The Prime Minister goes from controversial to disaster

 

 

Wolfgang Hansson  

 

Netanyahu goes from controversial to disaster  

 

Published: Less than 40 min ago  

 

This is a commenting text. Analysis and positions are the writer's.  

COLUMNISTS  

Benjamin Netanyahu has always been a controversial leader who has divided Israel. 

But since his return, the prime minister has set a record for making enemies.  

The explanation is that he is trying to save his own skin by turning Israel from the Middle East's only democracy into a new Hungary.  

Normally, the reporting from Israel deals with the violence between Israel and the Palestinians. But despite the fact that it has been unusually violent in the Israeli-occupied West Bank in recent months, the violence there has often been overshadowed by the internal contradictions in the country. 

Week after week, tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets to demonstrate against Netanyahu's new far-right government and its attempts to reduce the power of the

Supreme Court.

 

Scenes that we normally only see in the West Bank with police firing tear gas at protesters and beating them with batons are now playing out on the streets of

Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

The demonstrations have also been attacked by right-wing groups that support the government.

 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Photo: Abir Sultan / AP 

The popular anger has its origin in three things.  

** When Netanyahu won the last election against all odds, he chose to form a government with the country's most extreme right-wing and religious parties. Parties that had never before been close to power were now given important ministerial posts where they direct the work of the police and the expansion of Jewish settlements on occupied land.  

** Netanyahu's new government is trying to change the balance of power in Israel. The country's Supreme Court has a very strong position and has repeatedly declared political decisions illegal, especially regarding illegal settlements in the West Bank, the treatment of the Palestinian population, but also regarding the powers of the Prime Minister. Nentanyahu is trying to introduce a new law that would allow the Knesset, Israel's parliament, to override HD decisions with a simple majority. At the same time, there are attempts to increase the political control of public service companies' radio and television broadcasts.  

** Many suspect that Netanyahu has personal motives to weaken the Supreme Court. There is a corruption trial against Netanyahu that he would like to see stopped.

Week after week, tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets to demonstrate against Netanyahu's new far-right government and its attempts to reduce the power of the Supreme Court. Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg / AP  

Overall, this has led to an unprecedented popular wave of protest. 

Not only that. Israel's traditional friends have reacted with dismay at what Netanyahu is up to. Many see it as Israel embarking on the same path as previous democracies such as

Hungary

and Poland where the judiciary is no longer independent and the rulers have gained control over the media.  

Netanyahu, of course, denies all the accusations and says, on the contrary, that his change to the legal system will lead to the country becoming more democratic because it is no longer unelected judges who can put sticks in the way of politically made decisions.

But few believe him. Jewish organizations abroad also condemn Netanyahu's plans. 

When the Prime Minister recently visited Germany, a major Jewish organization refused to meet him. Instead, a large demonstration against Netanyahu was organized in Berlin.  

Chancellor

Olaf Scholz

raised the law changes with Netanyahu and said he was "concerned". 

Even the United States, Israel's most important ally, is appalled by Netanyahu's plans.  

Netanyahu has yet to receive an invitation to visit the White House despite more than 70 days since he took office. Many interpret it as a mark from

Joe Biden.

 

When the two spoke on the phone the other day, Biden emphasized the importance of "checks and balances" and expressed his support for a broad government in Israel. 

Last week, Israel's own president, Isaac Herzog, warned that the country could face civil war if Netanyahu pushes through the new law.  

Hundreds of officers and reservists in the air force, special forces and intelligence services protested in writing and refused to report for duty on the grounds that they did not want to "serve a dictatorship".  

Tech firms have threatened to relocate and foreign investors to invest their money elsewhere. 

Opinion polls show that a clear majority of Israelis are against Netanyahu's so-called reforms. Even within Netanyahu's own Likud party.  

But despite the massive criticism, Netanyahu shows no signs of listening. 

Instead, he is about to go from a controversial prime minister who was in power for a total of 15 years to a disaster for Israel.