So who’s running the country?
Only yesterday, Benjamin Netanyahu was on the verge of being toppled, but he survived, barely, and today? Same story.
In a minute, more on all that; in fact, for the perplexed, I will explain Israel’s wacky political system entirely, elaborately and exhaustively.
Just thinking about it, I am exhausted already.
Meanwhile, a Liberal friend (yes, I still have ONE), asked, “Aren’t you ashamed at Israel for all this political in-fighting?”
From reading The New York Times, I suppose, he knew enough to mention Avigdor Liberman whose abrupt departure left Netanyahu scrambling to keep 61 seats in the 120-Knesset.
For the Times, that’s enough to pack it in as a country.
Liberman’s hasty exit was followed, next day, by two more political headliners threatening to bolt – Naftali Bennett and Ayelet Shaked. They changed their minds, for now.
Otherwise, Netanyahu would have been left without a governing majority. He stays. But it’s going to be a bumpy ride.
All this arguing among adults, smirked my friend – “doesn’t it embarrass you?”
On the contrary. It thrills and delights me.
Some 71-75 years ago, these same men and women would have been arguing over something else; how to distribute the last piece of bread among themselves and others in their barracks… at Auschwitz. Instead, they are IN ISRAEL, in the fresh open air of their own free country, arguing over whatever the hell they want.
You think all this is nuts? So how’s the two-party system been working out for us lately in the United States? Huh?
Do you believe in miracles! (Apologies to Al Michaels)
Okay. I misspoke. For a comprehensive review of how they do politics in Israel, you need to talk to someone else. But don’t leave so soon.
Because I do know, unlike our own two-party system in the United States, in Israel, as of the moment, they operate through a 34-party system. Yes, that many. That is so because in Israel, every party has a BETTER IDEA, and among us Jews everywhere, each of us individually has a BETTER PLAN.
Take me, for instance. I am smarter and have a BETTER PLAN than anyone else.
Until a column of mine appears. Then it turns out that all my readers are smarter and have BETTER PLANS. At least some letters tell me so.
So back to how a prime minister in Israel gets picked – listen, you do not want to know too much. Too much wisdom leads to grief. King Solomon said so.
This much information is safe, maybe – that Israelis do not vote for the individual, but for the party. Then a coalition gets formed and the person who can cobble 61 votes or more is in.
Not so fast. Then the President makes his pick. There’s more? Yes, between 1996 and 2001, Israelis did actually vote for the individual.
You think all this is nuts? So how’s the two-party system been working out for us lately in the United States? Huh?
Say this for political Israel, wacky as it is, somehow it works. Israel is a VERY successful country. Don’t ask too many questions. Enjoy.
Israelis usually rank tops among people happy with their country. One big downside.
That’s when, last week, the Netanyahu government capitulated to Hamas. Hamas deserves to be destroyed.
The million and a half Israelis along the Gaza border deserve the full might of the IDF to keep themselves safe from those Islamic savages.
Resident Devorah Goodman Horev explains that they get 15 seconds to gather up their kids to rush for a bomb shelter. Intolerable!
Netanyahu’s lame response to last week’s 500 Hamas rockets is what got his government teetering…and still tottering.
Netanyahu, or someone else, needs to come up with a BETTER PLAN.
New York-based bestselling American novelist Jack Engelhard writes regularly for Arutz Sheva.
He is the author of the international book-to-movie bestseller “Indecent Proposal” and most recently “News Anchor Sweetheart.” Contemporaries have hailed him “The last Hemingway, a writer without peer, and the conscience of us all.” Engelhard is the recipient of the Ben Hecht Award for Literary Excellence. Website: www.jackengelhard.com