Visiting the markets or eating falafel are two phenomena that are spoken in one breath with the word "elections". Therefore, a point began to flash to me when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted videos on every possible social network of himself at a stand in Ashkelon, handing out falafel balls to police officers and fans, at the end of the recent operation in Gaza.
If you add to this the cold shoulder he gave Itamar Ben-Gvir and his demands; The certain disavowal of Justice Minister Yariv Levin and his plan to change the judicial system and regime in Israel, and the political discourse among the coalition partners, one might think that elections are imminent, or at least approaching.
Does Netanyahu have an interest in toppling a full-fledged right-wing government for the sake of the unknown? In my assessment, Netanyahu is beginning to understand that the coalition has many seats but many interests, and in the end, is liable to collapse the House on him. Perhaps it would be better for him to lead to elections, to place the blame on Ben-Gvir and Co., to bring in a number of seats similar to that which Gantz would bring at the head of the state camp, and from that position to go to a replacement government and even let Gantz be first in the rotation.
Such a move, even if it sounds logical to Netanyahu, who is fed up with the extortion of Ben-Gvir and Co. on the one hand and the protests on the other, could cost him dearly. Israel's short political history proves that whoever topples a right-wing government is a kidnapper and a strongman.
Ask: Is Netanyahu ready for such a dangerous move? If so, then only after the budget is passed, when his government cannot be toppled, unless he wants to dissolve it. Because then the power is in Netanyahu's hands. Therefore, he is pressing to pass the budget even at the cost of more gifts to the partnership, in order to hand over the reins to him. The final decision will fall at the Winter Conference.
Protests: Kaplan protest leaders moved the start time of the protest to 8 p.m. to allow Sabbath observants to join the protest without violating Shabbat, which is late due to daylight saving time. While they show consideration for the Sabbath observants, they become clear about the other issues.
The protest began as opposition to the legal reform by Yariv Levin and Simcha Rothman, spread to other related and unrelated issues, and seems to have turned out to be navigating. It now includes mobilization and equality of the burden, coalition funds and looting of the coffers by the ultra-Orthodox parties, the Arnona Law, the occupation, LGBT rights and the war on violence against women.
Every flag bearer is convinced that everything is connected to judicial reform. The protest leadership does not stand behind all the flags, saying that the looting of the coffers must be linked to reform and concentrate on what they see as an immediate threat. They believe that after the budget law passes this week and they feel strong and indiscriminate, they will begin to enact all the dictatorship laws they planned. One thing is common to all the issues in the Kaplan protest – just not Bibi.
Yossi Sarid: This week Docaviv screened a film summarizing the life and work of the late Yossi Sarid, who moved from work to Meretz and even served as its chairman. During the film, the huge demonstrations that took place in the 90s were also mentioned about equality of the burden and democracy. Then, as now, right and left faced each other. Even then, they shouted: "Just not Bibi."
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