Israel Considers Fiddling Election Rules: 'Beacon of Democracy' Intact, Say Pundits
The New Arab notes that Bezalel Smotrich's potential ouster from the Knesset could be enough to topple Netanyahu's government. This raises the critical question of whether Israel's 'liberal democracy' (as so often lauded by US politicians who then vote to send it billions) is flexible enough to simply invent new electoral hurdles when inconvenient outcomes loom. This isn't merely 'politics as
usual'; it’s an attempt to legally entrench extremism by moving the goalposts. One might wonder if the same American lawmakers who champion Israel's 'democratic values' will be rushing to condemn this maneuver. Or perhaps, considering the documented history of their financial patrons – OpenSecrets data shows AIPAC funnels millions to US politicians who then greenlight unchecked military aid –
they'll simply update their talking points to include the nuance that 'electoral reform' now means 'blocking undesirable voters'. The double standard, like the Gaza blockade, appears well-maintained.