‘Life itself’ could bring Gantz and Netanyahu together again

Now Netanyahu, nicknamed “Mr. Security,” and Gantz, a former IDF chief of staff, face a challenge that is far more familiar to Israeli leaders than coronavirus:

By LAHAV HARKOV
Defense Minister Benny Gantz [L] and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu [R] wearing masks in the Knesset (photo credit: ADINA VALMAN/KNESSET SPOKESPERSON)
Defense Minister Benny Gantz [L] and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu [R] wearing masks in the Knesset
(photo credit: ADINA VALMAN/KNESSET SPOKESPERSON)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu famously said ahead of the 2015 election that “life itself” – meaning Israel’s security – is Israel’s biggest challenge and, implicitly, his top priority.
With the IDF thwarting a Hezbollah attack on Israel’s border with Lebanon, and tensions continuing to rise, “life itself” may give Netanyahu and Alternate Prime Minister Benny Gantz just the push they need to keep their dysfunctional unity government together.
Months ago, the COVID-19 pandemic brought Netanyahu and Gantz together in a unity government that was awkward but carefully planned to ensure they would put “life itself” – meaning public health – first.
Things have not quite gone as planned since then. The second wave of coronavirus arrived, revealing that the government had done nothing in the prior weeks preparing to handle a scenario that experts, and even Netanyahu himself, said was a strong possibility. Only weeks later, last Thursday, did the sides agree on a coronavirus czar, Prof. Ronni Gamzu, to coordinate the efforts.
In the meantime, they’re squabbling over a litany of other political issues. The biggest argument is over whether to pass a budget for the rest of 2020 and then a new one in 2021, or one budget to cover that entire period. Netanyahu and the Finance Ministry favor the first option because it is hard to plan ahead amid an economic crisis. Gantz prefers the latter because he is worried Netanyahu will use the second budget as a departure point from the coalition and toward another election.
The problem is that if they don’t agree soon, there will be a new election anyway. The law states that a government will be dissolved if it does not pass a budget within three months of its formation – in this case August 25. It’s already too late to pass a budget by then, but it’s not too late for them to agree on a temporary amendment to the law.
Netanyahu, nicknamed “Mr. Security,” and Gantz, a former IDF chief of staff, face a challenge that is far more familiar to Israeli leaders than coronavirus: Hezbollah is ramping up its aggression on Israel’s northern border.
They’ve been here before, they know how to handle it, and they know this is not the time for petty politics. An election will cost Israel too much, both economically in a time of crisis and in showing weakness when there is a potential security flare-up.
When Israel is attacked by its enemies, there is a “rally around the flag” effect, by which politicians and regular citizens are much more united in support of the country’s leaders and the actions they take to defend the country.
Hezbollah’s attack on Mount Dov seems to have been thwarted too quickly and – thankfully – bloodlessly to have that kind of national impact. It could, however, inspire Netanyahu and Gantz to rally and keep their unity government together and maybe put “life itself” – this time both national security and public health – above politics and stave off an election.