Israeli parliament moves to dissolve government, triggering possible new elections

[Bootes Void]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/israel-poised-to-dissolve-government/2020/12/02/fd1197de-3404-11eb-9699-00d311f13d2d_story.html

Israel faced the prospect of political chaos once again Wednesday when lawmakers approved a preliminary measure that would dissolve the turbulent coalition government, putting the country on a path to its fourth election in two years.

The vote of 61 to 54 to advance the proposal marked another escalation of a political crisis that has left the country with only a caretaker government for more than a year and a largely dysfunctional unity coalition during the mounting coronavirus pandemic and accompanying economic collapse.

Wednesday’s bill does not take immediate effect. Negotiations among the feuding factions could still head off final action on the proposal as it moves to a parliamentary committee before coming back for three more votes by the full Knesset, Israel’s parliament. Among the issues to be negotiated will be the timing of elections.

If the Knesset is ultimately dissolved, the coalition partners would keep their positions during the transition period before a new election. The government — frozen by dysfunction, unable to make senior agency appointments and squabbling over pandemic policy — will be even more hobbled as a caretaker body.

“We are expecting to enter a period of even greater paralysis,” said Yohanan Plesner, a former Knesset member who is now president of the Israel Democracy Institute.

He predicted that the country’s cycle of failing governments and indecisive elections will endure as long as the embattled Netanyahu, who maintains a fiercely loyal following, remains at the center of the action.

“Israel’s two-year-long political crisis will continue as long as Benjamin Netanyahu remains in power and a government cannot be formed without him,” Plesner said.

[Zinneke]

ah its that time of year again

[CumbrianLefty]

Has the Israeli equivalent of Brenda from Bristol commented yet?

(pretty sure I did this one last time too, but it bears repeating )

[Continential]

[LabourJersey]

At some point the Israelis have to consider some constitutional reform to end this madness, don't they?

Whether it's increasing their seat thresholds or adding a seat bonus for the winning like in Greece, something has to be fixed if Israelis want an actual functioning government.

[brucejoel99]

The most interesting part of this is that Ra'am abstained. That could mark the end of the Joint List.

[Velasco]

Last opinion polls show that Israel is shifting further to the right (yes, it's possible to run faster in that highway to hell), with the Likud retaining the first place and a big Yamina's upsurge. If polls are correct, there will be a clear majority for rightwing and religious parties. I have a very low opinion of Benny Gantz already but... is this move wise? No pity for the man who chose to deal with the devil, but apparently there are more horrors to come

[Middle-aged Europe]

Oh no, not again. Israel, the Groundhog Day election country!

[Antonio the Sixth]

At some point the Israelis have to consider some constitutional reform to end this madness, don't they?

Whether it's increasing their seat thresholds or adding a seat bonus for the winning like in Greece, something has to be fixed if Israelis want an actual functioning government.

Honestly, if I was an Israeli, I'd rather take continued instability than the perpetual Likud-Religious-Settler government that such reform would bring about.

[Starry Eyed Jagaloon]

At some point the Israelis have to consider some constitutional reform to end this madness, don't they?

Whether it's increasing their seat thresholds or adding a seat bonus for the winning like in Greece, something has to be fixed if Israelis want an actual functioning government.

That would just reinforce the religious right which would in turn reinforce apartheid 2.0. The only way constitutional reform could work out without destroying liberal democracy in Israel is by adopting a secular, one-state solution. Either keep things as they are or give the Palestinians the vote.

[Former President tack50]

At some point the Israelis have to consider some constitutional reform to end this madness, don't they?

Whether it's increasing their seat thresholds or adding a seat bonus for the winning like in Greece, something has to be fixed if Israelis want an actual functioning government.

That would just reinforce the religious right which would in turn reinforce apartheid 2.0. The only way constitutional reform could work out without destroying liberal democracy in Israel is by adopting a secular, one-state solution. Either keep things as they are or give the Palestinians the vote.

In a reminder of a similar thing to the Brexit trilemma; there is a similar trilemma with Israel.

You can only have 2/3 out of the following:

>A single state in the area, from the red Sea to the Mediterranean
>A (primarily) Jewish state
>A democratic country

A 2 state solution, by definition, ditches 1.

Any sort of 1 state solution that gives a voice to the Palestinians in some way, ditches 2; no matter how loose the final result is.

Unilateral annexation of the West Bank means ditching 3. (or of Gaza but I doubt Israel would ever annex that)

My pick is to ditch 1 as I am deeply skeptical of such ethnic confederacies. Belgium is a disaster already and it is the "best case scenario"; more likely the new Levant state would look more like Bosnia or neighbouring Lebanon than Belgium.