Dem
51
GOP
49
We try to keep an eye on international politics, as readers know, given the potential for events abroad to influence, or give insight into, domestic politics. And so it is that we take note that Israel officially has a new prime minister. Or maybe we should say a recycled prime minister, since it's Benjamin Netanyahu, who has done two stints in the job previously.
Netanyahu appeared to have come out on top back on Nov. 1, when Israel held its elections. However, the soon-to-be-PM (again) was left with the narrowest of margins when it came to piecing together a 61-person governing coalition. He finally got the job done yesterday, telling Israeli president Isaac Herzog that a government had been formed just 10 minutes before the deadline for doing so (without triggering another election).
In order to get to 61, Netanyahu had to bend over backwards to accommodate the far-right elements in the Knesset. That means that people who 10 years ago would have been considered too nutty and extremist to be trusted with real power will now occupy prominent positions in the Israeli legislature. Perhaps this storyline will sound familiar to followers of American politics (and if not, see above).
Netanyahu is a pretty skillful politician, so maybe he'll make it work better than other people who might find themselves in the same position at this moment. Or maybe not; Bibi wasn't able to avoid holding five elections between Apr. 19, 2019, and Nov. 1 of this year, or to avoid getting booted out of office for about a year in the midst of that.
For now, however, Wednesday's news does not bode well for U.S.-Israel relations. Joe Biden and Netanyahu already have a shaky relationship, and Biden's views on issues involving Israel (e.g., the disposition of the Palestinians) are moderate, as opposed to far-right. The U.S. President and the Israeli PM need each other, regardless of the person occupying each office, but Joe and Bibi are not going to be nearly as buddy-buddy as Don and Bibi were. (Z)