Netanyahu is holding us hostage, Gantz could change that
Opinion: The PM has already dragged us into unnecessary elections in order to save himself, and now he might put us through another round; we are all his prisoners, but Blue and White can still save us all - if it has the sense
Netanyahu's responsibility is a little greater because he has already led us to unnecessary elections in order to save himself.
His gamble didn't pay off and now he might put us through another one of his gambles. We are all held hostage.
President Reuven Rivlin had offered compromise: A government headed by both Netanyahu and Gantz.
The experienced Rivlin should have known that the moment Netanyahu created a 55-seat bloc and insisted on negotiating on the bloc's behalf and not only on behalf of his Likud party – these are no longer negotiations. It was just a way to kill time.
After all, unity should create a compromise between the parties and Netanyahu's insistence on sticking with the right-wing bloc was meant to thwart any chance of a compromise.
Negotiating on behalf of the bloc and not Likud doesn't only show Netanyahu's clear attempt to put a spoke in Gantz's wheel, it's also a statement of principles - that which hath been is that which shall be.
What is Blue and White's answer? What does Gantz have to say about Israel's must crucial issues? We have no clue.
The bloc headed by Gantz was supposed to halt two things of far more import than a prime minister with an indictment hovering over his head.
The first one is the uninterrupted expansion of the settlements in the heart of the Palestinian population, which will turn Israel into a binational state.
The second is the continuous capitulation to the ultra-Orthodox, while severely damaging the economy and causing a decline in ultra-Orthodox integration into the workforce.
These are the main calamities whose detrimental effects raged and deepened during the tenure of Netanyahu's narrow government.
This is the main reason that these elections saw only a minor shift in votes between the right-wing and the left-center blocs and this will only turn more and more dangerous if these trends continue under another right-wing, ultra-Orthodox government.
Preventing these two tribulations is far important than a commitment "not to sit with Netanyahu."
If these guidelines include stopping settlement expansion, helping the ultra-Orthodox to integrate into the workforce, expanding instruction of core subjects at ultra-Orthodox schools and growth in number of ultra-Orthodox men enlisting in the army - it would have sufficed.
One would assume that if a poll had been conducted among Blue and White voters, they would have much preferred tangible achievements in a unity government with a compromise on Netanyahu's issues, rather than insisting on the incumbent's removal, which might lead to another round of elections or even push Avigdor Liberman into the arms of this right-wing, ultra-Orthodox coalition.
There is no need to underestimate the importance of integrity and fighting corruption, but one more thing to mention: the law allows Netanyahu to serve as prime minister.
There is no need to insist on norms that the law doesn't demand. These are proper norms in normal situations, but we are in an entirely different place – a complete political deadlock.
The existing law doesn't demand the resignation of an indicted prime minister, and a compromise, including a two-headed government, is still better than another round of elections.
Netanyahu is currently winning this political game of chess. He's winning, Israel is losing and we are all held hostage.
Blue and White can still save us all, while insisting on important issues. It's still not too late.
