Opposition Leader Benjamin Netanyahu said in private conversations this week that he believes the odds of the current government falling during the next winter session are "certainly reasonable." If immediately after the government's formation the Likud Secretariat, with broad support, passed legislation stipulating that party defectors are indefinitely barred from returning – now a similar attempt to pass the clause through the Likud Central Committee is encountering problems.
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MK Miri Regev is trying to push the initiative with all her might, but Netanyahu, Israel Katz, Haim Katz, and other senior party members are doing all they can to block it, and for good reason. They understand that such laws will only strengthen the government, not the opposite. Recent developments have spurred Likud's upper echelon to care more about the party's doors remaining open. The Secretariat's decision, which targeted Gideon Sa'ar, Ze'ev Elkin, and Yifat Shasha-Biton, is easy to reverse, unlike a decision passed by the Central Committee.
The government has nothing to hide as it pertains to the "Pegasus" affair. The events in question allegedly occurred before its formation. Even if a state commission of inquiry or any other investigative committee were to be established, with broad authorities and sharp teeth, nothing bad will befall any of the members of this government. They weren't the ones in charge. Even the public security minister can be calm.
However, no one should be surprised if the senior members of this government do all in their power to temper the necessary investigations and avoid the prospect of any clear, unequivocal findings. Indeed, investigating these alleged improprieties involving Pegasus could very well expose how Netanyahu's indictments came into existence.
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, Alternate Prime Minister Yair Lapid, and all the other ministers can yammer to their hearts' desire about how good and functioning this government is, when it's clear that its only real backbone is Netanyahu's trial. Without it, this government would never have been conceived, even as a mental exercise. The very thought that a thorough investigation of the Pegasus affair could undermine Netanyahu's trial makes them nauseous. Just this week, even before this scandal erupted, the initial evidence brought forth in Netanyahu's trial caused the court to adjourn for several days. Who knows where things will lead when or if an investigation is ever launched.
In less than 24 hours, Bennett went from calling this is a grave affair that needs to be investigated, to downplaying it as two failed attempts to hack into cell phones and one successful attempt. Bennett, Sa'ar, Lapid, and the remaining ministers understood, too late, that even before it impacts the Netanyahu trial the entire wiretapping affair is sparking strong momentum for Likud, and they are looking on with concern at the junctions filling with demonstrators and the protest movement sprouting beneath their feet.
On Tuesday, at the Likud Secretariat meeting, it appeared Netanyahu was also aware of the rumbling groundswell, leading to the belief that he will soon lead a giant rally at Habima Square in Tel Aviv – possibly as early as next week.
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