Unprecedented Turmoil in Israeli Politics

Just eight days after the announcement of early parliamentary elections in Israel, the political scene has become severely turbulent due to several unexpected developments. The government of Benjamin Netanyahu, leader of the ruling Likud party, which has been in power for about a decade, announced the end of its term on Monday, December 24, due to disagreements over a new draft bill regarding exemptions for ultra-Orthodox Jews from military service, before the parliament could dissolve the government. The election date was set for April 9, 2019, which is seven months earlier than the original date. Three major changes in the political landscape of the country occurred in these eight days, the most dramatic being on Tuesday morning, January 1, when Avi Gabay, leader of the Zionist Union, expelled Tzipi Livni from the alliance in front of cameras and microphones, without prior notice to her. While the leadership of the Zionist Union held a press conference ostensibly to respond to political events, Gabay began the session by stating that Livni's joining the alliance had only brought failure. The Zionist Union was formed in 2015 from the joining of the political group 'Movement' led by Livni with the Labor Party led by Gabay, and it was initially supposed that Gabay would be the main leader, as this alliance had practically allowed Livni to maintain her political position. However, over the past four years, there has been a fierce competition between Livni and Gabay over the leadership of this alliance. Recent polls indicated that in the upcoming elections, the Zionist Union would catastrophically lose 24 current seats and might gain only 5 to 6 seats, or at best 8 to 11 seats. Last year, Gabay settled for the political leadership of the union and had to yield to Livni, who insisted on being the leader of the parliamentary opposition. Livni, a former foreign minister, who was taken aback by Gabay's remarks during the joint press conference on Tuesday, stated that she would respond later and left the meeting, but Gabay, in an unconventional statement at that moment, said, 'Tzipi, good luck in the elections'... 'You only fed me dirt.' A few hours after Gabay's humiliating remarks against her, Livni welcomed the separation in an independent press conference, stating that Gabay 'did not allow this partnership to be real over the years.' Meanwhile, reserve General Benny Gantz, former head of the Israeli army staff, who formed a party last Thursday, January 1, reacted to the developments in the Zionist Union and a series of other political events in his country, saying that his entry into politics has created all this turmoil. General Gantz, who is a popular figure among part of the public, named his party 'Israel Resilience' and emphasized that flexibility and moderation in governance will be the cornerstones of its programs. According to polls, Gantz's party, although it has only been a few days since its formation and no member other than Gantz is known, has surpassed old parties like Labor and Meretz and may become the second party after Likud in the April 9 elections. Naftali Bennett and Ayelet Shaked, who were the two leaders of the right-wing Jewish Home party in recent years, suddenly announced on Saturday night, January 1, in a press conference that they were leaving their party and forming a new party called 'New Right.' Shuli Mualem, head of the Jewish Home faction in the Knesset, also left the party with Bennett and Shaked and joined 'New Right.' Naftali Bennett was the Minister of Education in Netanyahu's current government, and Shaked was the Minister of Justice; they stated that by forming the new party, they are freeing themselves from the constraints of the previous party and giving non-religious right-wing supporters in Israel the opportunity to pursue their political and social demands through this new party. Bennett and Shaked accused Netanyahu and the Likud party of being 'captives' of religious parties to form a government coalition and 'constantly paying off' to maintain the coalition. The representatives left behind in the Jewish Home party considered the separation of their two powerful leaders as 'treason' but stated that they would also strive to strengthen the Jewish Home under the new circumstances. Meanwhile, Netanyahu, who accepted the risks of a five-day trip abroad during the peak of the election campaign to attend the inauguration ceremony of Brazil's new president, is reacting to the political developments in his country from Rio de Janeiro. Netanyahu sarcastically stated that Gantz's new party is just another left-wing party, and as the leader of the main party in the country, he is not concerned with 'what the left is doing.' On Tuesday, Netanyahu also commented on the separation of the Zionist Union, stating that both Livni and Gabay are leftist figures who will not succeed in the upcoming elections. According to polls, Gantz's party, although it has only been a few days since its formation and no member other than Gantz is known, has surpassed old parties like Labor and Meretz. However, Netanyahu expressed clear concern about the turmoil within the Jewish Home party. He stated that Bennett and Shaked's actions in leaving the Jewish Home and forming a new party pose 'a danger' and 'a blow to the right-wing,' and it is likely that some smaller right-wing parties may not even win a seat, which would weaken the right-wing and hinder its ability to form the next government. However, Bennett and Shaked rejected the accusations, claiming that their actions would strengthen the country's right-wing. Meanwhile, the social party Kulanu, led by Moshe Kahlon, the Minister of Finance, also experienced a sudden split on Monday, January 1, when reserve General Yoav Galant, who represented this party as the Minister of Housing, announced that he would join the Likud party. Likud also stated that to keep General Galant in the transitional government and the sensitive security cabinet, they would give him an empty ministerial advisor position. Not only do these developments change last week's polls regarding the fate of the elections in early spring 2019, but Netanyahu's acknowledgment on Monday during his trip to Brazil of the possibility that he may face formal legal action due to his corruption investigation cases has made the electoral scene in the country, just three months before the elections, unprecedentedly exciting and tumultuous.