Do-Over
Well, we have an election coming up this week.
Not in the U.S., of course, but in our beloved Israel. Courtesy that country’s parliament system, Benjamin Netanyahu’s election win a few months ago didn’t help his Likud Party, since a governing coalition couldn’t be cobbled together. Governing requires at least a narrow, 61-seat majority.
The fly in the ointment is the stubbornness of the Ultra Orthodox in Israel, who do not serve in the military, yet demand millions in subsidies for their yeshivas. Netanyahu has to placate them, while also holding-off rivals like Avigdor Liberman.
Latest polls show the Likud winning 58 seats, leaving Netanyahu in the same position as before. He was not able last time to cobble together a ruling coalition, so new elections had to be called.
Remember, in Israel, their system is different from ours. There, a voter votes for a party specifically, not necessarily the candidate.
There is no question that Netanyahu is popular. And also unquestioned is the decade-long period of relative peace and prosperity enjoyed by Israelis. “Peace” is a selective term in the Middle East, and while Israel grapples with huge issues on her borders (Hezbollah, Iran, etc.), it is unthinkable that anyone but Netanyahu should run the security show.
There is another element of drama. Netanyahu has just called an emergency meeting, alleging election fraud next time. According to the Jerusalem Post:
“Likud stated that the ‘grave findings of the Kalman Liebskind investigation’ indicate that the election was “stolen” from Netanyahu, according to Maariv. ‘If the Likud complaints were examined on time, Israel would not be in the current round of elections.’
“In his article, which Maariv will publish in full tonight, Liebskind writes, ‘Those responsible for the purity of the Israeli elections should not be entrusted with this sacred work. The Central Election Commission Chairman, Hanan Meltzer, at best did nothing to check forgeries [reported] in the previous election, and in the worst case, fought with all his might, for his own reasons, so that counting errors discovered – would not be corrected.’”
Next Tuesday, be in prayer for Israel and for Netanyahu. Also keep in mind, as always, that a vote that goes against Likud does not mean God’s plan is dismantled and in tatters. Far from it. The Lord does as He wills.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!