Could Netanyahu’s attacks on law enforcement cost him his job?

This week he exploited the January 2017 police shooting death of Yakud Abu al-Kiyan, an Israeli Bedouin teacher from the Negev village of Umm al-Hiran in order to “prove” that authorities made a habit of whitewashing mistakes, fabricating evidence and rigging criminal complaints. The Justice Ministry responded with a list of six lies that it accused Netanyahu of telling in one of his speeches on the issue this week.

Such incredible events are now occurring on an almost daily basis. Former State Prosecutor Shai Nitzan, whom Netanyahu pointed to as the chief culprit in the Abu al-Kiyan affair, has given interviews in recent days accusing the prime minister of lying and incitement. Netanyahu’s people, on the other hand, kept up their barrage of invective on law enforcement authorities, and even blatantly threatened Mandelblit. Israel has not known such constitutional chaos of governance since its establishment 72 years ago.

This is all happening as Israel battles the relentless spread of the coronavirus. The daily record-breaking number of cases reported here earlier this week has now crossed the 4,000 mark, placing Israel first in the world in terms of infections per capita, although the mortality rate is relatively low, for now. The government’s failure to control the pandemic has resulted in a ministerial committee decision to impose a two-week nationwide lockdown from the end of next week. The Cabinet is expected to approve this measure on Sunday.

The lockdown, the second such measure this year, will cover the period of the Jewish High Holidays starting with the Jewish New Year eve, on Sept. 18. The quarantine is expected to have a serious impact on the economy, still reeling from the effects of the previous lockdown with a deteriorating budget deficit and deep unemployment. Meanwhile, the public protests demanding Netanyahu’s ouster are gaining steam, and the divisions within Israeli society, exacerbated by Netanyahu’s conduct, are intensifying. Prospects of healing are nowhere in sight.

The growing pressure is not making a dent in Netanyahu’s determination to keep up his fight. This prime minister does not intend to give up anything, ever, and as President Reuven Rivlin predicted several years ago, Netanyahu intends “to burn down the club and all its members before he cedes power.” This coming week, Netanyahu is heading to Washington for a White House signing ceremony Sept. 15 of the normalization agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. Impervious to the protests against him and lacking any social sensitivity, Netanyahu and his wife Sara have decided to fly to Washington on a private plane that the government will lease from its wealthy Israeli owner, rather than on the plane carrying the official Israeli delegation to the event. His office explained that the decision stems from concern about coronavirus infection during the long flight. 

The explanation did not quell the public outrage that erupted over news of the private flight. Netanyahu was unfazed. Years of investigations, a criminal trial, public censure, mass protests and a deep economic and health crisis — none of these are undermining his resolve nor dampening his spirits. It was only after hours of public criticism and pressure, that Netanyahu’s office announced he will be joining the official Israeli delegation flight. Netanyahu is used to mounting rearguard battles against all chances. He is not considering surrender, even for a moment. And as of now, he holds unchallenged sway over his Likud party and a significant number of Israeli voters. To be continued.