Dov Lipman: In his new memoir, the former U.S. president misleads readers in a way that will forever shape their negative perspective of the Jewish state.
Dov Lipman: During the swearing-in ceremony, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared to the Knesset that “the public wants a unity government, and that’s what the public will get. We decided to avoid a fourth election that would have wasted 2 billion shekels.”
Dov Lipman: Details on the forthcoming new Israeli government, to be formally signed next week after Yom Ha’aztmaut, Israel’s Independence Day. Its first order of business will be to pass legislation to set the Netanyahu-Gantz rotation in motion.
Dov Lipman: Implementation of Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria under the Trump peace plan, the distribution of senior government posts and the appointment of a new Knesset Speaker are reportedly three of the major sticking points threatening to send Israel back to the polls.
Dov Lipman: Yuli Edelstein told JNS that “the Knesset bylaws are clear that following an election, the vote for speaker does not have to be done until a new government is formed.”
Dov Lipman: The goal of the negotiations is reportedly a broad, 105-member government, with a rotation agreement between Benjamin Netanyahu and Benny Gantz for the premiership.
Dov Lipman: Controversial, retroactive bills introduced by the Blue and White Party and Yisrael Beiteinu’s Oded Forer are likely to have a majority backing.
Dov Lipman: Blue and White leader Benny Gantz is to be tasked with assembling a coalition after securing recommendations from 61 Knesset members, though he faces seemingly insurmountable challenges due to a reliance on the Joint Arab List.
Dov Lipman: Those in the “anti-Netanyahu” camp have begun the process of trying to pass legislation that would ban a Knesset member who has been indicted from being tasked with forming a government and becoming prime minister.
Dov Lipman: Even after two other elections, the numbers remain tight, and other issues loom on the horizon—namely, the March 17 trial of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Dov Lipman: There have been relatively few political shifts, with most of the major parties submitting nearly identical candidate lists as the previous election in September.
