WhatsappThe Hamas terror group continues to launch incendiary balloons at Israel’s South causing more than 20 fires in the area. This would not pose such a threat to a normal government, but the newest Bennett-Lapid-Abbas government is anything but normal.
Built on the sole premise of the “urgent need” to replace Bibi Netanyahu after 12 years in power, the Bennett-Lapid-Abbas government threads unlikely and disparate interest groups together, with the hope that they can hold out just long enough for Bibi to realize that he is no longer PM.
The problem with their plan is that Bibi isn’t going anywhere. And why should he? After all there are plenty of cracks already forming in the days old coalition that only passed with a 60 to 59 seat majority. Between the IDF retaliation over Hamas attacks and pending home demolitions in the Bedouin sector, the Ra’am party is already threatening to leave the coalition.
Said Al-Kharumi of the Arab Ra’am faction said the following: “If in the near future the government does not produce satisfactory solutions to the problem of the unrecognized villages and the Bedouin settlement in the Negev, this will have an impact on the political landscape in Israel.”
If this is not enough of an indication that the days of the Bennett-Lapid-Abbas coalition are already numbered, then the fact that the coalition was not able to muster the votes necessary to pass the Family Reunification Law should be a clear indication that it won’t last. This law is not a permanent law and so it is required to be voted on over and over again as has been done over the past 20 years. The law prevents family members of PA Arabs residing outside of pre-’67 armistice lines to be reunited with those living within Israel’s pre-’67 borders.
With the Likud in the opposition, the Bennett-Lapid-Abbas coalition does not have the votes required to pass it due to Ra’am being part of the coalition as well as Meretz indicating it may break a coalition agreement to vote against it.
So why is Hamas starting up now?
Like everyone else, Hamas sees that the current coalition is unstable and more likely than not heading to a break up soon. Hamas wants chaos, because in chaos, those who seek power and control can take advantage of their opponents dissaray. With a Muslim Brotherhood linked party inside Israel’s coalition, Hamas knows it can count on Ra’am to bolt when hostilities ramp up.
Culturally, traditional Arab society is not only about short term gains when it comes to finances, but who is in control in the longterm. It is a clan based society whose leaders make decisions about the future of their clans, but based on their ability to remain at the helm within their own mini-fiefdom. With this in mind, Abbas’ Ra’am has always been willing to take advantage of the Jewish State’s schizophrenia to be better positioned, but not at the cost of losing control and power within Arab street.
Hamas understands that Mansour Abbas cannot remain in the government if a new war starts and so is willing to push all the buttons to make that happen.
What we learn from all of this, is that while it is possible to lie in order to push out the reigning Prime Minister, unless one’s coalition is somewhat homogenous in overall outlook, the chances of remaining in power are slim.
While the leftwing and anti-Jewish leaders of the world “congratulated” the Bennett-Lapid-Abbas coalition on its victory, it may only be around for a short time. Perhaps this is the why the Netanyahus have yet to leave Balfour.
