Amichai Shikli Criticizes Naftali Bennett’s Alliance With Mansour Abbas While Aligning With Netanyahu

Amichai Shikli sharply criticizes Naftali Bennett for forming a government relying on Mansour Abbas and the Ra'am party, calling it a betrayal of right-wing voters and labeling Bennett a "Madoff of Israeli politics." Shikli recounts how Bennett initially promised not to establish a government supported by Ra'am, reassured him otherwise, and urged attacks on Netanyahu, only to ultimately do the opposite. This alliance marked a breaking point for Shikli, who then abandoned Bennett.

However, Shikli’s subsequent decision to join Benjamin Netanyahu, who himself engaged in negotiations with Mansour Abbas and Ra'am to form a government, highlights a striking irony. Netanyahu had sought Ra'am’s support and might have formed a government with them if not for opposition from Bezalel Smotrich. Shikli’s moral condemnation of Bennett’s actions contrasts with his acceptance of similar tactics by Netanyahu.

The article further explores Netanyahu’s complex political record, including his repeated elections by right-wing voters, his Bar-Ilan speech endorsing a two-state solution, support for parts of the Oslo Accords, facilitating Qatari funds to Gaza, and his handling of Palestinian issues like Khan al-Ahmar. While some of these decisions are debatable or justifiable, the author argues that politics inherently involves manipulation, broken promises, and strategic alliances.

The key difference between Bennett and Netanyahu, according to the analysis, lies not in moral purity but in political skill. Bennett failed to convince his base that his alliance with Ra'am was justified, leading to his party’s collapse. Netanyahu, by contrast, has long mastered the art of political maneuvering, maintaining leadership despite contradictions and controversies.

Ultimately, the story is framed as one of a student (Bennett) and a master (Netanyahu) in political strategy. Shikli’s outrage at Bennett’s perceived duplicity and subsequent alliance with Netanyahu underscores the harsh realities of Israeli politics, where pragmatism often trumps ideological consistency. The article concludes that this political theater is more comedic than tragic, inviting laughter rather than anger.