Israel General Discussion: Dawn of the Post-Netanyahu Era

[Hnv1]

We have a new government. A motley crew of parties from Right to the Islamic party, with PM Naftali Bennett and Co-PM Yair Lapid. The new leader of the opposition is one...Benjamin Netanyahu.

Let the games begin.

[All Along The Watchtower]

Prosecute the asshole imo.

[Angel of Death]

I don't see anything anymore about a PM disqualification law for indictees, only a two-consecutive-term limit.

[Silent Hunter]

What's Hebrew for 'So it begins'?

[Silent Hunter]

Prosecute the asshole imo.

He is already being prosecuted, but Covid held the case up.

[Red Velvet]

So he could still return in the future, like Trump?

[PSOL]

If not Netanyahu nor Likud can continue the era, Bennet and Shaked will. The Netanyahu era isn’t limited to one man, and the changes put into place are irreversible (edit: in the short term)

[Tartarus Sauce]

Good riddance to garbage.

[Geoffrey Howe]

Mr Bennett will be prime minister until September 2023 as part of a power-sharing deal.
He will then hand power over to Yair Lapid, leader of the centrist Yesh Atid, for a further two years.

Is it a little crass of me to be reminded of Eteocles and Polynices?

[brucejoel99]

In the first bit of post-government formation news, activist Shirley Pinto will become the first deaf Knesset member:

https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/activist-shirley-pinto-to-becomes-first-deaf-knesset-member/

Shirley Pinto of the Yamina party will become Israel's first deaf Knesset member, as Religious Affairs Minister Matan Kahane announces he will leave the parliament under the so-called Norwegian Law.

As next down on the party's list, Pinto will enter the Knesset in his place.

Pinto is a long-time activist for disability-related issues, specifically those dealing with the hearing impaired, and serves as Yamina's representative in the World Zionist Congress.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

In the first bit of post-government formation news, activist Shirley Pinto will become the first deaf Knesset member:

https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/activist-shirley-pinto-to-becomes-first-deaf-knesset-member/

Shirley Pinto of the Yamina party will become Israel's first deaf Knesset member, as Religious Affairs Minister Matan Kahane announces he will leave the parliament under the so-called Norwegian Law.

As next down on the party's list, Pinto will enter the Knesset in his place.

Pinto is a long-time activist for disability-related issues, specifically those dealing with the hearing impaired, and serves as Yamina's representative in the World Zionist Congress.

I believe Pinto was also floated as a possible ringer when it looked like Orbach might resign from the Knesset rather than vote for confidence in the new government. She seems like an interesting figure.

[Hnv1]

What's Hebrew for 'So it begins'?

I don't think we have a direct translation that captures the pragmatics of the phrase. The younger people use the #התחלנו but that's lighthearted. word to word would be וכך זה מתחיל. One could say שחר של יום חדש but that would be positive in connotation and without the anxious anticipation.

[Hnv1]

So he could still return in the future, like Trump?

Theoretically, he could return tomorrow with a constructive motion of no-confidence. We have a parliamentary system. But he does not have a majority in the house, and if the budget bill passes it will be quite hard to see the house dissolve before 2023

[jaymichaud]

https://twitter.com/jewishneolibs/status/1404077220642033674?s=21

[CumbrianLefty]

If not Netanyahu nor Likud can continue the era, Bennet and Shaked will. The Netanyahu era isn’t limited to one man, and the changes put into place are irreversible (edit: in the short term)

I don't disagree with what you are saying, but nor do I think it is the whole story.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

So he could still return in the future, like Trump?

No no no.......much easier than Trump.  The ruling party coalition only has a half dozen seat advantage.  Bibi could be back soon.

Thank you for your service, Mr. Prime Minister.

[Secretary of State Liberal Hack]

What exactly did Ra'am demand in exchange for him to join the goverment ?

[The Dowager Mod]

It should not have been so hard to get rid of a corrupt war criminal.

[Oryxslayer]

What exactly did Ra'am demand in exchange for him to join the goverment ?

Several dump trucks of much-needed cash for Arab communities to modernize and level-up what in many cases are presently poverty traps.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

ladies and gentlemen, the new Isreali government...

[Motorcity]

Why is Joint List so mad at Ra'am?

Are they jealous that they aren't in goverment?

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Why is Joint List so mad at Ra'am?

Are they jealous that they aren't in goverment?

I'm not sure if "jealous" is the right word but there is a perception that Ra'am sold out that probably wouldn't be as intense if the rotation had Lapid going first. (Of course, it goes both ways, in that if I were a typical Yamina voter I'd be pretty pissed at Bennett and Shaked right now too.)

So he could still return in the future, like Trump?

No no no.......much easier than Trump.  The ruling party coalition only has a half dozen seat advantage.  Bibi could be back soon.

Thank you for your service, Mr. Prime Minister.

The working majority is a little safer than it looks because of the kabuki going on with Odeh and Ta'al, plus Israel has constructive no-confidence so Bibi would only be able to bring down the coalition if a majority of the Knesset affirmatively supported him as an alternative. But, yes, he'll probably be back eventually if he's not in jail by then.

[(no subject)]

The Haredim are literally a law unto themselves. They are exempt from military service, they control their own areas and everything that happens there, they run their own schools without state supervision (but with state funding), and they get paid by the secular majority to study Torah all day and not work. When these concessions were granted in 1948, they were a tiny minority and nobody minded indulging them. But because of their very high birthrate they are now close to 20% of the Jewish population of Israel, and this has become a serious issue.

Yes, a serious issue and one that raises all kinds of other issues (ie how does the nation promote gender equality or respect for LGBTIQ community when 20% of your population actively disagrees).

I doubt the 20% Arab minority cares much for gender equality or respect for LGBTIQ community either, and they are also exempt from military service. This means that 65% of the Israeli population is carrying 100% of the defence burden, while subsidising the other 35% to stay safely at home.

[Motorcity]

Why is Joint List so mad at Ra'am?

Are they jealous that they aren't in goverment?

I'm not sure if "jealous" is the right word but there is a perception that Ra'am sold out that probably wouldn't be as intense if the rotation had Lapid going first. (Of course, it goes both ways, in that if I were a typical Yamina voter I'd be pretty pissed at Bennett and Shaked right now too.)

So he could still return in the future, like Trump?

No no no.......much easier than Trump.  The ruling party coalition only has a half dozen seat advantage.  Bibi could be back soon.

Thank you for your service, Mr. Prime Minister.

The working majority is a little safer than it looks because of the kabuki going on with Odeh and Ta'al, plus Israel has constructive no-confidence so Bibi would only be able to bring down the coalition if a majority of the Knesset affirmatively supported him as an alternative. But, yes, he'll probably be back eventually if he's not in jail by then.

Why didn't the other Arab parties join the coalition?

[Vosem]

Is the new coalition going to pass a law drafting the Haredim (back in 2013, Lapid and Bennett both campaigned on this pretty hard, and their support for such a law is what originally established their personal friendship; the 2015 government abolished the law and it never went into effect), or is that off the table as too radioactive given the narrowness of their majority (I can imagine this might jeopardize Arab support for them)?