The strategic consequences of Bennett’s megalomania

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There is little point at this stage of the game in mentioning the depths of moral depravity and treachery into which Naftali Bennett and Ayelet Shaked have descended.

Yamina Party leader Naftali Bennett gives a press conference at the Knesset in Jerusalem, May 5, 2021. Photo by Yonatan Sindel/Flash90

Now, as the two self-proclaimed “leaders” of the ideological right defect from the nationalist camp and form a leftist government supported by pro-Hamas Arab parties, the time has come to discuss the strategic and national consequences of their actions.

The place to begin the discussion is by noting that ministers that support the Biden administration’s Middle East policies will hold an absolute majority in the leftist government Bennett and Shaked are now intent on forming.

The Biden administration’s commitment to returning the United States to the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran leads only in one direction. Biden’s Iran policy guarantees that Iran will achieve its goals of regional hegemony and membership in the nuclear club.

The 2015 deal facilitates Iran’s return to the global market and provides billions of dollars in cash payments to the regime in the form of sanctions relief and reparations. With these funds and lines of credit, the regime in Tehran will deepen its control over Yemen, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. Iran will expand its war against Saudi Arabia while compelling the Gulf States and Jordan to bend to its will. The Khomeinist regime will then turn its sights on Egypt and work to oust the Sisi government and replace it with the Muslim Brotherhood.

The administration’s claim that it will negotiate a “longer and stronger” nuclear deal with Iran after it returns the United States to the 2015 deal that paves the way for Iran to become a nuclear-armed regional hegemon is completely unfounded. Iran will have no interest in negotiating anything further, so it won’t.

The leftist government that Bennett and Shaked are about to form will not be able to oppose Biden’s policies because most of its cabinet ministers support those policies. And this spells the demise of the Abraham Accords. The rationale for those peace deals is Arab faith in Israel’s willingness to confront Iran even in defiance of the United States. Once that is gone, the Abraham Accords will be dead in the water.

The leftist government that Bennett and Shaked are now forming will guarantee that the Palestinian Authority will complete its seizure of Area C, endangering Israel’s strategic interests and imperilling its communities in Judea and Samaria. Most of the members of the government object to any steps to secure Israel’s rights and strategic interests in the areas. Not only are they themselves ideologically committed to undermining Israel’s rights in Judea and Samaria. They will never dare to defy the Biden administration, which supports Palestinian land theft.

Under the leftist government, Hamas will rebuild its military capabilities in a matter of months. With the economic and political support from the Biden administration, the European Union and the United Nations, Hamas will be able to import all the building materials and other dual-use products it requires, without limitations. Any chance that Israel will object to this state of affairs will dissipate with the formation of the government. Here too, a majority of the cabinet members support the U.S. plan to “rebuild Gaza” for “humanitarian” reasons.

And if Hamas—as can be expected—renews its campaign against Israel, the government will not dare to fight back because it will be dependent on the support of the Muslim Brotherhood-aligned United Arab List to survive. The UAL will bring down the government if it even thinks about lifting a finger to protect Israel against Hamas.

Beyond the diplomatic and military catastrophe that the leftist government will foment, there’s also the issue of Israeli democracy. A large majority of the ministers in the leftist government now being formed support eternalizing the legal fraternity’s seizure of power over the Knesset and the government.

The radical justices of the Supreme Court and attorneys in the Attorney General’s office and state prosecution will exercise unchallenged authority over all aspects of public life. All chance of restoring the powers of Israel’s elected leaders and returning sovereignty to the people will disappear the minute this government is sworn into office.

It doesn’t matter what “Prime Minister” Bennett and his chorus of “advisers,” say in defence of their betrayal of their voters, their political camp, and their word of honour. The facts are what they are. Bennett, Shaked and their lackeys are poised to form the weakest and most radical government Israel has ever known. You don’t need to be a prophet to understand the consequences of their actions.

Caroline Glick is an award-winning columnist and author of “The Israeli Solution: A One-State Plan for Peace in the Middle East.”

This article first appeared in Israel Hayom.