Bibi and the alliance that isn’t paying off with the ultra-Orthodox Jews

The latest poll conducted by Maariv in Israel reveals some interesting figures. If an election were held now, the opposition would win 62 seats, whilst the current majority would fall to 48. General Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar! party would be the most voted-for party, alongside Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud; both would secure twenty-two seats, but whilst Eisenkot’s support is rising, Bibi’s is falling – albeit slightly. The most interesting figures, however, concern the inclusion of ultra-Orthodox parties in the majority, and it is here that it emerges that 83 per cent of Israelis oppose their entry into the governing coalition. The Haredi Shas party seems to have realised that the situation is changing, that Netanyahu may no longer be the one to form the next majority, and has begun to praise Eisenkot, who, however, is not giving in to the flattery. The Prime Minister has gone along with everything the Haredi parties have demanded, parties which have repeatedly threatened to bring down his government. First, he allowed a bill to be passed that prevents yeshiva students from being prosecuted, and he did so in a country that has been at war for three years, sending a message that various sections of the population have interpreted as a lack of respect for the soldiers who have died in recent years – almost as if the Prime Minister, just to prolong his government by a few months, wanted to confirm that security in Israel is the responsibility of only a few, that only a few must die for Israel, whilst others are free to benefit from the sacrifices of others. One of the latest laws passed by the Knesset was the one establishing and legalising separate classes for women and men – a form of segregation unthinkable in Israel, to which many naturally object. These are concessions Netanyahu has made in order to survive, but they do not pay off at the ballot box. Ultra-Orthodox parties have often tipped the balance; someone will bring them on board just to form a majority, but not without risks.