Netanyahu's Ouster Ain't Over When It's Over

by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org - Home - Stephen Lendman)

Power hungry tyrants never go quietly under any circumstances — especially not when threatened with imprisonment for bribery, fraud and breach of trust, with plenty of damning evidence proving guilt.

The transition of power moment of truth arrived on Sunday.

Netanyahu's reign of terror nears its end — but with him around it's never over even after a new government is sworn into office.

Despite Israel's Basic Law — its constitutional law equivalent — saying "the government shall be established once the Knesset has expressed confidence in it, and the ministers shall thereupon assume office," no formal Israeli protocol exists to transition from an ousted government to its successor.

Yet once Knesset members swear in a new government by a majority of its members, transition to new ruling authorities is formalized.

It's over except for the postmortems. At least that's how things are supposed to be.

In extrajudicially run nations like Israel, anything illegal can happen and often does.

Haaretz reported that after new ruling authorities are sworn into office, Netanyahu may remain in the prime minister's residence for an indefinite "number of days or weeks," adding:

"There are no rules specifying when the outgoing prime minister must leave the residence, and the legal advisor to the prime minister's office, Shlomit Barnea Farago, has not determined a date for the Netanyahu family's departure."

Yet after being replaced by a new government, Netanyahu becomes responsible for paying expenses related to the prime minister's official residence as long as he resides there.

Knesset transition of power proceedings begin at 4:00 PM local time Sunday — in the presence of outgoing ceremonial president Rivlin and High Court chief justice Esther Hayut. 

According to Israeli media, Netanyahu's office hasn't commented on Sunday procedures, including if he'll attend them.

Yet his Likud party promised an orderly transition of power.

Haaretz editor-in-chief Aluf Benn said "(t)he government set to be sworn in on Sunday afternoon already looks fragile" — given its razor-thin Knesset one-seat majority.

Likud whip Miki Zohar believes decision-making by the incoming government will be "paralyzed."

Calling prime minister-designate Naftali Bennett "a lame duck," he said his government may collapse in a year, adding:

"(H)e will eventually go back to his private life and will not be able to remain an elected public official anymore because no one would back him in another election campaign."

After presentations by the outgoing and incoming prime minister (if Netanyahu shows up), heads of other parties, election of a new speaker and alternate prime minister, as well as completion of other procedures, swearing in the new government will follow.

On Monday, transition of power ceremonies will take place in most government ministries — including the prime minister's office.

What Jerusalem Post editors called a "different kind of politics" because of the new government's coalition members is same old dirty business as usual for Palestinians and geopolitically on the world stage — under new management.

As long as he remains a Knesset member, Netanyahu will always be the elephant in the room opponent of the new government, his energy directed at undermining it.

Moments ahead of transitioning from him to new ruling authorities, he remains an obstacle to change about to take place.

A follow-up article will discuss Knesset proceedings and outcome when concluded.

VISIT MY WEBSITE: stephenlendman.org (Home - Stephen Lendman). Contact at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

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"Banker Occupation: Waging Financial War on Humanity"

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