Netanyahu May Lose the Election Because of Trump

In a particularly heated episode of the program “Iron Dome,” hosted by Netan’el Eizak on the Srugim website, Srugim editor Arye Yuvali, Kikar HaShabbat commentator Yishai Cohen, former Knesset member Oren Hazan, and former Beit She’an mayor and Yisrael Beiteinu candidate Rafi Ben Shitrit gathered for a tense discussion about the country’s future, the war with Iran, and the deepening political crisis.

Trump and Netanyahu, love or “split personality”?

The discussion opened with references to the tension between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former U.S. President Donald Trump, against the backdrop of the recent strikes in Iran. Arye Yuvali compared Trump to a familiar biblical figure: “We are dealing here with... an adversary you can never know what he will do... I’m talking about Trump... In the Talmud they say Ahasuerus was a fickle king... one day he gets up like this, one day he gets up like that. That very much represents Trump. You close something with him and suddenly he turns on you.” Yuvali added that Netanyahu is barely managing to maneuver around him: “We should salute Netanyahu for somehow managing to reach the heart of this man... everything they manage to extract until he leaves the White House... that is an achievement.”

Yishai Cohen expressed disappointment with Trump’s change in tone: “There is a good chance that Netanyahu will win the elections thanks to President Trump. Today when you look... there is a good chance that Netanyahu will lose the elections also thanks to President Trump... it is not the same Trump Netanyahu knew.” Oren Hazan offered a different view of Trump: “Trump, believe me, people are wrong to think he has a split personality. The man is a genius, he laughs at everyone... he just makes money off it. Trump and Netanyahu have a very complicated relationship. Netanyahu was harmed by Trump also in the war... Netanyahu got no credit, neither for ending the war nor for the hostages.”

The security front, a “vassal state” or military power?

The participants discussed the lack of a decisive outcome in the different arenas. Rafi Ben Shitrit sharply attacked the current policy: “The State of Israel is being maneuvered into a reality in which it is basically doing the bidding of President Trump... Israel is some kind of banana republic... or some kind of vassal state, a sort of star on the American flag... There is no achievement of objectives in any of the arenas. Not against Hamas, not against Hezbollah, certainly not against Iran.” In response, Oren Hazan pointed to the cost of the war and the responsibility of the various levels of leadership: “We reached a very difficult reality... Israel [is attacking] 1,500 kilometers away and dismantling a superpower [Iran]... That it did not happen under the watch of those who sat there and, before it happened, were told it was a miracle... they were the ones who opened the door, they were the ones who said a small and smart army.”

Tali Gottlieb’s immunity, a criminal offense or persecution?

The issue of removing the immunity of MK Tali Gottlieb sparked a heated debate over the exposure of a Shin Bet officer’s identity. Yishai Cohen was unequivocal: “Tali Gottlieb committed a criminal offense. She gave and published the name of a Shin Bet employee... she put her life and the life of his family in danger... her immunity should be removed, she should stand trial criminally.” Yishai Cohen added that Likud’s silence stems from political considerations: “Because we are in primaries... you see all the Likud members afraid to come and tell Tali Gottlieb the truth to her face... because they know that today Tali is strong within the Likud public... His exposure endangers his life... and that, by the way, is a criminal offense, regardless of whether you endangered or not.”

Oren Hazan, speaking from personal experience, suggested that she stand trial: “I also say to Tali Gottlieb, madam, if you have nothing to hide, stand trial...” On her chances in the primaries, Hazan said: “Tali Gottlieb will either be elected in the top ten or thrown out... if everyone turns against her, she will be home.”

Basic Law: Torah study, a supreme value or political necessity?

The draft law and the Basic Law on Torah study, which recently made headlines, were also not left out of the discussion. Yishai Cohen described the law as “unnecessary”: “I am split in my opinion between good and unnecessary... good because this event needs to be resolved... and unnecessary because I don’t think it will hold water... there is doubt whether it will pass second and third readings, and there is no doubt it will not stand the test of the High Court of Justice.” Arye Yuvali opposed the law’s very existence: “This is a bad law... the Basic Law: Torah Study is unnecessary. Why is it bad? Because there is no Basic Law: circumcision, there is no Basic Law: honoring one’s father and mother... this law is not meant to recognize the value of Torah study... Yishai Cohen replied: this law is meant to turn Torah study into a Basic Law, and then this law overrides the value of equality.”

Rafi Ben Shitrit, who lost his son Elro’i, may his memory be blessed, on October 7, added in pain: “The value of Torah study is, in my view, a supreme value... Torah is not something that needs a special law for it... today to equate those who study all day with those who both serve and study... there is no more unnecessary law than this.” Surprisingly, Oren Hazan, who does not wear a kippah, said: “There is no Jewish people without Torah... the day everyone enlists there will be no Torah, and if there is no Torah there is no Jewish people and no Land of Israel... but there is a supreme value to Torah scholars... and anyone who runs away and sits on the benches, put him behind bars.”

Looking ahead, when will the elections be?

At the end, the participants tried to predict the final date for the elections. While Yishai Cohen and Rafi Ben Shitrit estimated that next week they would hear definitively about an election date on October 20, Oren Hazan remained skeptical: “I’ll surprise you, even next week there will be no election date... I won’t be surprised if the elections are after October 20.” Netan’el Eizak closed the program hoping for a calmer week, despite the panelists’ stormy predictions.