Can Netanyahu's transitional government start a war with Iran? Three scenarios ahead of the elections
Israeli law does not prohibit a transitional government from starting a war, but it also does not grant it unlimited power. Ynet political commentator Itamar Eichner examines three scenarios for developments ahead of the elections, including a possible war with Iran. Critics fear that military action could be used to influence the election results, although there is no public evidence of such intentions.
Next week, for the first time in 38 years, parliamentary elections in Israel will be held on the legally scheduled date. At the same time, a debate has erupted in the country: does Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who heads a transitional government, have the right to launch a large-scale military operation against Iran? Ynet political commentator Itamar Eichner examines three scenarios. The law does not prohibit a transitional government from starting a war, but it also does not grant it unlimited power. Critics fear that war could be used to influence election results. There is no public evidence of such intentions. Netanyahu stated that Iran is 'trying to develop bombs of death' and ordered the IDF and Mossad to overthrow the regime. There is no consensus in the security establishment: some confirm his words, while others fear that Netanyahu's actions create a risk of a dangerous miscalculation. The first scenario is war before the elections, which would require postponing the vote with the consent of 80 Knesset members. The second is war in the interval between the vote and the swearing-in of the new Knesset. The third is war after the formation of a new government. The article notes that even without artificially creating a pretext, one can always argue that the threat requires an immediate response.