Netanyahu seeks unity government

Benjamin Netanyahu secured the right to assemble the next Israeli government, but struggled this week to forge a broad unity coalition rather than one dominated by far-right nationalists. Netanyahu, of the conservative Likud Party, prevailed over centrist Tzipi Livni in the battle for the prime minister’s office, after receiving the backing of the hard-liner Avigdor Lieberman, who came in third in the recent elections. But Netanyahu said he would rather govern with Livni’s Kadima Party and the left-wing Labor Party than with Lieberman, who has proposed requiring a loyalty oath as a condition of Israeli citizenship.

The political situation remained in flux. After meeting with Netanyahu, both Livni and Labor’s Ehud Barak said they were not inclined to join a Netanyahu-led coalition. “I will not serve as a fig leaf,” Livni said. Instead, she proposed a rotating government, with herself and Netanyahu each serving two years as prime minister. Netanyahu could form a narrow coalition with Lieberman, but that would put the new government on a collision course with the Obama administration, which wants to aggressively pursue a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians.

Netanyahu’s effort to reach out to the center is promising, said the Chicago Tribune in an editorial. Though he is remembered as the “arrogant, hard-headed” conservative who served as prime minister in the 1990s, Netanyahu now speaks about improving the lives of Palestinians in order to achieve peace. “Israeli voters have given Netanyahu a second chance.” Let’s hope it was well-earned.

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A Netanyahu-Livni alliance is not as far-fetched as it once seemed, said Greg Sheridan in Realclearpolitics.com. While Netanyahu is less inclined to make concessions for peace, he has made it clear that he’ll accept a Palestinian state once Israel’s safety is secure. “Livni says stop terrorism and you get a state; Netanyahu says stop terrorism or you don’t get a state.” That’s not the worst common ground for a partnership.

For the Obama administration, Netanyahu’s ascension may be a blessing in disguise, said Michael Singh in Foreignpolicy.com. Some have lamented that just when the U.S. is ready to kick-start the peace process, Israel is going to abandon it. But the peace process was dead long ago. Netanyahu’s approach—rebuilding the Palestinian economy and reforming Palestinian politics—“should be viewed by the Obama administration not as a threat but as a chance to make progress where it is sorely needed.”