Before we begin toting up the wins and losses now that the coalition crisis is over, the simple truth is that, at least in the short term, the coalition won and the opposition lost. The ruling coalition wants to stay in power. The opposition wants to replace it and desires a new election in any case. That's how things work.
In this sense, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was incorrect in saying that the opposition didn't want an early election. The essence of being the opposition is the desire for elections. After all, when you're not in the driver's seat, things can only get better after an election.
On the other hand, Labor party chairman Avi Gabbay was right when he said after the agreement ending the crisis was struck that it turns out that Netanyahu was the one who was afraid to hold an election. Netanyahu is the prime minister and an election could put him at risk of losing his position. So Gabbay stated the obvious. And Netanyahu won. The opposition lost not only because there won't be an early election, but also because everything in these dramatic past few days played out between members of the governing coalition. It's been a long time since the opposition has been so irrelevant that not only did it not manage to squeeze some success out of a crisis, but also demonstrated helplessness and ineffectuality the entire time.
Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman came out ahead because he stood his ground. In effect, he conceded nothing and that's exactly what he said he would do. The big question is whether this is a Pyrrhic victory for him. Lately, Lieberman has been investing so much in his political base – namely, in questions of religion and state – that he is taking huge steps away from the right-wing camp to which he supposedly belongs. It wouldn't be too difficult for someone to label Lieberman as "fake right" to steal seats from his party in the next election.
The coalition partners managed to block an early election but also showed how the desire to remain in power is stronger than anything else, as proven by the haredi MKs being asked to make concessions, Habayit Hayehudi leader Naftali Bennett scurrying around, and Kulanu leader Moshe Kahlon falling into line.
The big question is whether the coalition has come out of the crisis stronger or weaker. After this past week, will another crisis bring everything down, or will it do the opposite – be solved quickly and easily as a result of what happened with this one.
Netanyahu is still the answer. He held the keys to solving the latest crisis. He will keep them from here on out.
