Puzzle games on the right, the Likud against Edelstein and the closing of the left: a summary of the political day

The religious right-wingers continue to move one ball to the other's field all the way to closing the lists, while on the left today the Union became official. At the same time, Edelstein stands between the blue-and-white hammer and Likud's anvil, and Netanyahu and his associates demand that he delay the debate on immunity - at all costs. Election log

Puzzle games on the right, the Likud against Edelstein and the closing of the left: a summary of the political day

Who will blink first on the right?

While the Knesset began the party march to submit the final lists in the elections, the religious right has not yet finalized the puzzle pieces. Late last night, Naphtali Bennett agreed with Bezalel Smutrich about the National Union's connection with the new right, but Netanyahu continues to press him to reach full unification, which also includes the Jewish home and Jewish power.

Bennett made it clear that he did not intend to withdraw from his opposition not to run with Itamar Ben Gvir, and now the choice of Rafi Peretz's hands - to join the new right or remain alongside Jewish power. This is a cruel route for him: if he refuses to say goodbye to Ben Gvir, he risks the Jewish House not passing the blockage and being removed from the political map, and if he violates the agreement with him, his signature will lose value and he as a politician may be ousted. At this time, he is showing no signs of breaking, and intends to go with Jewish power and son-in-law to the end.

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He made it clear that he did not intend to withdraw. Bennett alongside Smutrich (Photo: Reuven Castro)

Launch of the right-wing party's housing program in the ranks of the list leaders, Elkana Ramat August 21, 2019 (Photo: Reuven Castro)

And behind the scenes: Bennett and Almond's agreement with Smutrich was signed less than ten hours after the new right-wing leaders publicly declared their intention to run alone in the election. The change comes after Bennett initiated a meeting with former Identity Speaker Moshe Feiglin, who rejected a proposal to run with them in the New Right. Bennett said the dream that he dreamed of passing the blockade with liberal right-wing voters was waning and came back in a moment to address the voices found in religious Zionism. The natural.

Smutrich, for his part, claimed this morning that he signed Bennett after the Jewish House did not agree with his party, but negotiators claimed he was only looking for excuses for revenge on Rafi Peretz and the Jewish House, three weeks after signing an agreement with Jewish power behind his back. By tomorrow night, the deadline for submitting lists, all this politics will be behind, and we will know which of the religious party leaders will blink, if at all.

Cruel route. Burst at the Jewish Home Conference, yesterday (Photo: Reuven Castro)

Conference of the Jewish Home, Wahl Center, Ramat Gan, January 13, 2019 (Photo: Reuven Castro)

Between immunity and loyalty: Edelstein's dilemma

The immunity spotlight goes to Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein, who stands between the hammer and the anvil. For years he worked to buy his state status, and is now torn between the demand for blue and white to thwart the immunity for Netanyahu even before the election and the Likud's demand not to allow any discussion until after The election.

Earlier this week, Knesset Attorney General Il Yinon allegedly released him from the dilemma, providing an opinion stating that he had no authority to prevent the Knesset committee from discussing Netanyahu's request for immunity, but the Prime Minister's Office did not give up so soon. For the past two days, Netanyahu and his associates have furiously labeled the Knesset Speaker responsible for the situation, and now demand that he not convene the plenary vote on the establishment of the committee. This is when white and other opposition factions are demanding to do so already tomorrow. Edelstein, meanwhile, is in no hurry: Because a referral to the plenary conference was filed with him only today, and he will review it "soon."

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Between the hammer and the anvil. Edelstein (Photo: Reuven Castro)

Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein, January 12, 2020 (Photo: Reuven Castro)

As far as Netanyahu is concerned, Edelstein should keep the Knesset closed until after the elections, and even if the High Court is filed against him - he must oppose the claim that this is a violation of the authorities. The Likud uses the Knesset's rules that stipulate that the plenary can only be convened in very limited circumstances; The threat to oust Edelstein from office - to replace a chairman should be plenary, and Likud expects Edelstein just won't do it - despite the fact that there is a clear majority of 65 MKs who want to start the immunity debate at all costs. Netanyahu's goal is primarily to pull time - to Postpone the establishment of the committee until a close date for the elections.

A requirement that displaces the Knesset from it. Right block meeting, today

Meeting of Heads of the Right Block, Prime Minister's Office, Jerusalem, January 14, 2020 (Photo: Official Website)

Compared to Edelstein, the heads of the right block have no doubt at all. Deri, Litzman, Gaffney, Bennett, Shaked, Smutrich and Peretz appeared this morning in Netanyahu's office for a special meeting on immunity, with the aim of formulating a strategy to curb blue-and-white moves. At the end of the meeting, they issued a joint letter to Edelstein demanding that they not convene the plenum until after the elections, which in fact completely displaced the Knesset. The bloc, which began as a brilliant political move from Deri's midrash, today voluntarily became a major actor in Netanyahu's private play on the way to court.

Afterparty on the left

After announcing the dramatic connection, Labor and Meretz conferences convened today, about two miles from each other in Tel Aviv, to approve the joint running agreements. This work was simple, and Amir Peretz's proposal for a connection was passed by a large majority, but in Meretz some bumps had to go through.

Some potholes had to go through to approve the agreement. Horowitz with Peretz (Photo: Reuven Castro)

Amir Peretz and Nitzan Horowitz during the Labor Party-Bridge press conference at the press conference, TA 13 January 2019 (Photo: Reuven Castro)

Former MKs Issawi Freij and Musi Raz petitioned the motion court this morning, demanding a separate vote on the connection with Maj. Gen. (res.) Yair Golan, who signed a Meretz agreement last week with Meretz. On March 5 and 11th on the joint list, he argued that Meretz did not protest the pushing of the senior Arab representative to an unrealistic place, and also the gender imbalance created in the Meretz list, where there is only one woman in the first seventh. The petition was accepted, forcing Hugh " R. Meretz, Nitzan Horowitz, hold two separate votes - one on the agreement with Labor-Bridge, and the other on the agreement with Golan.

Protesting his push for an unrealistic place. Perige (Photo: Reuven Castro)

MK Issaui Freij at the Knesset Plenum, May 29, 2019 (Photo: Reuven Castro)

In the end, the conference approved both proposals, but the result remained the same: the United Left list would run without an Arab candidate in the top ten. The job hopes that white blue will solve their headaches, and agree to appoint a prominent candidate to make room for Freij in a realistic place, while in March - Horowitz pledged that if the party enters the government in the future - he will resign under Norwegian law to make room for more candidates to enter the Knesset.

In terms of women's representation, Meretz is underrepresented, but the United Left list is expected to be the list with the best gender balance, with four women in the top ten: Orly Levi-Abaxis, Tamar Zandberg, Merav Michaeli and Rital Souid. The woman who is left out, Ben Shafir, is still debating her political path, after both parties have decided she is not wanted in the union. Shafir is still considering a Green Party nomination, and by 22:00 tomorrow, you will have to make a decision.

Still undecided. Shafir (Photo: Reuven Castro)

Autumn Shafir discusses application to prevent Jewish power from participating in elections for the 22nd Knesset, Knesset, Jerusalem, August 14, 2019 (Photo: Reuven Castro)