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News Reports and Commentary ב"ה שבת שלום Elul, 5779 Israel and the Jewish World 28 Published by the TORONTO ZIONIST COUNCIL פרשת יצבים September 28, 2019 Tel: 416 781-3571 e-mail: tzc@torzc.org More news: www.aftershabbat.com Founding Editor: Yossi Winter שנה טובה ומתוקה Shana Tova Umetuka Israel’s Flailing Democracy Democrats claim that Trump’s discussion with Post Election Issue constitutes an illegal solicitation of foreign assistance Caroline B. Glick US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s announcement for his 2020 campaign for reelection. Republicans Bizarro World: Neither Candidate Tuesday that she is opening an official impeachment counter that Trump was reasonably trying to Wants the President's Blessing inquiry against President Donald Trump struck many understand what happened to the DNC server in Mati Tuchfeld Israelis as yet another sign that Prime Minister 2016. The story has served as a basis for claims that Before any general election, each candidate hopes Benjamin Netanyahu and Trump are in the same his presidency is illegitimate, and continuous the president will task him or her with forming the boat. Both are hounded by legal elites who will stop investigations of his campaign. next government. Now, however, for the first time at nothing to oust them from office. Leaving aside the weight of the opposing claims, the ever, the candidates hope President Reuven Rivlin There are parallels between the two leaders. fact is that there is nothing unique about Trump’s will task their rival with the responsibility. Pelosi’s move followed the leak of a whistleblower actions. As Mark Thiessen noted in the Washington It seems the president has never had as much complaint to the US intelligence community’s Post, in 2018, three Democratic senators urged the discretion as he does presently. Even in 1984 when inspector general. The complainant alleged that Ukrainian government to continue investigations into the election resulted in a deadlock, Shimon Peres was during a telephone conversation with Ukrainian Trump’s alleged collusion with Russia during the tasked with forming the government because he President Volodymyr Zelensky in July, Trump 2016 presidential campaign. received three more seats than his rival. sought the Ukrainian leader’s assistance in advancing National Review noted that during the 2016 As stated, however, neither Prime Minister his 2020 reelection prospects. This is arguable. campaign, the Obama administration asked the Benjamin Netanyahu nor Blue and White leader During the course of the phone call, Trump asked Ukrainian government to open a criminal probe Benny Gantz want be granted the opportunity first, Zelensky to speak with US Attorney General William against Trump’s campaign chairman Paul Manafort. because alongside the inherent advantages of such a Barr about the private cybersecurity company So too, revelations regarding the origins of the mandate, going first would actually reduce their Crowdstrike. Crowdstrike is the private contractor Trump-Russia probe which fomented the nearly two- chances of successfully forming a coalition. that was hired by the Democratic National year Special Counsel investigation showed that the On the other hand, both Netanyahu and Gantz aren't Committee in the spring of 2016 to investigate the Obama Justice Department based wiretap requests sure they want to go second either. Being tasked first alleged hack of the DNC’s computer server. against Trump campaign officials on a dossier paid comes with considerable advantages. For instance, Crowdstrike concluded that the DNC’s server was for by the Clinton campaign and the DNC, and when the Knesset is sworn in, power is transferred to hacked by entities related to the Russian government. compiled by a former British spy on the basis of the party that received the president's mandate. It The DNC never permitted federal investigators to contacts with Russian operatives. take possession of the breached server, or receive Democrats braying for impeachment have never controls the Arrangements Committee, it can create shown the slightest interest in investigating the other committees, pass laws, and even try appointing Crowdstrike’s full report. Despite the fact that they were never given the opportunity to verify Obama administration’s actions. No Democratic a permanent Speaker of the Knesset – who wouldn't lawmakers has called to impeach Obama or members be replaced even if the other party eventually forms Crowdstrike’s claims, those claims were the basis of the US intelligence community’s assertion in of his administration. the government. The criminal probes against Netanyahu relate to Gantz considered all these benefits when he decided December 2016 that the Russian government hacked the DNC server to interfere in the 2016 election. It actions he took to secure positive media coverage that to enter talks with the Arab parties, most of which are similar, if not identical to routine political recommended his Blue and White party and was also a foundation of the claim that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia against the Hillary behavior. The two major probes against Netanyahu – increased his odds of receiving the president's dubbed Case 2000 and Case 4000 allege that mandate. Again, though, in complete contrast to the Clinton campaign in 2016. In his conversation with Zelensky, Trump said, Netanyahu acted criminally when he met with media aforementioned benefits, going first also entails the owners in bids to secure more positive coverage. most critical of pitfalls – it reduces his chances of “Our country has been through a lot and Ukraine In Case 2000, Netanyahu is accused of having actually forming a government. knows a lot about it. I would like you to find out what breached the public faith when he met with Yediot As of now, each side and all the parties are doubling happened with this whole situation with Ukraine, Ahronot publisher Arnon Moses in an effort to secure down on their campaign promises. Netanyahu they say Crowdstrike…the [DNC] server, they say positive media coverage. Yediot Ahronot’s coverage corralled a solid right-wing bloc that gives him the Ukraine has it…I would like to have the Attorney of Netanyahu has been unstintingly negative. In Case keys to forming a government at all, while Blue and General call you or your people and I would like you 4000, prosecutors allege Netanyahu accepted a bribe White is refusing to enter coalition talks. It's safe to to get to the bottom of it.” in the form of positive media coverage on Walla assume that as time passes, the glue holding these Trump also talked with Zelensky about Democratic news portal from Walla owner Shaul Alovich. Like promises together will start to weaken. presidential aspirant, former vice president Joe Yediot, Walla coverage of Netanyahu has almost This won't happen right away, but coalition talks last Biden. uniformly hostile. a minimum of 28 days, with an option for a 14-day During his tenure in office, Biden was responsible Leading jurists from Prof. Alan Dershowitz of for US ties with Ukraine. As investigative journalist Harvard University to Prof. Avi Bell from Bar Ilan extension thereafter. Another election, which would Peter Schweitzer reported, in April 2014, Biden’s son be Israel's third in the past year, is an extreme and University agree that the legal proceedings against Hunter was appointed to the board of Burisma, a Netanyahu are political and based on prejudicial and outrageous scenario. We can reasonably expect all Ukrainian gas company. Over the next 16 months, sides to do their utmost to gradually and eventually selective enforcement of statutes which prosecutors Bursima paid Hunter Biden $3.1 million. Biden are interpreting inventively. eschew most if not some of their campaign vows to joined the company while Burisma was under avoid dispersing another Knesset. However, the fact As is the case with the allegations related to criminal probe by British and Ukrainian Trump’s dealings with Zelensky, the first problem that the first candidate's failure to form a government investigators. simply means the second in line receives the with the probes against Netanyahu is that his actions In a post-vice presidency appearance before the were far from unique – although less successful than opportunity, could lead the parties to harden their Council on Foreign Relations, Biden bragged that he stances in the near future and prevent progress. similar actions by other politicians. had conditioned the provision of $1 billion in US loan In just one striking example of the inherent bias of Hence, only after the second candidate's attempt to guarantees to the Ukrainian government – loan form a government – in other words in another two- the charges against Netanyahu consider the behavior guarantees that had already been approved by Obama of the prosecutors in relation to Blue and White party three months from today – will the pressure reach a – on the firing of the Ukrainian prosecutor carrying breaking point conducive to compromise. Or perhaps co-chairman, and Yesh Atid party leader Yair Lapid. out the investigation against Burisma. Given the While serving as finance minister in 2013 and 2014, other solutions will arise, such as party defections stakes, the Ukrainian government bowed to his Lapid held regular meetings Mozes. Government capable of tipping the scales. demand. The prosecutor was fired and the loan ministries controlled by Lapid’s party colleagues For the time being, once the president is done guarantees were extended. provided millions of shekels in government receiving all the parties' recommendations, the Speaking of Biden’s admitted intervention with the advertising to Yediot Ahronot. And Lapid and his decision is entirely his. It stands to reason that Rivlin, Ukrainian prosecution, Trump said, “There’s a lot of Yesh Atid party received unstintingly positive who is motivated by a healthy appetite for revenge talk about Biden’s son, that Biden stopped the coverage in Yediot Ahronot.