In Washington and Jerusalem, the contrast and comparison is unavoidable. We see the convergence of the two investigations of Trump and Netanyahu, with guilty verdicts boldly predicted in advance by elite politicians of the left. We also hear the self-righteous condemnations of the alleged corruption, loudly proclaimed by the left-dominated media on both sides of the ocean. Is the similarity merely coincidental, or is it a case of two simultaneous witch hunts?
Suggested Q&A:
- Are the charges against Trump and Netanyahu both political witch hunts? The Trump impeachment fiasco certainly is, because there is absolutely no evidence of a quid pro quo in the Trump investigation, while the case of Joe and Hunter Biden seems far worse, but it’s being totally ignored, due to left-wing bias. The case against Netanyahu is a bit more complicated.
- What are the actual charges against Netanyahu? Netanyahu has been accused of pushing through legislation favorable to the Bezek telecommunications giant, in exchange for more positive media coverage on the Bezek-owned Walla news site. That may or may not lead to a bribery conviction. Some say that unless money or goods are received, it’s not considered bribery, but the judges will decide on that.
- Is the bias against Netanyahu in the judiciary and the media as bad as he says it is? Unlike the three-ring circus in Washington, which is clearly being conducted by anti-Trump Democrats, the Netanyahu investigation was led by Avichai Mandelblit, a highly respected jurist, who was appointed Attorney General by the Prime Minister himself. As for the media, it is unapologetically biased to the left and is viciously anti-Netanyahu.
- How does all of this affect the current election gridlock in Israel? Despite all the very real and existential security threats, we may be heading towards our third election in the past year. Netanyahu is legally permitted to remain in office, even after this indictment, but whether his image has been too tainted to win an election or put together a coalition, that is the real question.
- If there are new elections, does that mean that Benny Gantz, the leader of the left-of-center Blue and White party is now the odds-on favorite to be the next prime minister? No necessarily. It’s important to remember that Israel is still a traditional country in which most Jewish voters hold right-of-center views. Even though there is some disillusionment with Netanyahu, such voters would be more likely to vote for another right-wing candidate than to vote for Gantz.
- Are there any potential right-of-center candidates in the Likud with a serious chance of winning instead of Netanyahu? Yes, the two leading candidates would be Knesset Member Gideon Saar from Netanyahu’s Likud, who has already declared his candidacy in a Likud leadership primary to be held five weeks from now, which would be before the general election if it, indeed, happens. The other potential contender is Nir Barkat, the very successful former Mayor of Jerusalem. Unlike Saar, he’s still backing Prime Minister Netanyahu, but if Bibi leaves the scene, Barkat would certainly be a candidate, and a formidable one at that.
- Where can people get a copy of your book, “Trump and the Jews”? You can go to my website www.DavidRubinIsrael.com or just go to Amazon 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”. 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
