Toning it down

"All's well that ends well-" Yes. Until the next round, that is.

The clash between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Economy and Trade Minister Naftali Bennett (Habayit Hayehudi) lasted a mere two days and yet managed to postpone the important meeting of the government to discuss the significance of the European boycott. In the end (again, as expected), a solution was found within the accepted time frame for such things, and both sides expressed satisfaction with the results.

Netanyahu explained he was not seeking to, heaven forbid, shut Bennett's mouth; he allows every minister to freely speak his mind. But the problem was not with the content of Bennett's remarks, but rather the tone used to refer to the prime minister -- and not for the first time. Bennett now understands there is a price to pay for disparaging remarks, and will be sure to be more cautious in the future.

Bennett insisted he did not intend to insult Netanyahu. He feared that the initial statement, according to which Jewish settlers could find themselves under Palestinian authority, would be realized just as then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's statements had ultimately led to the dismantling of Gush Katif. On Wednesday evening, Bennett declared he had achieved what he had set out to do: to quash the possibility of Jews living under Palestinian rule. The notion will not be raised again at the negotiating table.

What would have happened if the two sides had stuck to their guns until the end? Had Bennett rejected outright the request for an apology to the prime minister? Both sides would have lost out. Bennett would have been hard pressed to explain to his supporters that a simple issue of manners had ousted Habayit Hayehudi from the coalition, replacing it with United Torah Judaism or the Labor Party. And had this happened, Netanyahu would have quickly discovered that vast majority of the Right, led by Likud, would not have permitted him to establish a government with the Labor Party, forcing him to call for early elections or to backtrack to Habayit Hayehudi. Not worth it.

An apology was obtained, although it is clear that the conflict is far from over. Netanyahu has read drafts of the American agreement and knows all too well that there will be future reasons to clash with Bennett. Although he opposes some of the American positions, Netanyahu is not against continuing negotiations that include these points. He will want to, or be forced to, issue statements that will automatically put Bennett on the offensive. This story has only just begun -- and this week's skirmish promises to be the first in a long series.

But both sides have the vested interest of maintaining the coalition. Bennett does not situate himself opposite Netanyahu. And Netanyahu, likewise, does not want Bennett to join the opposition.

Meanwhile, certain elements have remained on the sidelines; Bennett's former "brother" Yesh Atid Chairman Yair Lapid suddenly fell mute during this week's tension, as did Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, but Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman's booming silence was the most fascinating of all. Where did the American favorite disappear to? Polls indicate a significant drop in his support numbers. His efforts to join forces with Likud are blocked at the moment. In the next round, he won't have the privilege of standing on the sidelines instead of leading.

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