Thursday, May 30, 2019

Elections 2019: Take Two


New elections set for September. The electorate at least knows what to expect from those claiming to be right minded political parties. This can all be for the best.

Avigdor Lieberman said, "there must be a government that reflects the interests of the entire public."
My question is... Does he feel Chareidim have interests that need reflecting too? They got 10 more seats than him and he feels he can dictate all terms.

Shas chairman and Interior Minister Aryeh Deri confirmed Bibi's version of the story.
"Netanyahu poured out his heart after the elections. He was very hurt and told me that he could not form a government because he knew that Liberman was determined not to let him establish it," he added.

"I thought I was hearing hallucinatory things. I told him he was wrong. This is the first time I felt extorted," the Shas chairman said. "We did not know that we had such an ideological opponent. I feel attacked and hurt. One man decided to drag Israel to elections because of hatred. It pains me."

Minister Deri stressed that even after the next elections, Shas will support Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. "As we proved in the last elections, whoever votes for Shas votes for Netanyahu and Shas. We will continue with the line and support Netanyahu and he is our only candidate."

Whereas Agudath Yisrael had previously agreed to Netanyahu's suggested compromise on the draft issue, but Leiberman rejected that as well.

I was impressed by the growth of Lieberman as Defense Minister, but despite all the hard work to prepare the banquet, the food has spoiled. Even if he is right about being tougher with Hamas, I can no longer, in good conscience, recommend him anymore as an option to vote for. He is not to be relied on to join any government that is not prepared to give him every single item of all that he asks.

Tourism Minister Yariv Levin, who headed the Likud’s coalition negotiating team, said it was clear to him that Avigdor Liberman was not planning to join a prospective government. That was clear, Levin said Thursday in an interview on Reshet Bet, because of the “ridiculous” demands he made as his price for doing so.

“Unfortunately, it was clear to me that Liberman was not interested in joining the government, for several reasons – among this his unbelievable stance on the draft law.” Liberman had demanded that the law be passed on its second and third reading in exactly the same form that Yisrael Beytenu proposed it in its first reading – something that never happens, Levin said. “There is no such thing as a bill that is not changed in its second and third reading,” he added.

Although there are only five Yisrael Beytenu MKs, Liberman demanded that his party get three ministries, and directorship of five government offices.

Lieberman essentially made an impossible demand and then cried out, "Look, the Chareidim and Bibi said no!!" He implied that Likud member(s) did not keep previous agreements that were made behind the scenes. Yet publicly he is presenting a person that does not seem to even care about the opinions of those who do not agree with him. If he is as correct, as he feels that he is, he has certainly not presented a sufficient case for his stance. We are left with only his obstructionism as his way of explanation.
 
Likud’s top coalition negotiator Yariv Levin, attacked Israel Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Liberman on Thursday morning: “The other partners showed responsibility and were willing to make far-reaching compromises to meet Liberman [more than] half way – and everyone had agreed in advance he would receive a much larger share, just so he would have no excuse and no reason to enter the government.”

Is this still about what's best for Israel, Avigdor? All that taxpayer wealth down the drain for arguing about something you knew would happen anyway. Well, at this point it seems, if he is not going to be a part of any Likud government, then things are improving already.

"Good sense will grant favor, but the way of the treacherous is harsh. Every cunning person acts with forethought, but a fool exposes stupidity. " (Proverbs 13:15,16)

Dear political leaders. There are enough politicians in the world that try to wield power to get their way. Let's be diplomats out there. May it soon be so, by the grace of God.

No comments: