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Ending Crisis, Israel Swears In Netanyahu-Led Government to Rescue Economy Ending Crisis, Israel Swears in Netanyahu-Led Government to Rescue Economy
(about 2 hours later)
JERUSALEM — Ending a 510-day political crisis that three elections had failed to resolve, Israel on Sunday swore in a new government that was assembled to respond to the coronavirus pandemic, extending Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s record-setting tenure just a week before his corruption trial was set to begin. JERUSALEM — Ending a 510-day political crisis that three elections had failed to resolve, Israel on Sunday swore in a new government charged with responding to the coronavirus pandemic, extending Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s record-setting tenure just a week before his corruption trial is set to begin.
The new government pairs Mr. Netanyahu, 70, with his erstwhile challenger, the centrist former army chief Benny Gantz, 60, who holds the new title of “alternate prime minister,” a veto over most major decisions, control over half the government’s ministries and an agreement to switch positions with Mr. Netanyahu on Nov. 17, 2021. Mr. Netanyahu, 70, has joined forces with his erstwhile challenger, the centrist former army chief Benny Gantz, 60, who now holds the new title of “alternate prime minister,” a veto over most major decisions, control over half the government’s ministries and an agreement to switch positions with Mr. Netanyahu on Nov. 17, 2021.
But by keeping Mr. Netanyahu in office, even as he faces prosecution on bribery, fraud and breach of trust charges over his dealings with several wealthy media executives, the new ruling coalition may represent a crowning political achievement for Israel’s longest-serving leader.
Only two and a half years ago, Mr. Netanyahu’s closest allies had ruled out the possibility that he could continue in office if he were indicted. Only two and a half months ago, a clear majority of Israeli voters had elected lawmakers promising to usher Mr. Netanyahu into the political afterlife.
Yet in a matter of weeks, Mr. Netanyahu reduced those adversaries to political footnotes.
Mr. Gantz’s large Blue and White party broke apart over his decision to join Mr. Netanyahu, the once-dominant Labor party was reduced to two lonely seats in Parliament, and Arab lawmakers who had sensed the opportunity to wield greater influence than ever over Israeli public life found themselves once again on the margins.
Mr. Gantz’s acceptance of an I.O.U. from Mr. Netanyahu could prove foolhardy: Few analysts say they believe that their agreement will survive long enough for Mr. Gantz to take his turn as prime minister.
The opposition, for its part, now lacks coherence. The center-left parties that had put their hopes in Mr. Gantz were joined by Yamina, the right-wing party led by Naftali Bennett, a former defense minister who balked at joining Mr. Netanyahu’s coalition when he refused Yamina’s demands for ministerial portfolios.
Israel’s long political stalemate, dating from December 2018, had kept the government in limbo, unable to pass major legislation or to enact a new spending plan reflecting changing national priorities.Israel’s long political stalemate, dating from December 2018, had kept the government in limbo, unable to pass major legislation or to enact a new spending plan reflecting changing national priorities.
In an inaugural speech in Parliament hours before his formal swearing-in, Mr. Netanyahu promised to deliver a new budget “that will prevent the economy from collapsing, that will guarantee stability, that will restore growth — a budget that will give you, citizens of Israel, hope, and a horizon, by restoring three things: Jobs, jobs, jobs.”In an inaugural speech in Parliament hours before his formal swearing-in, Mr. Netanyahu promised to deliver a new budget “that will prevent the economy from collapsing, that will guarantee stability, that will restore growth — a budget that will give you, citizens of Israel, hope, and a horizon, by restoring three things: Jobs, jobs, jobs.”
More than a million Israelis have lost their jobs since the pandemic forced most workplaces to shut down, and though schools and many employers have begun to reopen, the economy is far from back to normal.More than a million Israelis have lost their jobs since the pandemic forced most workplaces to shut down, and though schools and many employers have begun to reopen, the economy is far from back to normal.
The country’s aggressive measures worked to contain the virus, however: Israel’s death rate from Covid-19 is 31 people per million, a small fraction of the fatality rates in the United States and hard-hit countries like Britain, Italy and Spain.The country’s aggressive measures worked to contain the virus, however: Israel’s death rate from Covid-19 is 31 people per million, a small fraction of the fatality rates in the United States and hard-hit countries like Britain, Italy and Spain.
While Mr. Netanyahu took credit for Israel’s coming through the pandemic relatively unscathed so far, he said he and Mr. Gantz would establish a “corona cabinet” to get ready for an expected second wave.While Mr. Netanyahu took credit for Israel’s coming through the pandemic relatively unscathed so far, he said he and Mr. Gantz would establish a “corona cabinet” to get ready for an expected second wave.
Mr. Gantz, who has been denounced as a turncoat by many of the center-left lawmakers who tried to help him oust Mr. Netanyahu, spoke defensively of his decision to join Mr. Netanyahu’s coalition in his own parliamentary address. He said it was no time “to remain blindly attached to what were yesterday’s hopes and aspirations.” In one respect, at least, the new government is off to a running start in creating jobs.
The inconclusive elections had left Israel’s leaders with a clear choice between unity and “civil war,” Mr. Gantz said, adding: “The people said to us: Stop fighting amongst yourselves and get to work for us.” To induce party leaders to join the coalition, the Netanyahu-Gantz government has ballooned in size, with the number of ministries roughly doubling and other plums adding more than $225 million in yearly costs, said Yohanan Plesner, president of the nonpartisan Israel Democracy Institute. (Mr. Netanyahu put the added expense at only $24 million, and said this was far less than the $500 million or more a fourth election would have cost the Israeli economy.)
The fighting did not cease on Sunday, however: Both Mr. Gantz and Mr. Netanyahu were repeatedly interrupted by angry shouts from the opposition. Mr. Gantz, who has been denounced as a turncoat by many of the center-left lawmakers who tried to help him oust Mr. Netanyahu, spoke defensively of his decision to join the coalition in his own parliamentary address. He said it was no time “to remain blindly attached to what were yesterday’s hopes and aspirations.”
The inconclusive elections had left Israel’s leaders with a clear choice between unity and “civil war,” Mr. Gantz said, adding: “The people said to us: Stop fighting among yourselves and get to work for us.”
The fighting did not cease on Sunday, however. Both Mr. Gantz and Mr. Netanyahu were repeatedly interrupted by angry shouts from the opposition.
Mr. Netanyahu drew the loudest cries of protest when he repeated his vow to annex territory in the occupied West Bank that the Palestinians have counted on for a future state. The coalition agreement with Mr. Gantz allows Mr. Netanyahu to pursue annexation, if the United States approves it, any time after July 1.Mr. Netanyahu drew the loudest cries of protest when he repeated his vow to annex territory in the occupied West Bank that the Palestinians have counted on for a future state. The coalition agreement with Mr. Gantz allows Mr. Netanyahu to pursue annexation, if the United States approves it, any time after July 1.
“These areas of the country were the places of the birth and the growth of the Jewish nation,” Mr. Netanyahu said of the West Bank, as shouts of “apartheid” could be heard from opponents of annexation. “And it is time to apply Israeli law and to write a glorious new chapter in the history of Zionism.”“These areas of the country were the places of the birth and the growth of the Jewish nation,” Mr. Netanyahu said of the West Bank, as shouts of “apartheid” could be heard from opponents of annexation. “And it is time to apply Israeli law and to write a glorious new chapter in the history of Zionism.”
Moreover, even as Mr. Gantz and Mr. Netanyahu spoke of unity and healing, analysts warned that the new government’s two-headed structure could substitute one form of stalemate for another. The new opposition leader, Yair Lapid, bitterly denounced both Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Gantz, his former partner in Blue and White, saying Mr. Gantz had “surrendered” to someone undeserving of his trust. “In the real world, you don’t let your children play with a man like that,” Mr. Lapid said. “In this building, he’s the prime minister.”
“Rather than paralysis that is being manifested by consecutive election campaigns, we could have paralysis with a government that cannot decide anything,” said Yohanan Plesner, president of the nonpartisan Israel Democracy Institute. Even as Mr. Gantz and Mr. Netanyahu spoke of unity and healing, analysts warned that the new government’s two-headed structure could substitute one form of stalemate for another.
Karine Nahon, a professor and politics expert at the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya, said the new coalition’s size and breadth gave it stability, in that it would not be vulnerable to being toppled if one or two lawmakers threatened to quit.
But Ms. Nahon said that the veto power Mr. Gantz and Mr. Netanyahu held over each other could render it ineffectual.
“If we’re talking about the judicial system, about checks and balances, about the role of the media — on every topic, they are coming from two opposite ideological stances,” she said. “The government’s supposed to meet different goals, but what are the goals?