Oh, good! Since the election there has been talk of Bibi’s need to include the left in a “national unity” coalition.
(Kind of like our own ‘rats insisting on “bipartisanship” after conservative victories.)
I’m glad to see he put together a right-wing government. I think that’s healthier for Israel’s future.
He was hoping for a 67-seat coalition, but the hard-right Yisrael Beteinu party apparently refused to join. (Unclear if that was for ideological reasons, or because they demanded cabinet posts he has already promised to other parties.)
This is problematic for Bibi for two reasons: (1) A 61-seat coalition is very unstable-- it's the bare minimum for a Knesset majority, so any single party in the coalition can end the government and require new elections simply by dropping out at any time. (2) He got to 61 only by including the two ultra-Orthodox parties (Shas and UTJ), who were not in his prior coalition. They will doubtless insist on restoring the draft exemption for students at their Yeshivas, a controversial policy that is not only anathema to Israel's left, but also very unpopular with the secular and moderate-religious elements of the center and right, who see it as favoritism at best and a national-security threat at worst.
So, for two reasons, this may prove to be a very short-lived government.
Right and Left don’t really mean the same things in Israeli politics. Netanyahu’s coalition is a complete mess. He’s allied himself with all of the religious parties, most of whom are socialist leaning welfare statists and a centrist party that wants more government intervention in the national economy. He’s lost Avigdor Lieberman in the negotiation process, which means he’s ruling by one vote. He’s going to be herding cats from day one to get even the most basic functions of government to move along. If Lieberman stays out of the coalition, they’ll be having new elections within a year.
Healthier for Bibi. After he uses the Left to scare people into voting Likud, a national unity government would mean the end of all credibility for him.