There is a war outside. Everyone knows a casualty, either from the disease itself or from the economic crisis. But above all of this looms a war of political survival. The coronavirus government that was based on the belief that Israeli solidarity can be mobilized in times of crisis, that during an emergency we know how to work together as a team – has disappointed. The government is not ruling, the agents of chaos are getting media time and professional protesters from the fringes are put center stage.
And all this because in Israel there are two governments. The government of the national camp headed by the Likud, and the liquidation government of Blue and White. That's what started the whole story of Blue and White, and that's what it is determined to do now: take Netanyahu out of political life. That's Blue and White's contribution, a government member, to the national battle against the pandemic. Since it is well known that if Netanyahu goes, as Ehud Barak demands, Yair Lapid fantasizes and Avigdor Liberman begs – the infection rates will go down. Businesses will reopen, we'll be able to fly abroad, we'll sit in cafes on Friday and talk about the stock market in New York and Messi's last game.
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Blue and White are encouraged by the polls: not because their party is crashing, but because Netanyahu is falling. That's the reason they were founded, and their raison d'etre now. Even within the government, they continue the missions for which they were created by the clerks and media. Blue and White is the continuation of the coup attempt in Israel by different means. If not by the ballot box and the sovereign – the people – then by enforcement authorities; if not by enforcement authorities – then by the courts; and if there they don't succeed – they'll shuffle all the cards together: the enforcement authorities with the courts and the tiny political power – inside the government.
There are quite a few legislators, including in the Joint Arab List, who have contributed to Israel's battle on the pandemic more than all the ministers of Blue and White combined. Not only do they break because of a bit of peer pressure on Twitter, they pour gasoline on the protests against the government they are members of, and intentionally disrupt the ability to maintain state discipline among the public. "Israel above all" has turned from an empty slogan into a manipulative one. For the first time in Israel, and during an emergency of all times, a coalition partner is actively undermining the ability of the government to manage a health and economic crisis.
The Likud and Netanyahu failed in the forming of the government, and the negotiators on all of the right wing failed as well. But even in this situation, when the senior coalition partner is busy with a completely different agenda, totally dedicated to the holy mission handed to it by unelected clerks in Israel - the responsibility of the Likud, and of Prime Minister Netanyahu, is heavier than ever.
In this situation, all eyes are upon the Likud and Netanyahu. A clear statement is needed: Blue and White, the clerks on all levels, the obsessive media – your game is up. There's a new system, and it requires leadership that will manage the crisis without background noise from the "everything is okay" or "it's all a catastrophe" gang. Leadership that looks straight into the eyes and says: even if this is the last battle we wage, we will win. We will bring back health and economic security to Israel. There is leadership like that in Israel, and it is in its hands. It needs to wake up – and show up.
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