Netanyahu and Gantz Agree to Power Sharing Deal
Guest: David Rubin from Jerusalem via American Phone, Skype, or Zoom
Intro:
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and rival Benny Gantz have FINALLY agreed to a power sharing government to avoid an unprecedented 4th election in a row that likely would have been another tie, just as the three prior election results.
In the deal, Netanyahu will remain Prime Minister for 18 months before handing it over to Gantz for the second half of a three-year term.
Is this good or bad for Israel, America and the world? Joining us in this discussion is David Rubin, former mayor of Shiloh, Israel, in Samaria, the biblical heartland of Israel, and the author of “Trump and the Jews”.
Q&A:
- There is now a unity government in Israel. Is it good for Israel and is it good for America? Israel needs stability, and America needs a strong and stable Israel in the Middle East, so in that sense it’s a positive development.
- What does it mean for the burning question of Israeli sovereignty in the West Bank, which Israel calls Judea and Samaria? Will those areas finally be annexed into Israel? According to the agreement, Israel will declare sovereignty over 30 % of Judea and Samaria by July 1st. If it happens, Netanyahu will be fulfilling a central campaign promise that is supported by a clear majority of Israelis.
3. As former mayor of Shiloh, which is in Samaria, what would be the significance of such a declaration? Judea and Samaria are the biblical heartland of Israel. When we speak of historical Israel – places like Hebron, Shiloh, Bethlehem, and Bethel – it’s all in the region of Judea and Samaria. Essentially, if we didn’t have a right to Judea and Samaria, where we were sovereign for over 1,000 years, we wouldn’t have a right to Tel Aviv.
4) How will this joint governing coalition affect President Trump’s proposed Deal of the Century? Trump wants stability in Israel, even if it is a bit unwieldly combined left-of-center parties with right-of-center parties in one coalition. By the way, Trump’s plan supports Israeli sovereignty over all the Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria. He wants Israel to be stable and secure and such a move strengthens Israel’s security.
5) How will the unity government impact Israel’s ongoing confrontation with Iran and terrorism? Netanyahu in favor of a strong, vigilant approach in confronting Iran and the terrorists. Gantz is wishy-washy on this, but hopefully he will support his commander-in-chief.
6) You and your son were victims of a terror attack, likely sponsored by Iran. Tell us about that. My then three-year-old and I were seriously wounded when our car was ambushed by Muslim terrorists, but thank God, we survived and out of that trauma, I established the Shiloh Israel Children’s Fund to heal the trauma of the terror victim children.
7) Tell us about your book, “Trump and the Jews” and where we can pick up a copy. “Trump and the Jews” examines the relationship between President Trump, Israel, and the Jewish people, with a special focus on the Left-Right divide in America and how it impacts those relationships. The best way to get the book is simply to go on Amazon.com and type in the words “Trump and the Jews”.
Bio: David Rubin, former Mayor of Shiloh Israel, is the author of the book, “Trump and the Jews” and five other books. Rubin is the founder and president of Shiloh Israel Children’s Fund, established after he and his then three-year-old son were wounded in a terror attack. He can be found at www.DavidRubinIsrael.com or at http://www.ShilohIsraelChildren.org
