Netanyahu aims to surpass founding father with 3rd term
occupied jerusalem — Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s long domination of Israeli politics has earned him the nickname “King Bibi” but he now faces the twin risks of a strong political challenger in an April 9 election and possible indictment for corruption.
Should he win again for a fifth term in office, Netanyahu will be on track to surpass Israel’s founding father David Ben-Gurion’s record of more than 13 years in office.
But opinion polls show Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud locked in a close battle with a centrist alliance led by former armed forces chief of staff Benny Gantz.
The attorney-general has announced his intention to indict Netanyahu on fraud, bribery and breach of trust charges pending a hearing, which will be held after the election.
Netanyahu is not legally required to resign if indicted, only if convicted with all appeals exhausted, but political pressure would likely be intense.
Still, Netanyahu has spent years outlasting opponents through deft manoeuvring and right-wing leadership and he could well do so again.
He has campaigned with a combination of divisive populism and attempts to portray himself as a world statesman by talking up his relationships with foreign leaders, including US President Donald Trump.
Netanyahu has himself employed Trump-like tactics, denouncing “fake news” and calling the corruption investigations against him a “witch hunt”.
“The country’s situation is fantastic,” he said on Monday. “It’s better than it has ever been. Our opponents have no way to deal with our accomplishments. They have no way — what can I say?”
The burly 69-year-old with his familiar grey comb-over has entrenched himself at the top so firmly that he is almost universally known by the nickname Bibi, which dates back to childhood.
Few doubt his political effectiveness.
Much of his popularity has to do with another nickname — “Mr Security” — in a country where such issues are always on voters’ minds.
His centrist challenger has threatened to outdo his carefully burnished credentials — not only is Gantz a former chief of staff, so are two key members of his team.