The majority of Israelis will not be dancing in the streets when the new government is inducted. The majority of Israelis are skeptical of the political process at this time, weary of elections and political instability, which polls already show is not behind us.
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Let's face it: Yamina leader Naftali Bennett, the incoming prime minister, does not enjoy the public's confidence. That's hardly surprising considering he won only six mandates but still managed to demand โ and receive โ the premiership.
His political strategy getting there ruffled many feathers, as he violated a pledge given on live TV โ that he would never join Yesh Atid head Yair Lapid's government. Yamina insiders admit that was a grave error and one that would signal the point where the public lost faith in him.
Recent polls indicate that the majority of Israelis believe Bennett is driven by ambition โ not ideology. There's probably some truth to that โ you can't become a politician, let alone the prime minister, without a great deal of personal ambition, but Bennett is an ideologue, through and through, and anyone trying to say otherwise simply because they don't agree with his latest move, actually sins against him.
Bennett's credits in service of the state include being an IDF officer, flying in during stints abroad to perform reserve duty, leaving the high-tech industry to head the Yesha Council of Judea and Samaria communities, and going into politics, despite the promise of greater fortunes in the private sector.
Criticism is part and parcel of the political game and Bennett is not immune to it. It's okay to criticize him, it's fine to disagree with him โ but he cannot be stripped of his achievements so far.
Nevertheless, Bennett has so know that going into the Prime Minister's Office, he has little โ if any public credit and he will have to work very hard to prove he is worthy of heading the country.
One of his advisers recently said that Bennett has the ability to walk into a room with 50 people that would sooner stone him than speak to him, and leave after an hour having earned their respect and support. Will he be able to work this magic on the Israeli public? Only time will tell.
Those predicting doom and gloom under the new government can rest easy: never has there been a more cohesive right-wing opposition. The Right can use that to promote legislation and to restrict the Center-Left coalition's steps. ย The Constitution, Law and Justice Committee will effectively be crippled and within this vacuum, the Right will be able to push its agenda. Coalition members rooted deep in the political Right will find it difficult to vote against right-wing bills proposed by the opposition, thus all be guaranteeing they will pass.
It is unfortunate that the Right could not band together around another leader and bring the Netanyahu era to its end without losing power, but it would be wise to move forward carefully. It has the ability to create a political vise from both the coalition and the opposition and this can reflect the majority it received among the public and carry it through to the next elections.
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