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Israel's coalition government: Israeli and Arab media react

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu surprised Israel (and its Arab neighbors) when he announced the creation of a unity government on May 8: Israeli and Arab media react.

4. The Jerusalem Post (Israel)

Candidly speaking: Unity gov’t – opportunities and dangers by Isi Leibler and First thoughts on a unity government by Caroline B. Glick

The Jerusalem Post offered two perspectives.  The first, by Isi Leibler, notes the popularity of a unity government in Israel given the difficulties the country has faced in maintaining a stable legislative body over the past 20 years.

The vast majority of Israelis will undoubtedly welcome this move which, if managed effectively, could finally overcome the great divide which has so hurt the nation....

It could make Netanyahu one of the most powerful prime ministers Israel has ever had. By following a responsible centrist policy he will no longer be subject to blackmail or humiliation by the ... extreme Right fringes … or outside challengers... It will also immensely improve his global standing and relationship with President Barack Obama and the Americans in relation to the Iranian threat and Palestinian intransigency.

But Netanyahu is also taking an enormous risk. He was a virtual certainty to win the election, but if he mishandles this unity move... this move could represent an end to his flourishing political career.

A second piece, written by columnist Caroline B. Glick, focuses more on the ulterior motives of the unity government. In her column, titled “First thoughts on a unity government,” she says the Israeli public will no doubt rally behind Netanyahu if he decides to launch an attack on Iran, though there may have been other political scenarios motivating him:

When taken on its merits, the unity deal is an example of a situation in which Netanyahu was presented with an offer he’d be an idiot to refuse.

…

[T]here is an economic aspect to this decision. By bringing Kadima into his coalition, Netanyahu effectively ensured that his free market economic policies will be maintained and the socialist voices in Israeli politics will be marginalized for the next year or so.

With France going socialist, Israel’s Left, led by Labor Party leader and Marxist Shelly Yacimovich, would have had more resonance in the public for its statist, deficit spending economic platform.

Now Netanyahu got another year during which the public will see what those policies are doing to Europe and so make his economic arguments for him.

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Mark Sappenfield
Editor

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