The coalition made quite a few mistakes on the way to voting on the Judicial Selection Committee: delaying the decision, speaking bluntly at a meeting of the Likud faction to MKs and ministers, and referring to them as subjects in the style of "you will vote because that's how we decided," which must have played a part in the small revolt behind the curtain. And also the fact that no one around Netanyahu thought to pick up the phone to the president's house or Gantz's circle and tell them: "We are afraid that two representatives will be elected to the coalition, and we do not want to avoid violating the practice - let's postpone the vote." But the biggest mistake is the misinterpretation of one Knesset member, Tali Gottlieb.
Anyone who has been deciphering maps and political and security scenarios for years did not understand what was in front of him. Sorry for the cliché, but this time it's accurate: Tali Gottlieb is a completely different Knesset member and a particularly unusual one from anything the Israeli parliament knows.
Completely different from anything the Israeli parliament knows. MK Tali Gottlieb, Photo: Oren Ben Hakon
Netanyahu and Muslim are familiar with the ritual. MK threatens, flex his muscles, gives public interviews contrary to the boss's position, because he needs something and is ignored, there is some noise, the MK is called to the bureau, gets what he wants or part of it, and moves on. Netanyahu and Muslim were sure that when the decisive moments approached, the ritual would repeat itself with Gottlieb. They were wrong.
Amsalem was sure that with his warmth and raggedness, which makes people love him and manages to convey political matters to friends, he would succeed in convincing her - but it didn't work. Amsalem turned to anger and shouting – and that didn't work either.
Know the ritual. Prime Minister Netanyahu at the Knesset plenum, photo: Oren Ben Hakon
Netanyahu's headache
The efforts went up a notch. The prime minister called her on Tuesday evening - didn't work. Another stage advanced to a face-to-face meeting with the prime minister, shortly before the moment of truth. Don't the prime minister refuse? Not Tali Gottlieb. The next stage was the hardest of all: one Tali Gottlieb against Netanyahu, Amsalem, Deri, Levin, Smotrich and Ben-Gvir. Difficult conversation, persuasion, accusations, shouting, high volume of some of those present. But Gottlieb did not give in.
An "ordinary" politician leaves the prime minister's office, keeps quiet, and a month later he "breaks the silence" and adds a "gloveless interview." But Gottlieb is different. She has no spokesperson, because she believes she is her own spokesperson. She left the room and went to the cameras. When she has something to say, she says. No filters, no considerations and no filters. Everything is straight - and straight ahead.
The pomposity isn't fake, that's Tali Gottlieb. It rises quickly to high tones, and also descends very quickly. She can scream and get angry quickly – and equally easily get excited and cry. Will it pass the next primary test? Maybe. What is more, it will cause quite a bit more headache for Netanyahu in the coming years.
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