Short-lived Knesset, Long-term Problems

Back to the Ballot Box: Special Israeli election coverage

“T
he Greatest Show on Earth” was how the legendary Ringling Bros. dubbed their traveling circus. But last Wednesday night, the greatest show on earth — for young chareidim at least — was at the Knesset.

At 9 p.m., the only people coming through the security scanners at the Knesset entrance were chareidi. The visitors’ gallery high above the plenum was a sea of black and white. Closely following the action below, under the watchful gaze of the Knesset ushers, were dozens of young chassidim and yeshivah students — political pundits to a man.

They were there to witness Israeli political history, as Bibi Netanyahu’s hard-won coalition was destroyed by Avigdor Lieberman’s political ambitions, triggering fresh elections only 50 days after being sworn in.

But although the real playmakers were elsewhere — in the prime minister’s residence and Lieberman’s Tel Aviv headquarters — the Knesset was the place to be to understand the long-term messages of this debacle for Israeli politics.