Rod Reuven Dovid Bryant and Jerry Gordon interviews Gil Hoffman, political columnist of the Jerusalem Post, to discuss the corruption charges brought against Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.
That has created a tight race between the Likud-led right wing coalition versus the upstart center-right Blue and White coalition led by former IDF chiefs of staff Benny Gantz and Minister of Defense Moshe ‘Bogie’ Ya’alon with the center secular Yesh Atid Party of Yair Lapid.
Polls show a virtual dead heat with the Blue White alliance at 41%, the Likud-led coalition at 40%. Hoffman delves into the serious nature of the charges brought against Netanyahu by Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit, not the first brought against Israel PMs and Finance Ministers. Witness the 18 months in prison served by former PM Ehud Olmert.
Hoffman explains the complicated Israeli election system that has 45 parties competing for 120 seats in the Knesset. He notes that less than 10 parties will have standing above the required 3.25% of votes cast.