Israel Faces Political Stalemate After Election Results

Following the recent elections, Israel finds itself in a political deadlock, with neither Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc nor Gadi Eisenkot's 'Change' bloc securing a majority. The author, Ben Caspit, expresses disappointment but refuses to despair, emphasizing that Israel is worth fighting for.

Netanyahu's path to forming a government appears to hinge on securing the support of Mansour Abbas and his Ra'am party, a scenario the author suggests would be met with pragmatic, albeit hypocritical, support from some of Netanyahu's allies. Caspit notes that Netanyahu himself has previously engaged with Arab parties, including Ra'am and the Joint List.

Caspit argues that in a well-functioning democracy, Eisenkot would be able to form a government, potentially with the passive support of Arab parties. However, the current political climate makes a government actively including Arab parties a risky proposition. He suggests adopting Netanyahu's past tactics of forming a government at all costs, but questions the willingness and stability of such a coalition, especially in light of potential security escalations.

The election results are described as a loss for all sides, but a more painful one for the 'Change' bloc. Netanyahu's Likud party, despite losing seats compared to the previous election, remains in a position to potentially form a government or a unity government. Caspit posits that a "reasonable" Netanyahu would pursue a broad unity government including Eisenkot, Bennett, and Lieberman, excluding the far-right and Haredi parties, to address critical issues like conscription, the economy, and international relations.

However, Caspit concludes that Netanyahu is not a "reasonable" leader, citing his recent political tactics and the influence of extremist figures in his government. He questions whether Netanyahu can shift his focus from personal and familial interests to the good of the nation. Despite the challenges, Caspit urges against despair, drawing parallels to the difficult early days of Israel's establishment and emphasizing the resilience and unique spirit of the Israeli people.