• Legislative: Israel's elections point to a unity government

After the very hard second election date in half a year, Israel faces a reality that it had not known since 1984 when Isaac Shamir's Likud and the Simon Peres Labor Party had to agree on a successful unity government . The victory by the minimum of the leader of the centrist block Blue and White, Benny Gantz, over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (32 by 31 seats) does not give him the keys to govern but to open the range of options for the first time in a decade .

In the absence of 280,000 votes in diplomatic legations, prisons, bases and hospitals, the Israeli party has new cards because Netanyahu is no longer the only player in the room. His failure to achieve 61 of 120 seats of the Knésset of the right-wing coalition that was also to serve as a shield against the judicial threat of corruption and the success of Gantz bring a government of rotation between the two Benjamin.

With four seats more than in April, the leader of Israel Beitenu Avigdor Lieberman is consolidated as a hinge. "We have only one option, a broad government of liberal unity. If Gantz and Netanyahu have other ideas that do not bother to call me because we will not join," he told the politician known for his unpredictability.

After an election day in which he lost his voice asking for the vote and turned to 'fake news, Netanyahu feels like a badly injured lion who will fight until the last second to avoid any political constellation that takes him away from official residence in Jerusalem.

"After unanimously deciding on the right that we are a block to negotiate, there are two options: a government under my leadership or a dangerous one that relies on Arab parties," he said, ignoring that he has no majority, after meeting with the leaders of ultra-orthodox parties and religious nationalism. Thus, he can go to Gantz backed by a powerful bloc and, not least, stifle any attempt at rebellion in the Likud after his second failure and calls for him to be displaced to ensure governance with Gantz.

Proof of Bibi's concern is his announcement not to participate in the annual session of the UN in New York where he was to meet with President Donald Trump. The big question is whether to cancel the preview with the attorney general on October 2.

After gaining the trust of more than a million voters, Gantz feels satisfied. "We must wish the people of Israel a good unity government. We need to heal internal wounds and end the tension and division," said the leader yesterday, who at 60, jumped into politics a few months ago. "The Israelis have shown that they are stronger than their politics. The radicals have been left out of the Knesset or have reduced their number," added the 'number two' centrist Yair Lapid who is waiting for support from the left (11) Lieberman ( 9).

Semantics is a weapon in politics. On the night of April 9, an euphoric Netanyahu promised "a national government" thinking he had the right-wing majority in his pocket without anticipating Lieberman's betrayal. On the night of September 17, I was already talking about a "Zionist government" in reference to Blue and White and Labor.

But for there to be a unity government, several electoral promises must be broken. Gantz's not joining forces with the Likud if its leader is Netanyahu due to its causes of corruption. Or that of the premier who promises not to break the alliance with the ultra-Orthodox whose presence is vetoed by Lieberan and parts of Blue and White in the lay executive. Netanyahu and the former army chief during four of the 10 years of his term must make unpopular decisions in their bases and bury harsh accusations in recent months to rule together.

Beyond the pressure of public opinion and the deputies themselves to avoid the third election date in a year , three factors could accelerate their alliance. First, the hard economic year ahead due to the bulky deficit. Second, the presentation of Trump's peace plan. The electoral promise of the Netanyahu to annex the Jordan Valley in the West Bank is in question. Finally, a deterioration of the security situation in the south (before the Gaza militias if projectile launches resume) and the north (tension with Iran and Hezbollah).

The Israeli election campaign sinned in part of the slogan "tell me who you hate and I will tell you who you are". In this sense, the ultra-Orthodox and the Arabs responded to the darts at the polls. The former denounced "anti-Semitic attacks" by Lieberman and Blue and White while the latter accused Netanyahu of "racist campaign." The electoral strategy of Likud and the regrouping of four parties into a single list mobilized the Arab minority (21%) who voted 10% more than April. He may not or may want Gantz to rule but his parliamentary force is key to blocking Netanyahu.

The president, Reuven Rivlin, must play a much more active and political role than the one that sets the protocol to show Netanyahu and Gantz the path of the agreement. The alternative, blocking and elections .

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