Benjamin Netanyahu, very likely to soon be a former Israeli Prime Minister, borrowed a page from former U.S. President Donald Trump's book.
In an address to Likud lawmakers yesterday, Netanyahu claimed that the newly formed coalition government between Naftali Bennett, Yair Lapid and Mansour Abbas represented the "biggest election fraud in the history of the country."
This is, of course, complete rubbish. It is as nonsensical coming from Bibi as it does from Trump. There is no more electoral fraud in Israel than there is the United States. Netanyahu simply failed to cobble together a coalition government and is venting his frustration. After 12 years in office, I suppose Netanyahu feels that being Prime Minister is an entitlement. But being a head of government isn't an entitlement and any leader who has that attitude isn't fit to serve in office. It is also rather rich of Netanyahu to cry fraud when he is presently facing trial for fraud among other offenses.
Let us also consider that Netanyahu brought last March's election on himself. After all, he had been in a power sharing agreement with Benny Gantz following the March 2020 election. Had Netanyahu not seen fit to renege on the agreement he would have remained Prime Minister until November. As it stands now, Bibi has a week left in office.
I'm sure that Netanyahu knows what he is saying is bullshit and doesn't believe a word of it. But to casually claim election fraud only five months removed from the attempted coup at the U.S. Capitol and Trump's concerted efforts to delegitimize democracy is playing with fire. When Shin Bet, Israel's security service, warns of post-election violence it is time for Netanyahu to back off and go quietly to the opposition benches.
It's not like Netanyahu doesn't have a chance to return to power in six months to a year perhaps sooner. As I argued the other day, I don't see the Bennett-Lapid-Abbas triumvirate lasting long. There's no reason Bibi can't lick his wounds and bide his time.
But if Bibi insists on maintaining this Trump like posture of election fraud where none exists then he will give credence to Bernie Sanders' claims that he is a "desperate, racist authoritarian." I hate agreeing with Bernie Sanders but Bibi is digging himself down the Trump hole.
No comments:
Post a Comment