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Hours before the vote to oust him, outgoing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused President Biden of endangering Israel’s security by taking a soft stance on Iran, and claimed that the man who would replace him, Naftali Bennett, would be too weak to stand up to Washington.
Why it matters: Netanyahu launched a desperate but seemingly unsuccessful campaign to prevent a “coalition for change” from joining together to replace him after an inconclusive election in March. In the face of an imminent demoralization of the opposition leader, he predicted a desire to damage the relationship between the United States and Israel to put his opponent under pressure.
“He has decided to damage the US-Israel relationship for his own sake and is trying to leave scorched earth to the next government.” A senior Israeli diplomat talks about Netanyahu
Leading the news: Bennett, a former right-wing tech entrepreneur, will lead the most ideologically diverse coalition in Israel’s history, as its members are united by more than just the desire to remove Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption and fighting through what seemed like an endless cycle of elections on over the past two years.
Bennett spoke before Netanyahu, but as he tried to present his platform, Netanyahu’s allies constantly interrupted him with shouts of “liar” and “fraud.” Bennett took a hard line on the Iran deal in his speech, saying it was a mistake in 2015 and remains one today. He also thanked Biden for his support of Israel, stressed that he wanted good relations with both parties in Washington, and drew a contrast with Netanyahu by promising that any disagreements with Biden would be managed “with mutual trust and respect.” Bennett’s coalition partner, centrist Yair Lapid, missed his opportunity to speak afterward, citing interruptions during Bennett’s speech, which he said were a disgrace.
Then Netanyahu got up to speak. He accused Bennett of being weak and untrustworthy (noting that he broke a campaign pledge to form a government with Lapid), and said his protectors, turned opponent, would refuse to stand up to Biden on Iran.
Netanyahu claimed that the Biden administration asked him to keep their differences on Iran secret, but he refused, praising his tough stance toward Iran over smooth relations with the United States. With nuclear weapons, they claimed the Iranians were celebrating his departure. He also compared Biden’s policy toward Iran to the United States’ refusal to bomb the Auschwitz concentration camp in 1944, and also said that he rejected US demands to freeze settlement construction and opposed Biden’s plan to reopen the US Consulate in Jerusalem, which dealt with relations with the United States. Palestinians before Donald Trump shuts them down. Again, Bennett allegedly lacked the prestige or credibility to take similar positions.
Between the lines: Despite Bennett’s right-wing policies and hard-line positions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, many senior officials in the Biden administration would be happy to see the end of Netanyahu’s term.
The next step: Bennett Lapid’s power-sharing government faces a confidence vote late Sunday.
Netanyahu vowed to bring down the “dangerous” government “and sooner than you think”.
Dive in: Netanyahu rejects Trump’s comparisons, vows peaceful transfer of power
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