WhatsappWell the unthinkable has happened. After three elections and year plus of political uncertainty, Prime Minister Netanyahu and Benny Gantz have signed a power sharing agreement enabling what they are calling a unity government.
While not ideal, this agreement will enable some big ticket items to go forward. The safeguarding of three things were important to Netanyahu’s block of rightwing and religious parties.
Annexation, Religious Status Quo, and Judicial Appointments were redlines for members of the 59 person block. While Netanyahu eventually gave in on the Gantz’s control over the Defense, Justice, and Finance ministries, the above three issues are controlled by the right thus rendering the Left’s take over of these three ministries sort of pointless.
Taking annexation for an example, the Defense Minister and Justice Minister will not have control over the events within Judea and Samaria once all the communities become normalized. True, those ministries will have power to limit the ability to hold back illegal Arab construction, but they will no longer be able to wantonly destroy fledgling Jewish communities.
Tzvi Hauser’s appointment to the Judicial appointments committee renders the left’s control over the Justice Minister ineffective. While Hauser is an opponent of the Prime Minister. He is no lefty and will ensure that the Left cannot continue to use the Supreme Court to rule the country.
True, Netanyahu was just two seats shy of a majority and many in his party are a bit surprised on the amount of goodies handed over to Gantz and company. However, Bibi always thinks ahead. The good poll numbers everyone sees now may vaporize in two months. Furthermore, by inking a unity deal, he essentially neutralizes the talking heads in the opposition and utilizes Gantz as a cover while the annexation becomes a reality.
Those on the right bemoaning this deal, must understand that there are other issues that will come into play the moment annexation goes through. These issues are connected to the fabric of Jewish society in Israel and needs a unified religious right to tackle them. If not, annexation will merely become a distraction and a false sense of victory, while the left and deep state devour the country from within.
