Israel’s New Coalition

In a surprise move, Benjamin Netanyahu formed a national unity government with rivals to the left and right. How will this affect the Middle East? When will peace come?

Middle Eastern politics took an unexpected turn on Tuesday (May 8) as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu surprised political observers by announcing the formation of a broad-based political coalition.

In an unanticipated move, the centrist Kadima party was brought into the government, under the leadership of its newly elected leader Shaul Mofaz. Mr. Netanyahu’s coalition now includes parties from the center left to the extreme right of the Israeli political spectrum and commands a virtually unchallengeable majority of 94 seats in Israel’s 120-seat Knesset (parliament).

The move to a unity government removes the need for national elections, which had been expected in early September.

Strange bedfellows

They say politics makes strange bedfellows. It has been only a few weeks since Mr. Mofaz was elected leader of the Kadima party, replacing former leader Tzipi Livni as head of the centrist opposition to Mr. Netanyahu. After being elected, Mr. Mofaz was quoted as firmly rejecting any coalition: “No, Kadima under my leadership will remain in the opposition. The current government represents all that is wrong with Israel, I believe. Why should we join it? We will be a responsible opposition” (haaretz.com, March 30, 2012).

Earlier he had harshly criticized Mr. Netanyahu, going so far as to call him a liar: “Israeli citizens must know that they have a lying prime minister” (haaretz.com, Jan. 16, 2012).

Yet politics is politics, and now Mr. Mofaz has been named deputy prime minister in a broad-based government that includes religious parties, small parties to the right of Mr. Netanyahu’s Likud, as well as Mr. Mofaz’s Kadima party.

Preparing for an attack on Iran?

It has not escaped the attention of observers that there are now three former army chiefs in the government: Shaul Mofaz, the new deputy prime minister; Ehud Barak, defense minister; and Moshe Yaalon, the minister for strategic affairs.

Israeli politics have often coalesced into national unity governments with former military leaders in positions of influence when the nation is threatened or about to take action against its enemies. This has heightened speculation that the new unity government presages an attack on archenemy Iran.

Yet on this there is uncertainty. Israel’s political establishment has presented anything but a unified front on attacking Iran. Mr. Mofaz earlier this year sought to distance himself from Mr. Netanyahu’s hawkish position on Iran, stating that an attack on their nuclear facilities was only a last resort, after economic and diplomatic moves have failed.

“Netanyahu’s irresponsible statements implying that something has to be done within a few months create a bad reality,” he declared in an interview with an Israeli newspaper (haaretz.com, March 30, 2012). Others share his reluctance. Both Ehud Barak, Israel’s defense minister, and Shimon Peres, who occupies the largely ceremonial role of president, are on record as being reluctant to support immediate military action.

Israel, the Palestinians and peace

In spite of the uncertainty on the defense front, the Israeli economy continues to perform well, notching an impressive 4.6 percent increase in GDP in 2010. Its technology, defense and tourism sectors continue to perform well. Ironically, its economic well-being has spread to the West Bank territories now administered by the Palestinian Authority, which have also experienced growth, reaching a reported 9 percent in 2009, higher than in neighboring Israel.

Yet in spite of economic improvements, not all is well in the Israeli-Palestinian relationship, with the “peace process” all but moribund and frustration on both sides. At the time of writing, Israeli jails are reported to hold some 1,600 Palestinian prisoners who are on hunger strikes and demanding improved conditions.

With the formation of the new national unity government, some Palestinian leaders began to call on Mr. Netanyahu to return to the negotiating table. “‘We are hoping that the coalition will be in a position to come back to the negotiating table, bearing in mind that the coalition has a wide base of support,’ said Muhammed Shtayyeh, a member of the Palestinian negotiating team” (“Surprise Alliance Resets Israel Policy,” The Wall Street Journal, May 9, 2012).

Yet the prospects for peace still look dim. With the situation in Egypt still unstable and explosive and an increase in support for Islamist groups there and in other Arab nations, it looks as if time is running out.

The Jews in prophecy

What does Bible prophecy tell us about the destiny of the Jews in the last days? Perhaps our best source on that topic is the Old Testament book of Zechariah, which traces the relationship between the Jewish people and their Creator, as well as their prophetic destiny.

Zechariah tells us of a time of great trouble for the people of Judah, when Jerusalem and Judah will be almost strangled by their enemies. Yet divine intervention will save the Jews from extinction at the hands of enemies (Zechariah 12:2-4).

Once God does that, there will be a wholesale change of heart among the Jewish people: “And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn” (verse 10).

Make no mistake: political alliances will not save either the Jewish people or the Middle East generally. Only really turning back to God will do that.

Lasting peace will come!

This part of the world will yet see even more suffering and bloodshed, and no real peace, apart from the lasting peace that will eventually come with the “Prince of peace” Himself (Isaiah 9:6). But come it will!

“And in that day it shall be that living waters shall flow from Jerusalem, half of them toward the eastern sea, and half of them toward the western sea; in both summer and winter it shall occur. And the LORD shall be King over all the earth. In that day it shall be—‘The LORD is one,’ and His name one. …

“The people shall dwell in it; and no longer shall there be utter destruction, but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited” (Zechariah 14:8-9, 11).

We look forward to that day!

Ralph Levy is a minister of the Church of God, a Worldwide Association, who grew up in England and now lives in the United States. Dr. Levy enjoys reading, travel and foreign languages. He has a Ph.D. in biblical studies and has worked in foreign language and religious education for much of his life.

For more about Israel, the Middle East and peace, see:

• Is Israel Going to Bomb Iran Within Months?
• How Will All Israel Be Saved?
• Keep Watching the Middle East!
• World Peace: Is It a Possibility?