The Election in Israel

Analysis: A threatened Netanyahu stops at nothing

Israel’s outgoing Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is a master of political survival, unexpected last-minute alliances, and striking at his opponents' weakest points. This is the assessment of several analysts, who argue that time is of the essence if Gadi Eisenkot is to avoid squandering his chance to form a government.

The most critical step is to quickly replace the Speaker of the Knesset, writes Emma Graham-Harrison in *The Guardian*. The incumbent, Amir Ohana, is a close ally of Netanyahu and could aid him by delaying the vote on a new government in the Knesset, she notes.

“It could take up to a week, and no one wants to give Netanyahu that much time to exploit the vulnerabilities of a fragile coalition,” she writes.

Yossi Verter writes in *Haaretz* that it would be better for Eisenkot to present a minority government quickly, rather than waiting to form a more stable one later.

“Every day is worth its weight in gold,” he writes.

Pragmatism is the watchword, according to Nathan Shachar of *Dagens Nyheter* (DN). He suggests that Matan Kahana—a right-wing nationalist and former fighter pilot—might unexpectedly secure the support of the Arab parties in the election for Speaker, and quotes lawmaker Ahmad Tibi:

“Our overriding priority is to get rid of Netanyahu.” 

Increased Pressure on Israel’s Arabs Drives Record Turnout: “A Matter of Life and Death”

Israel’s Arab parties have seen a record-breaking election performance, following a surge in voter turnout among the one-fifth of citizens with Palestinian roots—rising from just over 50 percent to nearly 80 percent. The explanation lies in the desperation felt in the face of mounting aggression and discrimination under the outgoing government, reports The Washington Post in an in-depth feature.

“This time, it was a matter of life and death,” says human rights lawyer Diana Buttu, from Haifa.

She and several others describe how they pleaded with, pestered, and persuaded family and friends to cast their votes. For many Israeli Arabs, abstaining from elections had been a matter of principle—a refusal to legitimize the Israeli state—while others viewed the process as pointless, believing that their status as second-class citizens would remain unchanged.

“Things have gone from bad to worse. We want to live and have a future—for ourselves and for our children,” Awni Zoabi, from Nazareth, told The Times of Israel.