By Ira Sharkansky
JERUSALEM — Donald Trump’s interview with Yedioth Aharonot, with a chilling summary was the headline of Friday’s front page.
Israel would have been destroyed without me. No one did more than I for Bibi. But the election here was stolen from me, and he ran to praise Biden. A major mistake. From then I did not talk with him. Fuck him.
The Golan was a big deal. I did that prior to the election in Israel, and that helped him. He would have lost without me, and thanks to me he won a tie. The Abraham accords? Who are the 20 percent there who do not support me?
Memory is not all that correct. It took Bibi a while before he congratulated Biden. But so is memory among the great. Creating the memories to justify themselves. Just as Trump still believes that he won the presidential election.
Bibi? He’s still here, with some loud supporters, and his demands for continued security protection for him and his family. He came on the media with strong assertions that evil politics had led committees to decide, finally, to cancel protections in behalf of his wife and sons. As a multimillionaire, he can afford the protection if he really sees the necessity. But there are a number of Likudniks who are silent. Perhaps waiting for the leader to fall. Nir Barkat, Uri Edelstein, Avi Dichter, Yisrael Katz. Even Miri Regev. Their silence is defining.
Naftali Bennett? He’s still in office after six months. With opposition, but holding on. Recently he’s staked a position to pressure the million Israelis who have avoided inoculation. The Health Minister opposes Bennett’s proposal to deny exit from the country of those who have avoided inoculation. But there has been agreement on extending the prohibition of non-citizens to enter the country for another ten days. And still discussions about other rigid controls.
One wonders how Bennett’s wife’s taking the children overseas for a Chanukah vacation–only a few days after Bennett urged Israelis to remain at home–has eroded Bennett’s own support.
Biden? Also wrestling with a narrow support in Congress, and a decline in what the polls measure as popular support. His Vice President, Kamala Harris, is also weakening in the polls.
Neither Israel nor the US seems on the edge of any serious political violence, but margins are narrow.
Investigations in both places against former leaders. Trump with respect to the charge against the Capitol. How much did he encourage it? And what about numerous other issues of his finances?
Bibi occasionally sits in court for his ongoing trial. Will it take three years or more? Controversies continue on the implications of testimony. How clear is the picture of Bibi using his influence to gain favor from the media? And what about those gifts to him and his wife? The Legal Adviser to the Government has waffled in his decisions. Some of them pro-Bibi and others anti. We may live to see the end of this. With one verdict or another? Or some kind of deal, which so far Bibi has resisted. Perhaps he still hopes to return to power.
Iran remains at the core of US-Israeli relations. Are we talking about a military attack? Which country would do it? Iran’s leadership has threatened Israel’s annihilation. Israel could probably destroy Iran’s nuclear facilities, but the response would be a heavy bombardment with Iranian missiles. Most likely, that would come even if it was the US that attacked Iran.
So far the US has indicated its support for political maneuverings against Iranian intentions. And might there be a tense stand-off between a nuclear Iran and a nuclear Israel? As between India and Pakistan? How serious are the religious fanatics who are in charge of Iran?
Lots of questions. And while the US and Israeli national leaderships are shaky politically. Does this affect what they can decide about Iran?
That’s among the unanswered questions.
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Ira Sharkansky, Ph.D, is professor emeritus of political science at Hebrew University. He may be contacted via ira.sharkansky@sdjewishworld.com