Speak up for Rivlin
Only a few hours remain for crises to arise before the establishment of the next government. Most crises that could pop up at this point would be superficial in nature. This was the case with the heated dispute that broke out on Saturday over the demand that there be no ministers without portfolios. Likud-Beytenu wanted to add the condition "except in special circumstances." Yesh Atid refused. Nothing would be easier than solving this problem with a stipulation that ministers without portfolios would only be permitted "if the government declares a high-level security alert."
Such disagreements are scattered all along the path. It is clear that Likud-Beytenu, where there is still a divide between Benjamin Netanyahu and Avigdor Lieberman over the distribution of portfolios, wants the coalition deals to be signed quickly. Once they are signed, any real crises that arise will be over the distribution of portfolios rather than substantive issues.
There is no doubt that a government comprised of Likud-Beytenu, Yesh Atid, Habayit Hayehudi, Hatnuah and Kadima will be established. All of the parties want this and they barely have a choice.
Likud-Beytenu will arrive at the inauguration of the government somewhat embarrassed. There won't be a turnover of ministers. Rather, there will only be slight changes.
How will Likud-Beytenu face its rivals in the future? The feeling among Netanyahu's associates is that much water will flow under the bridge before the next test. Netanyahu still has a lot of time.
A dark cloud hovering over Likud-Beytenu is the crisis over who will be the next Knesset speaker. Reuven Rivlin, the speaker of the 16th and 18th Knessets, had hoped this role was assured to him. He had the support of his party as well as many MKs in the opposition and he intended to serve as Knesset speaker until running for the presidency when Shimon Peres' term ends next year. But Rivlin's plans have now been disrupted.
The role of Knesset speaker is similar to that of the president. It is not by chance that the Knesset speaker fills in as the acting president when the president is overseas. Both the Knesset speaker and the president are elected by the Knesset and both are expected to behave respectably toward their opponents.
It seems clear that the preferred candidate of Netanyahu, and also perhaps most of all Lieberman, is outgoing Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs Minister Yuli Edelstein. But this is a challenge to Rivlin, who is very popular among the general public.
Netanyahu should reconsider the ousting of Rivlin. The Likud's liberal nationalist wing, a cornerstone of the party since the days of the Revisionist and Herut movements, took a tough blow in the past year. Benny Begin and Dan Meridor were uprooted from the political landscape, as was Michael Eitan.
Rivlin is the last prominent representative of that generation. Rivlin's father, the Oriental Studies professor Yoel Rivlin, was a Herut movement candidate for the presidency. The ousting of Rivlin, for either no fault of his own or some negligible fault in the eyes of his party, is a fundamental mistake.
Rivlin won't run for the speaker position against Netanyahu's wishes. All coalition partners have committed to supporting Netanyahu's choice. So Rivlin apparently has no chance. But he deserves one.
טעינו? נתקן! אם מצאתם טעות בכתבה, נשמח שתשתפו אותנו