Orthodox parties would be tough to craft, as would any alliance between Meretz and Lieberman’s Yisrael Beiteinu, even in its newer, more moderate incarnation.

“Without [Moshe] Kahlon [Kulanu Party] and Lieberman, Herzog would have no ruling coalition. Those two guys would obviously make their own demands.”

In a nutshell, it is not about who is fit to rule as much as about the domestic constraints that make the job of any prime minister an uphill battle.

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