The longest political crisis in modern Israeli history, with three failed early elections leading to a government, has ended. The Hebrew State Supreme Court on Wednesday evening (May 6) gave its blessing to a unity government between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his ex-rival Benny Gantz, who are to be sworn in on May 13.
Seized by part of the opposition and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the Supreme Court was to rule on the legality of the government agreement, and in particular on the possibility for Benjamin Netanyahu to lead the country despite his indictment for corruption. However, the country's highest court announced late in the evening that it "Unanimity" of 11 judges, of all the complaints against the agreement which was however the subject of debate in the night from Wednesday to Thursday in the Knesset, the Israeli parliament.
"We have found no legal reason preventing Prime Minister Netanyahu from forming a government (…) but this conclusion which we have reached does not diminish the gravity of the charges against the Prime Minister", reported the judges.
Changes to the agreement requested and accepted
This government "United and urgent" plans to keep Benjamin Netanyahu as prime minister for 18 months, followed by Benny Gantz for an equivalent period, as well as a program for the annexation of parts of the West Bank occupied by Israel.
The agreement surprised a part of the political class and was lambasted by local NGOs which challenged it up to the Supreme Court. For them, Mr. Netanyahu cannot lead the next government because of his troubles with the justice system – he is suspected of corruption, breach of trust and embezzlement in a series of cases – and of the provisions of the agreement violate fundamental laws , the equivalent of the Constitution in Israel.
During hearings on Sunday and Monday, broadcast live on local channels, face-masked judges suggested a series of changes to the agreement. Immediately, the Netanyahu and Gantz camps returned to the table to modify here a comma, there a clause, elsewhere a provision.
The Knesset reported that around 1,000 requests for changes have been made. And on the night of Wednesday through Thursday, MPs were still voting and debating aspects of the deal. But its approval by the parliamentarians should not pose undue problems because the Likud (right) of Benjamin Netanyahu and the centrist Blue-White formation of Benny Gantz have with their respective allies a majority of seats in Parliament.
A coalition to confront the epidemic
The two leaders did not wait for the white smoke from the Knesset to announce the swearing in of the next government on May 13 and thus put an end to more than 16 months of a political saga embroidered with twists and turns.
After these months of crisis, Benny Gantz had agreed to form a coalition with his rival, despite his indictment, to allow Israel to weather the pandemic due to the coronavirus which has now infected approximately 16,000 people, of whom 235 have died, and caused jump unemployment from 3.4% to 27%.
But in the past ten days, Benjamin Netanyahu has multiplied announcements of deconfinement, which makes the opposition say that the need for this agreement is no longer relevant. "A single mother with two children who lives in a rented apartment and has lost her job will end up on the streets next month"said Yair Lapid, a former ally of Benny Gantz who is hostile to the deal. "This is what we should be tackling, not which politician gets which job. "