Tzippy Shmilovitz on “Dateline New Haven.”
The Covid-19 crisis sparked a political miracle: Instead of continuing a drawn-out battle for power, Israel’s two leading politicians joined forces to create a “unity” government to address the pandemic.
That’s the official story. Benny Gantz offered that explanation when he decided that, instead of facing off against arch foe Benjamin Netanyahu in the fourth election in 15 months, he would agree to a form a new government in which both their coalitions share power.
The truth bears no relation to that political fairy tale, in the view of Tzippy Shmilovitz.
Shmilovitz, who lives in New Haven, is an American correspondent for Israel’s largest-circulation print newspaper, Yediot Aharanot. She echoed a suggestion by former Minister Ehud Barak that a secret motive led to Gantz’s decision, perhaps some “dirt” that Netanyahu had on his rival.
Gantz “really saved Netanyahu’s ass,” Shmilovitz said during an appearance Wednesday on WNHH FM’s “Dateline New Haven” program.
Gantz and Netanuyahu failed in their previous three election contests to earn enough support to form a new government. So a fourth election was scheduled. Until this week, Gantz ruled out a coalition government with Netanyahu, who has been indicted on bribery charges. Then he shocked the country by agreeing this week to the coalition government, in which Netanyahu continues to serve as prime minister for the first 18 months. The official line was that both sides came together to tackle the pandemic in the national interest. Theoretically, Gantz would serve the next 18 months, a development most Israelis are doubtful they’ll see happen.
The Covid-19 explanation was a “formal excuse” for the surprise deal, Shmilovitz said. “I’m sure Benny Gantz believes it,” but no one else does.
In truth, Israeli society is already united in its commitment to confront the coronavirus, just as society has reached a general center-right consensus on most big issues like security, Shmilovitz said. “The left has pretty much left.”
The real fault line in Israeli politics is Netanyahu himself, the country’s longest-serving prime minister.
“This is all about him not going to jail,” she said of the deal to keep Netanyahu in power. In office he can wield more influence over his prosecution and the resolution of legal questions about the ability of an indicted prime minister to remain in office.
Further, under the terms of the deal, the coalition government will be able to proceed with the annexation of much of the occupied West Bank under the terms of President Trump’s plan for resolving Middle East conflict. Palestinians and many members of Gantz’s Blue and White coalition oppose annexation.
“Gantz betrayed his voters in so many ways,” Shmilovitz said.
Click on the video for the full interview with foreign correspondent Tzippy Shmilovitz on WNHH FM’s “Dateline New Haven.” Click here for a video of a former Israeli member of Parliament from the right offering a more optimistic take on the unity government.