Jerusalem Report

The Netanyahu gambit

Why did the prime minister call early elections and then suddenly change his mind?

netanyahu coalition cartoon 521
Photo by: Avi Katz
The lightning transition from ugly mudslinging to the beginning of a beautiful friendship between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Kadima leader Shaul Mofaz left even the most cynical Israelis gaping in open-mouthed incredulity.

They had gone to bed on a Monday mulling the rough and tumble of new elections in September and woken up on Tuesday with one of the biggest coalition governments in the country’s history. So what is going on in the arcane world of Israeli politics? Why did Netanyahu suddenly call early elections and then with even greater alacrity change his mind? Netanyahu had many good reasons for an early ballot. Mainly, he wanted to be reelected before US President Barack Obama in November and avoid potentially embarrassing American pressure on the Palestinian issue in the run-up to the scheduled general election in October 2013.

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