As Israelโs new government was set to be sworn in this morning and a new speaker elected, the former Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations and current member of Knesset, Danny Danon spoke on Israeli radio about the complicated and controversial negotiating process that led to the formation of Jewish Stateโs 37th government.
A prominent and respected member of the Likud party, Danon spoke with Guy Peleg on the talk radio station, 103FM about Benjamin Netanyahuโs negotiation process during coalition talks and how the roles were allocated.
ืึธึผืจืึผืึฐ ืึทืชึธึผื ื', ืึฑืึนืึตืื ืึผ ืึถืึถืึฐ ืึธืขืึนืึธื, ืฉึถืืึถืึฑืึธื ืึผ ืึฐืงึดืึฐึผืึธื ืึผ ืึฐืึดืึดึผืืขึธื ืึผ ืึทืึฐึผืึทื ืึทืึถึผื!
โ Danny Danon ๐ฎ๐ฑ ืื ื ืื ืื (@dannydanon) December 29, 2022
ืืืื ืื ื ืืืืืื ืืช ืืืืืชื ื ืืืืืจ, ืืืืจืื ืฉืืื ืืื ืืืชืจืืืช ืืืืฉืื ืืืืฉืืช ืืืืฆืืช, ืืืงืืืื ืืืฉืื ืืืืืืช ืฉืชืขืืื ืืืขื ืื ืืืจืื ืืฉืจืื.
Danon, who was thought to be a frontrunner for a ministerial post given his popularity among the electorate began his interview by stating today was a holiday. The former chairman of Likud International was surprisingly not on the list of cabinet members as of this morning. He explained that โ[t]he process was too long, there was a continuous discourse and two months of nerve-wracking negotiations with partners who came with excessive demands."
Since receiving the mandate from President Isaac Herzog, Netanyahu has been wrangling with what appeared to be greedy party leaders whose factions won relatively few seats compared to the Likud which handily won the election, capturing more than 25% of all Knesset seats. At times, it appeared that the longest-serving leader in Israelโs history was being extorted by his โpartnersโ who would use the media to make threats if their list of demands were not met.
The crazy ass American left, especially the corrupt media, is trying to character assassinate the new Netanyahu government even before it acts. This is how the Marxist-secularists in America operate. And that certainly includes the self-haters.https://t.co/n3pK9NYVIg
โ Mark R. Levin (@marklevinshow) December 28, 2022
Some of those demands have shocked even the staunchest of the Likud party faithful such as requests to change the Basic Law, essentially the constitution of Israel, to accommodate a twice-convicted lawmaker enabling him to serve as a minister. Other partiesโ demandโs required shuffling ministerial responsibilities to carve out specific niche roles that never existed before, as well as placing a hardliner lawmaker with no practical experience in security in charge of a new role that would oversee the police in Judea and Samaria.
According to the coalition agreement, Itamar Ben Gvir, who was prohibited from serving in the Israel Defense Forces due to his extremist views, demanded that the Border Police be detached from the national police. The force would then be placed under Ben Gvir in the newly created role of "National Security" Minister. This in effect creates a third security force that some are referring to as a National Guard and that has many in the Defense establishment concerned that the IDFโs control over security matters will be compromised.
2) In what concrete ways was the portfolio of the position expanded (preceding the so-called "Ben Gvir Law")? For example, to my knowledge, the Minister of Public Security always oversaw the "Border" Police (Magav) that operates in the oPT.
โ Diana B. Greenwald (@dbgreenwald) December 27, 2022
When asked about why he was not going to be a part of the new government which critics have warned would be dangerous for Israelโs thriving democracy, Danon said: "I want to be in the government, but not at any cost.โ Danon was referring to the seemingly Jerry-rigged cabinet where positions were added to accommodate the demands of Likudโs coalition partners.
That answer is typical of Danon, a consummate public servant who has had the best interest of his constituency in each role he has served. As Ambassador in New York, oftentimes Danon would pay his own expenses when traveling America for speaking engagements. With the rise in popularity of anti-Zionism and antisemitism in America, he believed it was a duty to accept offers to speak to college students to dispel myths and disinformation. He also took on the seemingly biased United Nations and is credited by people like former US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley for calling out the hypocrisy of the world body.
PIC: Nikki Haley lighting the menorah at event hosted by Israeli Amb. Danny Danon on Thursday. Danon to Haley: โWe will miss your light at the United Nations.โ pic.twitter.com/BSMeLRXCIO
โ Jacob Kornbluh (@jacobkornbluh) December 9, 2018
He excelled in that role, and many had thought that experience made him the frontrunner for the role of Foreign Minister. It was announced this morning that Eli Cohen, an accountant by profession who has served as Intelligence Minister would assume the key role. Speculation also had him as Speaker of the Knesset but last night it was revealed that the role went to controversial Knesset Member and staunch Netanyahu defender, Amir Ohana.
Danon also addressed his plans moving forward in a way that showed the integrity that has marked his career: โFor me too this is a trial period. If there is not something significant [where I would have] the ability to execute and influence, I will simply support the government and work as [a member of] the Knesset."
Guy Peleg also asked if he had spoken to Netanyahu who assumed the Prime Minister's role for a record sixth time and Danon stressed that he has and continues to do so: "I want [to be a part of the government] and I think I deserve it. In the end, though, the decision belongs to the Prime Minister."
"ืืืืืื ืื ืืฆืื ืืืืืงืช": ืื ื ืื ืื ืืจืื ืืืืื ืืืืืง ืขื ืชืคืงืื https://t.co/T7DeLN0gao
โ ืืืคื (@KipaNews) December 29, 2022
Speaking to the process and the stranglehold that the coalition partners had on Netanyahu and the Likud party, Danon summed it up by stating that "[t]he general feeling is that the Likud did not come out strengthened in this negotiation. The partners arrive on a holiday. Even if I don't get any position, I think we will come and support the government. We need to understand that in the Likud we intend to take the reins and lead the coalition. In relationships, you can always change or improve, and I think this is necessary."
