Will Benjamin Netanyahu becoming the longest-serving prime minister of Israel?

by Hans Izaak Kriek*

He is the only prime minister in Israel’s history to have been elected three times in a row. If his current government lasts a full term, upon its completion he will become the longest-serving prime Minister in the history of Israel. 

It’s interesting to see what will happen with Netanyahu in the next future. But will he really become the longest-serving prime minister? Since January, he has being investigated and questioned by the Israeli police in two cases not made public before. On August 3, the police confirmed for the first time Netanyahu is suspected of crimes involving fraud, breach of trust and bribes in the two cases. Netanyahu former chief of staff, Ari Harow, has signed a deal with prosecutors to become state witness and testify against Netanyahu. 

Likud ministers said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told them he would like to advance the next election as soon as possible due to his high public approval ratings despite the criminal investigations against him, Channel 1 reported recently. According to the report, Netanyahu said that advancing the election was not possible because of the strong opposition of his coalition partners, who he worried would take revenge against the Likud. A Likud minister who has met Netanyahu several times in the past weeks and discussed with him the possibility of elections, fiercely denied the report. 

“Netanyahu wants the elections to be held on time in November 2019, and any minister who claims the prime minister told him differently is lying,” the Likud minister told The Jerusalem Post.

The political position of Netanyahu seems strong. This week he spoke at the United Nations’ General Assembly, U.S. President Trump lit into world actors around the world and gave a defense of the United States and freedom. Trump’s speech was remarkable to the prime minister of Israel, the U.S. democratic ally in the Middle East: “I never heard a bolder of more courageous speech.” Netanyahu gave his reasons for the incredible endorsement: “He spoke the truth about great dangers facing our world and issued a call to confront them to ensure the future of humanity.” President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu look forward to building a stronger relationship over the next four years. The prime minister said to Donald Trump: “Il look forward to discussing how we can address together what you rightly called the terrible nuclear deal with Iran.” In his speech to the UN he said: “Fix it or nix it,” telling the world body that Israel’s policy on the Iranian nuclear deal is simple: “Change it or cancel it.”

  

What’s happening in the region? Some remarkable things. Hamas government paves the way for 'national unity' The Palestinian Movement Hamas has decided to dissolve its "governing committee" in the Gaza Strip. The Islamic movement says in a statement to want to hold general elections and to open up dialogue with the rival Fatah movement led by President Mahmoud Abbas. Hamas invites the reconciliation government with representatives of Fatah to come to the Gaza Strip and take over the tasks of Hamas' shadow government. This would put an end to a ten-year conflict.

Hamas has been in charge in the densely populated area since 2007. The Hamas ruling committee in March is seen as a rival government for the Palestinian Authority on the Occupied West Bank, led by Fatah. In recent months, Fatah has pushed Hamas on pressure, inter alia by stopping payments to Israel for the power supply in the Gaza Strip. The announcement of Hamas follows recent talks with Egypt. Hamas said in a statement Sunday night that it was resolving the 'generous' Egyptian mediation efforts 'to achieve national unity'.

A little storm in the Middle East media: Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman made a discreet visit to Israel despite the fact that the Jewish state and Saudi Arabia do not have official diplomatic ties, Israeli and Arab media speculated earlier in the week. Rumors about the momentous visit, which was not confirmed by Israel, started swirling when Israel Radio's diplomatic correspondent covering Arab affairs, Simon Aran, took to Twitter to announce the visit. Aran tweeted that a senior Arab figure from the Gulf region paid a visit to Tel Aviv last week, stirring immense interest in the Arab media. Israel Radio's Arabic-language broadcast reported that the senior figure was a "Saudi prince" who met with senior Israelis to discuss regional peace. According to the report, the Israeli Prime Minister's Office and the Foreign Ministry refused to comment on the news.

One Arab media outlet reported that the senior official was Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Qatari media and other affiliated news outlets such as the London-based Al-Araby Al-Jadeed newspaper, used the reports as a further opportunity to attack the Saudi royal family which is heading Arab intervention in Yemen, Syria and other locations. Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, affiliated with Hezbollah and Syria, and London-based newspaper Al-Quds Al-Arabi, both published the news reported by Israel Radio.

As expected, news of the visit was not warmly welcomed by the Arab public. 

"Even today, according to unofficial sources, there are secret economic and trade relationships between Israel and some of these countries. The prime minister and other senior government officials have spoken of cooperation and have hinted at relationships with countries with whom Israel does not have diplomatic relations."

*Hans Izaak Kriek is international political commentator and journalist for European Business Review and editor-in-chief of Kriek Media