Op-Ed: The Lapid Factor in the Coalition Equation

Arutz Sheva ^ | 23/1/13 | David Rubin

[Eleutheria5]

After Likud Beytenu’s Pyrrhic victory in the Israeli elections, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will most likely be confronted with the formidable task of piecing together a new coalition. Given the diverse group of potential partners, this will be no easy task. First and foremost in this cast of characters is Yesh Atid, led by popular TV personality Yair Lapid, who surprised everyone by becoming the second largest party in the incoming Knesset. It now seems clear that the key to the new coalition is in its hands.

Defining his party as Center rather than Left, Lapid has been quite clear about his pragmatic views, especially on the issue of the peace process and a potential Palestinian state. Despite the mainstream media’s penchant for lumping him together with Shelly Yechimovich’s Labor and Tzippi Livni’s Hatnua, who have both been vocal supporters of the two-state solution, despite abundant evidence that there is no sincere partner on the other side, Lapid has been quite clear about where he stands, saying, “I don’t like the tendency to blame the Israeli side. Most of the blame belongs to the Palestinian side, and I am not sure that they as a people are ready to make peace with us.” Such a Bibiesque position places him squarely in the center of the political spectrum, as do his stated views on the economy, advocating reduced taxes and fairness for the middle class and working families.

Aside from these centrist positions, the banner that has consistently been raised by Lapid has been his call for equalizing the burden of military/national service among all sectors of the population.... .....

[Eleutheria5]

It appears I misjudged Mr. Lapid's party. I reflexively took him for the usual leftist jerk, which is how the American media was portraying him, saying that he wanted a "more earnest effort at making peace with the Palestinians". Surprise. He really might be centrist. Whadayaknow.

[Cicero]

Ditto.

As ClintBilly would say, “It depends on what the meaning of ‘centrist’ is.”

Maybe he really is a centrist, but not in the Orwellian sense that the MSM usually means by it.

We’ll see, I guess. I’ve always thought it questionable that Orthodox Jews in Israel should be excused from military service, but I understand why it was agreed to, and it may be pretty difficult to change. Maybe they could form their own units?

[Former Fetus]

I believe the IDF already has haredi-only units. The problem seems to be the large number of yeshiva students who don’t want to be drafted, regardless. They seem to feel that their lives of prayer and Torah study help the nation just as much as doing military service!

[Former Fetus]

I agree with you, I also thought that Yesh Atid stood for the 2 state solution. If it’s true and they don’t... well, that may be the support that Netanyahu needs in dealing (or not dealing) with the Palestinians.

[idov]

Lapid is a journalist who can see both sides. His late father a few years ago, who was farther to the left, went in with Sharon as PM and that was a good government. The Palestinian issue is not a big deal because the other side hasn’t been willing to talk for years. The ball is in their court and they’re not playing it. The government has to do something about the old exemptions to the army for the haredim because the supreme court ruled the old agreement nul and void. With Lapid and the other new face Bennett, head of the national religious party which got the most seats for his side since 1977, pushing, these haredim are going into the army or doing community service. Bennett’s party represents religious guys who do serve. The country regards the haredim as freeloaders and parasites. Netanyahu can’t duck this issue.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Eleutheria5.

irst and foremost in this cast of characters is Yesh Atid, led by popular TV personality Yair Lapid, who surprised everyone by becoming the second largest party in the incoming Knesset... Despite the mainstream media’s penchant for lumping him together with Shelly Yechimovich’s Labor and Tzippi Livni’s Hatnua... Lapid has been quite clear about where he stands, saying, “I don’t like the tendency to blame the Israeli side. Most of the blame belongs to the Palestinian side, and I am not sure that they as a people are ready to make peace with us.” ...squarely in the center of the political spectrum, as do his stated views on the economy, advocating reduced taxes and fairness for the middle class and working families... for equalizing the burden of military/national service among all sectors of the population...

[Lurking Libertarian]

It appears I misjudged Mr. Lapid's party. I reflexively took him for the usual leftist jerk,

"Left" and "right" are not really useful terms in Israeli politics, because there are three sets of issues which divide the Israeli public, and those who are "right" on some issues are "left" on others.

The main splits are the secular vs. religious (here, Lapid is "left" and the Shas Party, currently in Netanyahu's coalition, is "right"), hawks vs. doves on the Palestinian issue (Meretz is "far left"; Labor and Livni are "left"; Likud, Shas and Lapid are all "center-right"; and Jewish Home is "far right") , and the issue of balanced budgets vs. entitlement spending (where the religious "right" parties usually align with the secular left).

So Netanyahu has a number of possible ways to build a coalition, but all of them are going to be tricky to negotiate.