Netanyahu indictment and the Trump impeachment process are both the products of democracy’s failures – CNBC
President Donald J. Trump (R) and Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu (L) deliver remarks to members of the news media during their meeting in the Oval Office of the White House March 25, 2019 in Washington, DC.
Michael Reynolds | Getty Images
Israel's prime minister has now been formally indicted for bribery and corruption. Benjamin Netanyahu is calling the charges against him false and part of a coup attempt.
Sound familiar?
There are a lot of differences between Israel's parliamentary democracy and the American republic. But both nations are now in the midst of long-running attempts by the left to unseat their leaders based on charges of illegal conduct. Correspondingly, both President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu are facing these efforts just as national elections for both of them loom around the corner.
But not everything is similar in this scenario. Because while both Trump and Netanyahu are extremely polarizing figures in their home countries, Israel is not beset by a real left-right partisan divide.
In election after election since the so-called "Second Intifada" began in 2000, the Israeli public has continued to blame the political left for allowing the security situation to deteriorate. Virtually every Israeli either lost a close friend or relative in those Palestinian suicide bombing campaigns. So beginning with the late Ariel Sharon's election as prime minister in 2001, every election in Israel has seen the majority of the votes going to a combination of right wing or center-right parties. That doesn't mean the Israeli people aren't divided over a lot of political issues. But when it comes to the most crucial issue of security, there is no significant divide in the Israeli electorate.
This holds true even when you include the results two national elections Israel has held already this year. Israeli political math is a little tricky, because while Arab-Israelis can and do vote with equal voting rights, Arab-Israeli party members of the parliament have never agreed and will likely never agree to join with any sitting government. So the percentages of seats in the parliament can only fairly be counted based on all the other seats.
With that in mind, note that in the April national election, center-right Israeli parties took 59% of the parliamentary seats not including those Arab parties. In the September "do over" election, the opposition Blue & White Party got one more seat than Likud to claim the title of the top vote-getter. But again, the center-right Israeli parties took 59% of all the non-Arab party seats. So all the Likud Party seemingly has to do is replace Netanyahu with another right wing leader and then complete the easier task of forming a government with someone so many Israelis don't personally object to.
Here's the problem: because Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving prime minister, has no clear successor in his own party, that clear majority of Israelis who support more right wing policies are left hanging.
Much of this is nobody but Netanyahu's own fault. For a myriad of reasons, including what appear to be jealousy and paranoia, he has groomed a number of capable successors but has fallen out with each of them. In addition to some of those Blue & White Party leaders, those former proteges are on the mastheads of almost every other center-right party in Israel. They include people like Yisrael Beiteinu leader Avigdor Liberman, and New Right Party leaders Naftali Bennett and Ayalet Shaked.
Because of the Israeli left's long-running failures at the polls, Netanyahu's "coup attempt" claims can't be dismissed completely. But even if some kind of anti-Netanyahu political sentiment has unfairly goosed this indictment process along, it doesn't change the fact that it will be much harder for him to govern under this indictment cloud.
There is some precedent in Israeli history for Netanyahu to step down even as he vehemently asserts his innocence. That's what Yitzhak Rabin did during his first tenure as prime minister in the 1970s after it was revealed he and his wife held small, but technically illegal, bank accounts in the U.S. It was never a really serious charge, but Rabin ultimately felt he couldn't juggle the legal fight and his leadership duties. Three years before that, then-Prime Minister Golda Meir resigned after official government reports found her government had made serious errors that led to Israel's lack of preparation for the Yom Kippur War. Meir never agreed with most of those conclusions, but she knew she couldn't continue to govern effectively in the face of them.
On the other side, the problem for Gantz and his Blue & White Party is this: what if these indictments do their job for them? Will the Israeli voters still feel the need to vote for a party bent primarily on getting rid of Netanyahu if the legal charges do it anyway?
Again, here we have another similarity with the American political situation. It's hard to deny the current impeachment process against President Trump has taken a lot of air out of the remaining Democratic presidential candidates' efforts to grab more attention for themselves. They all know the anti-Trump voters likely support this impeachment process and will vote for one of them. But how can any of them get the attention needed to be the nominee in the midst of so much focus on impeachment in the year before Election Day?
More than anything else, the word to describe the political situations in both countries is "failure."
The partisan divide in America has at least partially fed into murky impeachment efforts by the parties out of the White House twice in the last 20 years. In Israel, the failure to form a viable coalition government and Netanyahu's failure to set up a viable successor has led to an ongoing political impasse on top of an indictment controversy. It's all just the latest evidence that democratic governments are rarely defeated by foreign invaders. Rather, they usually just end up destroying themselves.
Jake Novak is a political and economic analyst at Jake Novak News and former CNBC TV producer. You can follow him on Twitter @jakejakeny.
Continue reading here:
Netanyahu indictment and the Trump impeachment process are both the products of democracy's failures - CNBC
- Threats to democracy in the 2nd Trump administration - Niskanen Center - January 9th, 2025 [January 9th, 2025]
- North Carolina Supreme Court GOP Candidate Seeks to Tilt the Playing Field in His Favor - Democracy Docket - January 9th, 2025 [January 9th, 2025]
- Lessons from self-inflicted blows to democracy in South Korea and the U.S. - NPR - January 9th, 2025 [January 9th, 2025]
- Nowicki: Its a New Year. Will it be the same democracy? - Oregon Daily Emerald - January 9th, 2025 [January 9th, 2025]
- Democracy depends on obedience - America: The Jesuit Review - January 9th, 2025 [January 9th, 2025]
- The rise and fall of Justin Trudeau Democracy and society - IPS Journal - January 9th, 2025 [January 9th, 2025]
- Not All Elections Are Created Equal - Renew Democracy Initiative - January 9th, 2025 [January 9th, 2025]
- Kamala Harris says Americas democracy stood, after certifying Trumps election victory as it happened - The Guardian US - January 9th, 2025 [January 9th, 2025]
- Democracy dies, first, in the workplace: A conversation with Hamilton Nolan and Sara Nelson - The Real News Network - January 9th, 2025 [January 9th, 2025]
- The Militia and the Mole: Reporter Josh Kaplan on How a Freelance Vigilante Infiltrated U.S. Militias - Democracy Now! - January 9th, 2025 [January 9th, 2025]
- U.S. DOE Selects Nine Organizations for Regional Energy Democracy Initiative in Texas and Louisiana - SolarQuarter - January 9th, 2025 [January 9th, 2025]
- Everss Direct Democracy Initiative Should Go Directly to the Waste Bin - MacIverInstitute - January 9th, 2025 [January 9th, 2025]
- Unpacking the Meta Announcement: The Future of the Information Ecosystem and Implications for Democracy - Just Security - January 9th, 2025 [January 9th, 2025]
- Harris called Trump a danger to democracy. Now she is set to certify his election win - The Independent - January 6th, 2025 [January 6th, 2025]
- After a year of elections, whats next for democracy in 2025? - Eco-Business - January 6th, 2025 [January 6th, 2025]
- Psychological profile of Daniel Ortega and the Crisis of Democracy in Nicaragua - Robert Lansing Institute - January 6th, 2025 [January 6th, 2025]
- Southeast Asias human rights and democracy: A reflection - The Jakarta Post - January 6th, 2025 [January 6th, 2025]
- Fareed Zakaria, "The Crisis of Democracy Is Really a Crisis for the Left" / "Why Is the Left Flailing? Look at New York vs.... - January 6th, 2025 [January 6th, 2025]
- Slotkin prioritizes protection of democracy ahead of U.S. Senate swearing-in - Michigan Advance - January 6th, 2025 [January 6th, 2025]
- Before preaching democracy, political parties must lead by example: The Daily Star - asianews.network - January 6th, 2025 [January 6th, 2025]
- Liberal Democracy Shrinks in India, Turkey and the US - IDN-InDepthNews - January 6th, 2025 [January 6th, 2025]
- What does an America without democracy look like? Were about to find out. - The Hill - January 6th, 2025 [January 6th, 2025]
- Biden says Trump is a genuine threat to democracy, scolds reporters - MSN - January 6th, 2025 [January 6th, 2025]
- Nonprofits Are at the Core of American Democracy. Now Theyre Under Threat - TIME - January 6th, 2025 [January 6th, 2025]
- New Congress Takes Office Tomorrow What This Means for Voting Rights - Democracy Docket - January 6th, 2025 [January 6th, 2025]
- Who were the winners and losers of African democracy in 2024? - RFI English - January 6th, 2025 [January 6th, 2025]
- Commentary: 2024 saw plenty of elections, little in the way of democracy - Stocktonia News - January 6th, 2025 [January 6th, 2025]
- Opinion | The crisis of democracy is really a crisis for the left - The Washington Post - January 6th, 2025 [January 6th, 2025]
- Biden takes departing jab at Trump, says he was a genuine threat to democracy - Fox8tv - January 6th, 2025 [January 6th, 2025]
- The Best and Worst of 2024 - Democracy Docket - January 6th, 2025 [January 6th, 2025]
- Democracy vs. bureaucracy: How populism became the handmaiden of tech - Washington Examiner - January 6th, 2025 [January 6th, 2025]
- Avery Davis-Roberts former manager of The Carter Centers democracy program gives interview on Carter's legacy - Americus Times-Recorder - January 6th, 2025 [January 6th, 2025]
- Jimmy Carter sought to expand democracy worldwide long after he left the White House - The Associated Press - January 1st, 2025 [January 1st, 2025]
- Local news organizations are vital to healthy communities and democracy | Guest Column - Port Townsend Leader - January 1st, 2025 [January 1st, 2025]
- Daily Briefing Dec. 30: Day 451 Democracy in Syria? De facto leader says not so fast - The Times of Israel - January 1st, 2025 [January 1st, 2025]
- What I learned from talking to Atlantans about our democracy this year - Atlanta Civic Circle - January 1st, 2025 [January 1st, 2025]
- In Trumps America, Theres Democracy Only When He Wins - Democracy Docket - January 1st, 2025 [January 1st, 2025]
- Democratic Sen. Andy Kim: 'The opposite of democracy is apathy' - CNN - January 1st, 2025 [January 1st, 2025]
- Germany, France and Poland condemn violence in Georgia, stress support for pro-democracy movement - The Associated Press - January 1st, 2025 [January 1st, 2025]
- The Fulcrum Democracy Forum Meets Tim Shriver, Special Olympics International Board of Directors - citybiz - January 1st, 2025 [January 1st, 2025]
- The inspiring resilience of democracy - Financial Times - January 1st, 2025 [January 1st, 2025]
- Lapid warns Israel must choose between democracy and theocracy - The Times of Israel - January 1st, 2025 [January 1st, 2025]
- The People and Groups Who Tried to Disenfranchise Voters in 2024 - Democracy Docket - January 1st, 2025 [January 1st, 2025]
- Opinion: 2024 was a Year of Elections when democracy lost out - The Globe and Mail - January 1st, 2025 [January 1st, 2025]
- PMs wife accuses AG of terrorizing Israeli democracy with probe into her conduct - The Times of Israel - January 1st, 2025 [January 1st, 2025]
- South Asia In 2024: Elections, Transitions, And The Struggle For Democracy - thefridaytimes.com - January 1st, 2025 [January 1st, 2025]
- Uprising for Democracy in the Caucasus - CounterPunch - January 1st, 2025 [January 1st, 2025]
- Our Country and Democracy Demand Open Hearts and Minds - Washington Monthly - January 1st, 2025 [January 1st, 2025]
- Hes anti-democracy and pro-Trump: the obscure dark enlightenment blogger influencing the next US administration - The Guardian US - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- Column | Musks dangerous, exaggerated conflation of social media and democracy - The Washington Post - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- In a year of global elections, what did we learn about the state of democracy? - NPR - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- Opinion | What if Our Democracy Cant Survive Without Christianity? - The New York Times - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- The Future of Democracy and Human Rights in American Foreign Policy - Center for Strategic & International Studies - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- Democrats really dont understand democracy, or why they lost the presidential election - OCRegister - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- 'The state of democracy in the world is worse than in the 1930s' - Le Monde - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- Musk Shouldn't Be Allowed to Toy With Britain's Democracy - Bloomberg - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- Bashar Assad is finished but Syrias fight for democracy is just beginning - POLITICO Europe - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- Buying democracy: The corrupting influence of Elon Musk - Counterfire - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- Democracy has a good chance of slipping away - The Gazette - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- Democracy across the Americas is in crisis - The Conversation - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- Human Rights Watch: Israels Extermination and Genocide in Gaza - Democracy Now! - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- Another Member of NYC Mayor Eric Adamss Inner Circle Is Indicted - Democracy Now! - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- Trumps Presidency Will Unleash Right-Wing Sheriffs Across America - Democracy Docket - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- Amid a year of elections around the world, is democracy expanding or retreating? - KUOW News and Information - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- Rape Club Prison in California: U.S. Govt to Pay Record $116M to 103 Women Who Sued over Abuse - Democracy Now! - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- Donald Trump Tamed the Media. Some Even Paid for the Privilege. - Democracy Docket - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- Undermining democracy: The weaponization of social media in Romanias 2024 elections - EDMO - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- Rep. Barry Loudermilk pushes democracy to the brink - Baptist News Global - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- A Better World is Possible: Strengthening Civic Participation and Local Democracy Through Participatory Budgeting - Amherst Indy - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- Do Not Obey in Advance: Timothy Snyder on How Corporate America Is Bending to Trump - Democracy Now! - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- Opinion | Is Democracy Getting Sick of Winning? - The Wall Street Journal - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- Redistricting Cases that Could Impact the 2026 Midterms - Democracy Docket - December 22nd, 2024 [December 22nd, 2024]
- Opinion | Why Im Not Giving Up on American Democracy - The New York Times - November 30th, 2024 [November 30th, 2024]
- NRx: The (underground) movement that wants to destroy democracy - EL PAS USA - November 30th, 2024 [November 30th, 2024]
- 25 Years Ago, the Battle of Seattle Showed Us What Democracy Looks Like - The Nation - November 30th, 2024 [November 30th, 2024]
- Opinion: Georgias civil society is the last line of defense for democracy - Kyiv Independent - November 30th, 2024 [November 30th, 2024]
- Inflation And Democracy Are Still Tied At The Hip - Forbes - November 30th, 2024 [November 30th, 2024]
- The constitutional court is easy to crack: the threats to German democracy go on stage - The Guardian - November 30th, 2024 [November 30th, 2024]
- Opinion | Why American democracy will survive a second Trump term - The Washington Post - November 30th, 2024 [November 30th, 2024]
- Opinion | Taiwan Is Ready to Defend Democracy. Is Trump With Us? - The New York Times - November 30th, 2024 [November 30th, 2024]