Coalition relaxant
Lieberman's addition to government made quite a few politicians happy
For a particularly low price, Olmert bought 11 disciplined votes (that would support his economic policies, but not only) that would help him pass the budget without needless problems and offer their support to various constitutional experiments meant to "stabilize the regime."
Labor Party Knesset Member Shelly Yechimovitz can make all kinds of noises at the Knesset's Finance Committee, but aside from a headache she won't get much out of it.
Avigdor Lieberman and his "national saviors" party are also overjoyed. They went from being in the boring opposition exile to suddenly becoming seemingly relevant. Lieberman, with his reassuring voice and glare that can penetrate through Shehab-3 missiles can issue threats on Teheran at every corner, prepare an action plan, and manage the next crisis.
His faction members will be feeling that they're not just sitting on the opposition benches. From now on, they will sit on the coalition benches and save Olmert's seat. And this is not insignificant. This has a completely different meaning – someone will figure out what it is.
And yes, many of the Labor Party members are happy. Ministers, Knesset members and activists are overjoyed and satisfied that someone is finally going to calm matters, end the endless race to the next quarrel, and deflate Amir Peretz and some of his supporters and opponents.
The addition of Israel Our Home into the coalition is supposed to calm the political system, postpone leadership races, and enable politicians to also devote a little time to addressing state matters. Yes, internal party issues are important, but national matters have a higher priority. And when everybody no longer holds a loaded gun, the prime minister will find it a bit easier to move towards next year.
Bibi also happy
Some Likud members were also overcome with great joy. Silvan Shalom, for example, who is sitting on the sidelines and watches Benjamin Netanyahu leading an almost miniature opposition.
Shalom is certain that now that there's no chance to topple this government so quickly, Netanyahu will go from being the next prime minister in the polls to another passing episode that will fade. Then, Shalom believes, his own big opportunity to take over the Likud once and for all shall come.
On the other hand Netanyahu is also happy with what he got. The Likud chairman is convinced that this entire Olmert-Peretz-Lieberman combination won't make it for too long. Eventually something will make it collapse, and in the meantime he'll become the only genuine alternative around. And who will be the next happy prime minister? That's right, Bibi.
This joy can be found in other places too: Among Israeli citizens, for example, who are fed up with the lack of stability and daily political shakeups. Journalists are also smiling, in the hopes that the extended coalition will stop the crazy pursuit for radical declarations by belligerent politicians and curb the need to go on "elections alert" every six months.
Yet with all this joy around, several matters still remain unclear and even worrisome, not to mention scary. For example, Lieberman's new post. Not because only few understand what Lieberman will be doing exactly as Israel's super-strategist, but mostly because of what was written in the fresh coalition agreement signed yesterday.
If the new minister will indeed deal with formulating policy on Iran and other threats awaiting us, the following imaginary questions emerge: Is it possible that up until now nobody dealt with this? Is it possible that after everything we've heard about the Ahmadinejad threat, Israel still has no orderly plans and policies? Is it possible that up until now nobody managed the country's strategic affairs? Could it be that nobody prepared an orderly plan for a cloudy day? Is it possible that all this joy overwhelming us suddenly, in fact exposes a wholly unhappy reality?
