Report: Netanyahu Has Last Chance to Form Gov’t

 Netanyahu in one of his electoral campaign’s appearances on September 13, 2022. (AP)
Netanyahu in one of his electoral campaign’s appearances on September 13, 2022. (AP)
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Report: Netanyahu Has Last Chance to Form Gov’t

 Netanyahu in one of his electoral campaign’s appearances on September 13, 2022. (AP)
Netanyahu in one of his electoral campaign’s appearances on September 13, 2022. (AP)

Senior Likud politicians are plotting to dismiss party leader Benjamin Netanyahu if his bloc fails to win a majority in the upcoming elections.

Top party members told the Times of Israel’s Hebrew site, Zman Yisrael, that Netanyahu would be offered almost full control of the party but keep him out of government, which would allow Likud to form a center-right coalition government with parties that are currently refusing to sit with the former prime minister.

According to the emerging plan, which is being drafted behind Netanyahu’s back, he would remain head of the Likud party and be a senior member of the next Knesset, but would not be part of an envisaged unity government that would be formed with Benny Gantz and Gideon Saar’s National Unity party and other potential partners.

In this scenario, Netanyahu would pick a Likud member to serve as prime minister in an agreed-upon rotation with Gantz.

Netanyahu has launched a vigorous election campaign, which has included meeting activists across the country, holding events and posting viral videos.

However, most recent polls still predict a political stalemate in the November 1 vote, prompting prominent Likud politicians to prepare for a scenario in which Netanyahu’s bloc fails to reach the 61 seat majority it needs to form a government.

Netanyahu’s bloc, made up of right-wing and religious parties, would reach 59 seats in the next Knesset, while the bloc of coalition parties led by Lapid would reach 57 seats in this scenario.

“Nobody wants a sixth election. Netanyahu doesn’t want to be seen as the reason for another round of elections,” a senior Likud Knesset member who supports the initiative told Zman Israel on condition of anonymity.

“We will reach an understanding that allows Netanyahu to serve as head of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee,” the official said.

“Netanyahu will also remain leader of the Likud party and will get to choose the ministers as if he’d won the elections. He will be able to continue with his ongoing trial. It’s none of our business.”

Netanyahu would be expected to reject such a move, having rejected similar plans in the past.

In September, he vowed to continue to lead his right-religious bloc should he fail to form a government.

The Likud MK said that those involved in the plan hope it would placate Netanyahu and Gantz, who has vowed not to sit again with Netanyahu after being denied his turn as prime minister in a 2020-2021 coalition between the parties.

“Netanyahu would monitor the ministers’ work from outside the government,” the MK concluded, “just like (Shas’s leader) Aryeh Deri did when he was not allowed to serve as a minister.”

“The question is whether Gantz and his friends will agree to follow suit and won’t fear being tricked by Netanyahu again,” the official noted.

“I think they might. What might convince them is that Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir won’t necessarily be part of this government,” the official said referring to the far-right Religious Zionism party.

The Likud source also conceded that there could be difficulty getting other Likud members to agree to a scenario that could see one of their rivals appointed prime minister.

“The only friction point will be about the identity of the alternate prime minister. Yariv Levin could be an acceptable candidate because he won the party’s primaries, but I’m not sure senior politicians like Nir Barkat or Israel Katz will let that happen, even if we’re only talking about a temporary role,” the official added.

According to the report, the initiative has already been opposed by some in Likud.

Barkat’s associates have demanded holding primaries for the Likud leadership in the event that Netanyahu doesn’t manage to reach 61 seats.

An unnamed political associate of Barkat told Zman Yisrael earlier this week that “the Likud leadership is not interested in sixth elections. It won’t happen. If Netanyahu doesn’t reach a majority, we will demand new primaries. This isn’t a monarchy in which he passes on the baton to his heir. In such primaries, Barkat will beat everyone by a huge margin.”

Asked what would happen if Netanyahu competes in such primaries and wins, the MK said: “Netanyahu will not compete in another round of Likud primaries if he fails to form a government.”

Another senior Likud figure told Zman Yisrael on Thursday that Levin (Likud), Zeev Elkin (National Unity), and Yitzhak Pindrus (United Torah Judaism) have recently met to discuss the initiative and the different potential scenarios. All three lawmakers denied holding such a meeting.



European Powers May Restore UN Sanctions on Iran

FILED - 18 July 2024, United Kingdom, Woodstock: UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy gives an interview at the European Political Community summit. Photo: Michael Kappeler/dpa
FILED - 18 July 2024, United Kingdom, Woodstock: UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy gives an interview at the European Political Community summit. Photo: Michael Kappeler/dpa
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European Powers May Restore UN Sanctions on Iran

FILED - 18 July 2024, United Kingdom, Woodstock: UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy gives an interview at the European Political Community summit. Photo: Michael Kappeler/dpa
FILED - 18 July 2024, United Kingdom, Woodstock: UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy gives an interview at the European Political Community summit. Photo: Michael Kappeler/dpa

The European troika, known as the E3, may restore UN sanctions on Iran under the snapback mechanism, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said on Tuesday, warning that the move could increase Tehran's suffering unless it takes a serious stance on stepping back from its nuclear program.

Speaking to the UK parliament’s foreign affairs select committee, Lammy said: “Iran faces even more pressure in the coming weeks because the E3 can snap back on our sanctions, and it’s not just our sanctions, it’s actually a UN mechanism that would impose dramatic sanctions on Iran across nearly every single front in its economy.”

“So they have a choice to make. It’s a choice for them to make. I’m very clear about the choice they should make, but I’m also clear that the UK has a decision to make that could lead to far greater pain for the Iranian regime unless they get serious about the international desire to see them step back from their nuclear ambitions,” he added.

Meanwhile, a French diplomatic source told Reuters on Tuesday that European powers would have to restore UN sanctions on Iran if there were no nuclear deal that guaranteed European security interests.

The source spoke after a call between French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot and Lammy ahead of a Franco-British summit.

Last Thursday, France threatened “retaliatory measures” against Tehran if it persisted with new charges against a French couple held in Iran, including accusations that they spied for Israel.

Snapback Mechanism

France, Britain and Germany - the E3 – are threatening to activate the snapback mechanism that would reinstate all United Nations Security Council sanctions previously levied on Iran.

According to diplomats, the E3 countries may trigger the snapback by August if no substantial deal can be found by then. The window closes on October 18.

UN resolution 2231 allows a State Party to the agreement to address a complaint to the Security Council about significant non-performance by another JCPOA participant.

Within 30 days of receiving such a notification, the UN Security Council shall vote on a draft resolution to either maintain the termination of previous sanctions or allow them to be reimposed.

European powers are considering triggering the snapback mechanism after Iran's decision to suspend cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).