Posted on 09/20/2019 6:29:34 AM PDT by golux
The US media coverage of the Israeli election has misrepresented the results of Tuesday’s vote. This isn’t necessarily deliberate. Israeli elections are inscrutable for most foreigners, particularly for Americans who are used to the clarity of the presidential system and two-party system.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not lose and his challenger, former IDF chief of general staff and Blue and White faction chief Benny Gantz did not win. Despite the fact that Blue and White won 31 seats in the 120-seat Knesset to Likud’s 31 seats, Gantz cannot form a government under any circumstances. He cannot build a majority coalition.
Wednesday Netanyahu assembled the heads of all the right wing and religious parties that form the basis for Likud-led governing coalitions. The factions unified into one right-wing bloc and agreed on principles for future coalition talks. They agreed to conduct coalition talks as a bloc, under Netanyahu’s leadership. By forming this 55-member bloc, Netanyahu created a situation where he is the only possible prime minister. Either the Blue and White Party — or one of its three factions — joins him, or Amir Peretz and Orly Levy bring the Labor party in, or Israel goes to new elections. Those are the only options.
When Israel Beitenu party chairman Avigdor Liberman abruptly resigned his position as Defense Minister last November and started the countdown to the Knesset elections in April, he plunged Israel into a state of political instability. Following the April elections, by refusing to serve in a government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and so forcing Israel into a second election, Liberman prolonged the instability he instigated.
Tuesday’s elections ended in deadlock. Neither major party can form a governing majority. And so, there is no end in sight for the instability Liberman provoked and prolonged...
(Excerpt) Read more at carolineglick.com ...
I agree that parliamentary elections are tough to understand but Haaretz called it for Ganz - sp? - yesterday.
Not a big fan of parliamentary government. Way too much compromising of values and lack of stability and no real separation of powers.
Let me know when we have a decision.
Neither can Netenyahu. Either Blue and White form a unity government with Ganz as the first PM or they go for election number 3.
Haaretz is an far left-wing organ whose credibility is about on a par with the Guardian in Britain or the New York Times here in the US. I would put little value in anything they publish.
I never understood why more countries don’t look to adopt a modified U.S.-type system with a separate executive branch of government.
Many here described Haaretz as a rabid left-wing rag. If true, then it’s very likely Haaretz put out wishful headlines and are following the lead of fake news scammers.
Gantz’s Kachol Lavan has only 33 seats. He would need the religious parties and Yisrael Beinteinu as well as the parties of the Israeli Left to form a government.
That means he would need to make compromises to make it happen. He can’t with some of his potential partners’ aversion to sitting with the religious.
Which leaves a coalition with the Likud and secular Zionist parties. Those are his only options.
That or a Likud-led government will be established. The alternative are new elections. A reality that will become clear in the coming weeks.
Stacey Abrams is pretty sure that she won.
The evolving situation with Iran will force Lieberman and Netanyahu to settle their differences (at least temporarily) and form a national unity war government. When shooting starts in the Gulf and Israel is attacked by Iran or its proxies, Israel will then use the opportunity to destroy Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, its nuclear personnel and much of its “revolutionary guards”. It will be amazing what the stealthy GPS directed drones in conjunction with on the ground Mossad will do. Iran is the existential threat to Israel and the Jewish people. Netanyahu will not leave office until he deals with Iran.
Yuk Yuk Yuk! Yah, OK, but would she go by, Stacey Ibrahim?
As soon a Hilliary concedes........................
BUMP!
In a parliamentarian system the parties are all-powerful. While a person can rise to lead a party, he still has to do it with party support. A maverick like Trump could never rise to leadership. Nor can the PM and government go against the will of the party in parliament. In essence, the government is only a ruling committee of the parliamentary majority.
Thank you for that clear and easy to understand explanation.
But how long can this go on? How many elections can they have if they keep returning the same results? If this stays the same, sooner or latter the parties are going to have to make major compromises to form either a ruling majority or a national unity government.
One of the dilemmas that is forcing the present gridlock is the block of Arab parties. Their hardline positions, and the resulting hardline opposition to them, removes a large number of MP's from any potential governing coalition; enough to prevent the remaining Jewish parties from having enough votes to form a majority among themselves without major, and to some unthinkable, compromises. Without their presence it would be easier for the Jewish parties to form a majority. But the Arab parties could not be excluded from the elections without jeopardizing Israel's standing as a democracy. With Israel's present parliamentary system and proportional representation (which I think is the worst form of government) I do not know what the solution could be, except those major compromises among the Jewish parties.
I’ve heard that certain voters who were prone to favor Bibi are growing tired of the ultra-orthodox who normally partner with him, especially due to their exemption exemption from military service and their control over who is to be considered a Jew.
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