TEL AVIV – “Don’t ask me what will happen, no one would have expected four elections in two years, it is no longer possible to make predictions in this country. But now it is important to heal the wounds”. Even the great writer Abraham Yehoshua, a bit like all observers of Israeli politics who still hesitate to declare the era of over Benjamin netanyahu, keeps away from predictions on what awaits Israel the day after the swearing-in of the first government not led by the country’s longest-serving prime minister.
How do you see the new government?
“Very heterogeneous, but there is a determining element that unites it: the will to try to bring about a change and to lower the level of tension between left and right, giving the possibility even to those who have been away from the government for years, such as Meretz, to prove himself with deeds and not just words. And the most important thing is that there are Arab representatives, an achievement that must be acknowledged to Netanyahu who initiated the dialogue. If cooperation works, it will open the door to greater involvement of the Arabs in Israeli politics and there is no doubt that this is a turning point. “
But will it be possible to stand beyond the “everything but Bibi” glue?
“Bennett, Shaked, Liberman have experience of government, they are not inexperienced. But I don’t think we will see big changes, certainly not with respect to foreign policy, to the Palestinian question. They will focus on internal issues.”
Which?
“For example, reduce enslavement to ultra-Orthodox parties. But I think more than anything else they will be busy trying to coexist with each other and getting by. Maybe they can limit illegal construction in the Territories, but I think the opposition will put in place a provocation afterwards. the other and it will make his life hard. Netanyahu has chosen to fight from the opposition and he will do so with all the determination with which he led the country to four elections to protect himself in the trial against him “.
What legacy does Netanyahu leave after these 12 years?
“He is a character of great skill and talent, extremist on the Palestinian question, very divisive. There is no doubt that he has achieved excellent results in his political career. He recalled them in his speech, obviously omitting the problems, but on the the results are right: first of all in foreign policy, in the relationship with the United States, the Abrahamic Agreements, his firm position against Iran “.
Is Iran Israel’s first problem?
“I am not an expert on Iran, but I take any threat seriously. The terrible events that have marked us do not allow me to underestimate any threat of destruction directed against Israel.”
What will happen to Likud after Netanyahu, will it end Labor?
“He will survive, but there will be trauma. On the other hand, when Ben Gurion left, Levi Eshkol came, they didn’t give him two cents, and instead he waged Israel’s most successful war in six days. Netanyahu will be. also a wizard of politics, but if it had been for him he would have led the country to fifth elections. His big flaw is that he did not want to leave the Likud leader’s seat to another, which would have allowed the formation of a government of right”.
Netanyahu says it is the “fraud of the century”, that the government does not represent the will of the people.
“But what does that mean? They have a majority. It is a government that represents the will of part of the people, just as Likud governments have expressed the will of another part of the people. You cannot represent” all the people “.”
The head of internal services has made an appeal to lower the tone and in these days many recall the atmosphere of hatred that preceded the assassination of Rabin. Do you remember those moments too?
“The Shabbak does its job. I don’t think this is like in ’95. I think the level of tension will subside as soon as the new government starts and most people just want a functioning government, if with Bennett or Netanyahu it matters less. “.
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