Politicians must take responsibility

Please hit the brakes. The political chaos has reached its limits and is about to cross the red line. On Sunday, Justice Minister Tzipi Livni added another layer to the anarchy with her decision to artificially stop a bill that she didn't like.

It is not the essence of the bill -- which defines Israel as a Jewish state -- that is important. Neither for nor against the bill: It is a situation that has become routine, whereby one minister sets back a colleague, and the colleague retaliates. As a result, nothing gets done and nothing moves forward. An empty space dominates Israel's public and political reality.

Livni stopped the bill? Habayit Hayehudi announces that any bill coming from Hatnuah or Yesh Atid will fail. Yes, this is also the case with Yesh Atid Chairman and Finance Minister Yair Lapid, who is asking to have his budget approved without holding a tedious, detailed discussion in the Knesset and is sticking to an "all or nothing" position -- and as usual in a situation like this, it is the "nothing" that beats the "all."

This rotten atmosphere is becoming all too familiar. Environmental Protection Minister Amir Peretz left the government under controversial circumstances and now MK Miri Regev (Likud) is delaying the discussion on the plastic bag bill, which everyone believes is a worthwhile bill.

Shin Bet chief Yoram Cohen behaved even worse. So he made a mistake with the way he attacked the IDF on the investigative news program "Uvda." But then he and IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz were convened for a clarification with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The prime minister came to a conclusion, Cohen agreed, then issued an apology -- and then immediately reverted to attack mode. The head of a governmental organization does not have the option of agreeing with Netanyahu and then not respecting that agreement.

It appears there are three options to starting over. One is to set up an alternate coalition. It's theoretical. The number may exist, but at the moment there are not enough hands to vote for it and especially institute it into everyday life. Another option -- which everyone is recommending -- is that the faction heads in the coalition come to their senses, take responsibility, and return the government to the right course for action. There will be arguments and compromises and disagreements -- but there will also be motion instead of stagnation.

But if that doesn't happen -- it is better to have earlier elections than to keep treading water. A poll presented by Channel 1's Ayala Hasson revealed that the gap between those for and against early elections is shrinking. The current ratio is 38:45, and it will certainly flip around if nothing changes.

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