Transcript [00:00] the election. Rabbi, good to see you. [00:02] How are you? [00:03] >> It's good to see you, Mr. Mayor. How are [00:05] you? Things are good. We have an [00:07] election a couple days from now. [00:09] >> So, it's getting kind of It's getting [00:10] kind of fun. You know, the way it is [00:11] election season. [00:12] >> Sure. And how are things in Israel? [00:16] >> Things in Israel are good. Look, I think [00:18] so. Right. [00:19] >> You know, they're good in so many ways. [00:21] uh you know the International Monetary [00:24] Fund published their numbers for growth [00:26] for the for uh all the OECD countries [00:30] last week and Israel came out not in the [00:33] top five or in the top three but as the [00:36] number one country in the developed [00:38] world in growth per capita and we've [00:41] been fighting a war for three years. I [00:43] mean, you know, our our birth rate per [00:47] woman is double the average o of OECD [00:51] countries. It's a young, vibrant [00:53] country. We're proud. We're fighting. [00:55] We're winning. [00:57] >> And we have big decisions to make. We [00:59] have an election. So, things are, you [01:00] know, things are very political, a lot [01:02] of campaigning going on, a lot of, you [01:04] know, you got to, you know, it's it's [01:06] not always easy to see through the BS [01:08] and the fog. But uh yeah, listen, it's [01:10] an exciting time and it's and this is [01:12] the only real democracy in the Middle [01:14] East and we're going to vote on Tuesday. [01:16] >> You know, that is something that our [01:19] students in America, right, our idiot [01:22] students [01:24] demonstrating for Hamas and Palestine [01:26] and all this stuff, they fail to realize [01:29] there's only one democracy in the middle [01:31] in the Middle East. I mean, even even [01:33] are the countries we're working well [01:36] with and I think things are going to [01:37] work out and maybe they will be [01:39] democracies, but they're not. [01:42] They're not. I mean, they're they are [01:44] totalitarian countries. This is the one [01:47] country that is like America and and uh [01:51] well, in any event, what's going to [01:53] happen? Well, I mean, first of all, I am [01:55] a I have to I have to just tell you my [01:57] prejudices, okay? BB's been my friend [02:00] since 1985. [02:02] I almost represented him at one point [02:05] due to complications with President [02:06] Trump and representing him at the same [02:08] time. I couldn't do it, but I would have [02:09] been honored to do it. I I thought he [02:12] was framed. I uh uh I know him from the [02:14] time he was a hero in the IDF. Uh his [02:18] brother, of course, is at the highest [02:21] level of hero, but he he obtained two [02:24] medals for similar kind of rescues. [02:28] >> Yeah. And he served in Israel's most [02:29] elite commando unit. Yeah. Absolutely. I [02:31] mean, [02:32] >> the man the man is is is complete. But [02:35] in any in any event, what's going to h [02:37] what's going to what's going to happen? [02:38] I mean, he has been in power for a long [02:40] time more than anyone else. That's got [02:42] to that no matter who you are, it [02:43] creates a set of problems. So, what's [02:46] going to happen? So, first of all, yeah, [02:48] that set of problems is definitely [02:50] there. Uh, as much as you know, I've [02:52] been voting for him since 1996 when [02:54] [laughter] he first ran for prime [02:56] minister. That's how long uh you That's [02:58] how long I remember when he was I was a [03:00] newlywed when he got elected. [laughter] [03:02] We'd literally been married a couple [03:04] months and I'm a grandfather now and [03:05] he's still prime minister. So [laughter] [03:07] So he's doing something right. [03:11] Uh but no, but when you ask what's going [03:13] to happen though, [laughter] so so to [03:15] get down to [03:17] so to get down to what's going to [03:18] happen, look, the [03:22] the Israeli [03:24] Israeli elections, Israeli polling, let [03:27] me just I went back four election cycles [03:31] and looked at the polling le in the [03:34] weeks before the election versus the [03:37] election results in four the previous [03:40] four election cycles in Israel. And what [03:42] I found is is two trends that were [03:47] consistent. Number one, the polling [03:51] always overestimates the left and [03:53] underestimates the right [laughter] [03:56] every single time. Every single time. [03:58] There was no exception to that rule. The [04:00] other trend I saw, and this gets into [04:02] what's really going to happen. The other [04:04] trend was that, you know, in Israel we [04:06] have a uh it's proportional [04:08] representation. So every it's all it's [04:11] it's basically like we're all one big [04:12] district. the whole country, everyone, [04:14] you just vote for a party list and then [04:17] the total votes cast [04:21] every party has to cross the minimum [04:24] number of votes you have to get to get [04:26] into Knesset is 3 and a4% of the [04:29] electorate which is the equivalent of [04:31] four seats in Knesset. Meaning the [04:32] minimum number you can't you can't get a [04:34] single seat. [04:35] >> You can't get one seat [04:36] >> unless you get three and a half% of the [04:38] you can't just get one person. [04:39] >> In other words, the minimum number of [04:41] seats you can get is four. So you you [04:42] have to get three and a quart%. [04:44] >> That makes sense. You have to [04:45] >> And what that means is that any party [04:48] that did not get to the threshold, let's [04:50] say a party gets 3% and misses three and [04:52] a quart in a pan, right? [04:54] >> But it's not just that. Here's here's [04:56] the here's the key. All of those votes [04:58] go in the trash. They're not part of the [04:59] the of the division of the Knesset [05:01] anymore. They get wasted. [05:02] >> It's a lot of votes then. [05:03] >> It's a lot of votes, right? So generally [05:05] what happens in Israel is that in the [05:07] weeks leading up to the election by the [05:09] by the time the parties have to submit [05:11] their party lists which is usually about [05:13] a month before the election [05:15] small parties that just that started [05:17] that realize they're not going to get in [05:19] combine and into joint lists in order to [05:22] cross the threshold. And uh in in the [05:26] last election four years ago, one of the [05:29] um one of the left-wing parties that had [05:31] been around for decades, cuz the left in [05:33] Israel has been shrinking for the last [05:35] 25 years, one of those left-wing parties [05:38] that had always been in Knesset, barely [05:40] missed. They came in right under the [05:42] threshold and they lost all those seats. [05:44] And that's part of what gave Netanyahu [05:46] such a stable coalition all these four [05:48] years. [05:49] Well, this time around it's on the right [05:52] that there's a couple new small parties. [05:54] Uh, and there is a possibility that if a [05:57] that if there's really two parties there [05:59] that are small that are kind of ch that [06:01] are looking like they're getting close [06:02] to the threshold. And what I was going [06:04] to tell you is that going back four [06:05] election cycles, what I found is that [06:08] small parties that are polling right [06:11] around the threshold or even just above [06:13] it absolutely never never cross the [06:17] threshold. And the re and the reason I [06:19] believe that's the case is this. It's [06:21] very simple. People don't want to waste [06:23] their vote on a party that won't get in, [06:25] >> right? [06:25] >> But sometimes you have these small [06:27] parties that are very exciting. So when [06:29] a pollster calls people a week before [06:31] the election or two weeks before the [06:32] election and says, "Who you voting for?" [06:34] A lot of people might say, you know, [06:36] there's this new party. I really like [06:37] what they stand for. But then that same [06:40] person on election day when they're in [06:42] the booth starts having misgivings cuz [06:44] hey, they might not make it. and they [06:46] default back to the traditional larger [06:48] parties. So what what consistently [06:50] happens is there's these small parties [06:52] that are polling above the threshold but [06:55] then on election day they fall below it. [06:57] It never goes in the other direction. [06:59] >> It never goes in the other direction. I [07:00] did this research myself. [07:01] >> You know there there's a certain [07:04] uh trend in American and most politics [07:06] like that except it happens in a in a in [07:09] a different way. [07:10] >> Yeah. because because you have different [07:11] systems. So when you ask me I'll tell [07:14] you what my prediction is. [07:15] >> The fringe candidate the fringe [07:17] candidate usually implodes, [07:21] >> right? Because that's part of what [07:22] happens. They have they have this this [07:24] there's this excitement around them and [07:26] this support that's kind of like it's [07:27] new ideas. It's interesting. It's [07:29] touching a nerve and that's why they [07:31] have some measure of success. But a lot [07:33] of the people who are excited then [07:35] default back to the safer option on [07:37] election day. This is something that [07:39] happens. So, putting all of that [07:41] together, what I predict, [07:45] especially based on the fact that the [07:47] polling always skews to the left, and [07:48] let me tell you, as as problematic as [07:51] polling is everywhere, including in [07:52] America, and how it's manipulated, at [07:54] least in America, you can look up the [07:57] cross tabs of a poll, and I'm sure [07:58] you've read many. I [07:59] >> always do all the time [08:00] >> in your business, you've probably read [08:02] hundreds of pages of cross tabs. [08:04] >> I went blind over it. But when you read [08:06] those cross tabs, that's where you find [08:08] the inefficiencies and that's when then [08:10] you see what the polling is really [08:11] about. Here's the problem in Israel. And [08:13] I say this as someone who works in [08:14] media, you can't find cross tabs for [08:17] polls. The polling agencies in Israel do [08:19] not publish cross tabs. I've called them [08:21] on the phone and asked them for cross [08:23] tabs and they won't give them to me. [08:25] [laughter] [08:25] So there's no transparency whatsoever. [08:28] So polling here is really it's it's [08:31] there's nothing to rely on. And Rudy, my [08:34] my prediction, [08:35] >> you're stuck. You're stuck with [08:37] >> I'll tell you. So, I'll give you my [08:38] prediction. I think I think your [08:39] audience, you know, I'm on the ground [08:40] here. Let me tell you what I think is [08:41] gonna happen. [08:42] >> Please, please. [08:43] >> I think that the coalition, and this is [08:46] a boring prediction, but that Netanyahu [08:49] is going to form the exact same [08:50] coalition he has now. After this [08:52] election, it'll be the same parties. [08:54] There will be a little bit of a [08:56] difference in that. I think that the [08:57] more nationalist right-wing parties like [09:00] Itamar Bengir's party and Smutri's party [09:02] are going to grow a little bit. Oh, [09:04] >> Leud might be a little bit smaller, but [09:06] the coalition will be pretty much the [09:08] same. That is my prediction. I could end [09:10] up being wrong, but I think that's [09:12] what's going to happen. Uh there is, you [09:15] know, because if the trend continues as [09:18] it has been for for all these last four [09:20] election cycles, the prediction of the [09:22] left is going to shrink. Now, if [09:24] Netanyahu cannot form a coalition for [09:26] whatever reason, we are going where it [09:29] will not be a left-wing coalition [09:31] because they won't be able to form one [09:33] and we're going to end up in a [09:35] stalemate. You might remember back in [09:37] 2019, Israel had three elections backto [09:40] backto back because we couldn't form a [09:42] coalition. And the way our system is [09:44] built, after a certain number of days, [09:46] after not forming a coalition, it goes [09:48] back to the voters again. And you keep [09:50] trying until you get a different result. [09:52] And it took three elections and it [09:53] really it was not healthy for the [09:55] country. [09:55] >> When was that? I remember when when was [09:57] that right? [09:57] >> It was 2019. [09:59] >> Right. Of course. Yeah. While while [10:01] >> and what ended up breaking the stalemate [10:03] was was treacherous. It was it was [10:05] Naftali Bennett who had been elected in [10:07] a small uh seemingly right-wing party [10:10] and he shifted left and made the first [10:12] ever coalition with an Arab anti-Israel [10:15] party which which was viewed as a [10:18] betrayal in the country and and that [10:21] government didn't last very long for [10:22] obvious reasons. So it's we we the we [10:27] could be headed for that result if for [10:29] some reason Netanyahu uh Netanyahu can't [10:33] get a coalition deal put together but [10:35] the Likud will be the biggest party. He [10:38] is going to be the lead dog in terms of [10:40] forming a government. And my my gut [10:42] tells me that also the firsttime voters, [10:44] let's remember this, Mr. Mayor, our [10:47] firsttime voters are the kids who fought [10:50] this war. Oh, [10:51] >> they're the 18 to 22 year olds. [10:53] >> First time, the last election was [10:55] >> was four years ago. [10:57] >> So, it was 2022. So, our first time [11:00] voters are the are the kids who fought [11:02] this war. And I think that the polling [11:05] isn't really picking them up [11:06] realistically. And when I talk to them, [11:09] and I talked to a lot of them, some of [11:10] them are my kids and their friends. And [11:12] I I've been keeping my ear to the [11:14] ground. The young these firsttime voters [11:16] are skewing hardight nationalist. And I [11:20] think that the polling isn't picking [11:21] them up and that's one of the [11:22] inefficiencies we're going to see in the [11:24] polling. So I'm optimistic here, but [11:26] that doesn't mean look I could be wrong [11:28] and I don't you know I I could end up [11:29] coming back on your show and talking [11:30] about why I went wrong. I'm just telling [11:32] you my prediction is that that our [11:35] friend Prime Minister Netanyahu is going [11:37] to put together the next government and [11:39] everyone's going to talk about the [11:40] surprise of how well he did. But it's [11:43] not such a surprise because this is what [11:44] happens in the last four election [11:46] cycles. Now, these young voters who are [11:50] likely to go right, would they be [11:53] further right than L could? [11:55] >> Oh, yeah. Yeah, that's what I thought. [11:57] >> And that's why the party that is going [11:59] to grow the most, [12:01] the existing party that will grow the [12:04] most in this election is going to be, [12:06] and this is not a hot take. Ask, stop [12:08] anyone on the street in Israel and [12:10] they'll give you the same answer. The [12:11] party that is going to have the greatest [12:13] growth in this election is going to be [12:15] Ben's party. Itar Bengir's [12:18] which is viewed as the far-right party. [12:20] It's a nationalist it's a you know it's [12:22] a nationalist party. It's MAGA basically [12:25] >> you know that they're you know it's a [12:27] nationalist party and they he believes [12:29] in victory and law and order and and you [12:32] know treating our enemies like enemies. [12:34] You know this is [12:35] >> where where where is he now in numbers? [12:38] >> So so so I'll tell you where he is. So [12:40] in the last election [12:43] he wasn't sure he was going to get in. [12:44] And that's how small his party was. And [12:47] he joined a joint list with Smutri's [12:49] religious national u religious Zionist [12:52] party to ensure that they'd get in for [12:54] the reasons I told you before to cross [12:55] the threshold. Now, because of the [12:57] collapse of the left and the and the [12:59] left, by the way, had two parties that [13:01] didn't make the threshold. There was [13:02] there was the party I told you about and [13:04] then there was one of the Arab parties [13:06] that didn't join another list who got to [13:08] like two and a half%. So, they also got [13:11] close to the threshold. So they blew [13:13] hundreds of thousands of votes on the [13:14] left. That's part of why Netanyahu had [13:16] such a stable coalition. But if you [13:18] think about the proportional division, [13:20] that means that everyone else gets more. [13:23] And what happened was the joint list of [13:26] OTMA of Ben's party and Smutri's party [13:28] ended up getting 14 seats between the [13:31] two of them. And this time Ben is [13:34] running on his own. And he's polling [13:36] right now. He's polling at eight in some [13:39] polls, sometimes even a little higher. I [13:42] think he's going to finish with more [13:43] than 10 seats. I think he's going to be [13:44] one of the biggest parties in the [13:45] coalition. And that's not again a lot of [13:48] people are sensing that because in the [13:50] young population and and even though Ben [13:52] himself is religious, people think of [13:54] all the right-wing as religious. No, Ben [13:56] has a lot of he has a he has voters [13:59] across the board, especially in the [14:01] younger generation. And um and I think [14:04] that he's going to I mean he's going to [14:06] grow. Smutri's party is also going to [14:08] get in on their own and they're going to [14:10] grow. Uh, so I I think we're headed for [14:13] a right-wing victory. I know the poly [14:15] market still shows that Netanyahu is [14:17] going to lose. I think that that's what [14:20] they mean by what that is. I think if [14:21] people want to make some easy money, bet [14:23] on Netanyahu right now. [14:24] >> What do they mean by lose? What does [14:27] lose? It's [14:28] >> market a poly market for the odds for [14:31] the betting odds for who's going to be [14:32] the next prime minister of Israel. [14:35] >> Right. [14:35] >> Yeah. It has Gotti Eisenot as the lead [14:38] dog. And I don't think that that [14:39] reflects reality. I think it reflect I [14:40] think I think it's people thinking that [14:43] the mainstream left-wing media in Israel [14:46] has any integrity at all and that their [14:48] polls mean anything but they don't. [14:50] >> Well, how how much how what will happen [14:52] to Lood? Uh their numbers now and their [14:56] numbers after [14:57] >> they won't change that much. Lood [14:58] currently has 32 seats in the Kesset. [15:00] I'm predicting they come in right around [15:02] that, maybe a little bit lower because [15:03] they might bleed some to to Benvir for [15:07] people who want the Netanyahu coalition, [15:09] but they want some harder right factions [15:12] within it to be stronger. You see, even [15:14] though we're a multi-party system, think [15:16] of it this way. You look at the [15:18] Republican party and let's say you have [15:20] the hardcore MAGA guys and then you have [15:23] the, you know, the rhinos and the [15:25] neocons and you have different groups [15:27] within the Republican party. Think about [15:29] those as different parties in a [15:30] coalition. That's basically what it is. [15:33] If I vote for, let's say, the religious [15:35] Zionist party under Smutterrich, I know [15:37] that they're going to be in Netanyahu's [15:38] coalition, which means I'm basically [15:40] voting for a faction within the [15:42] governing coalition. I'm voting for [15:44] Netanyahu when I vote for them because [15:46] they're going to be part of his [15:47] coalition only, but I'm but I'm keeping [15:50] the Netanyahu coalition in a certain [15:52] place for voting for that party, for [15:54] example. So people feel comfortable [15:56] voting that when they're voting for a [15:58] party that they know will be part of the [15:59] right-wing coalition. They it is a vote [16:01] for Netanyahu. Just if the Lud is [16:03] bigger, he has more bargaining power in [16:05] the coalition negotiations. [16:07] >> So the right-wing coalition, [16:10] the the big number would be Lud at 32, [16:13] 30, whatever. [16:15] >> And then the others it'd be at like 8 [16:17] 10. So then you'd have what you'll have [16:19] in there is you'll have the two kared [16:21] ultra orthodox parties [16:23] >> um that will come in one of them will be [16:26] eight and one of them will be nine or [16:28] 10. Let's put them around there. [16:30] >> So that's another let's make it 18. [16:33] >> Mhm. [16:33] >> Or 17 uh seats between the two of them. [16:36] So put that together with Likood and [16:38] you're up to what 49 [16:40] >> or so. And then you have the two um you [16:43] know and then you'll have Ben Vir [16:45] probably coming in at eight at the low [16:47] end I think more like 10 [16:50] and then you're gonna have you're gonna [16:51] have Smootrich you're going to have [16:52] about 62 63 seats maybe uh in the [16:55] coalition. Yeah, it's going to be those [16:57] four those parties. The two al meaning [16:59] the two ultraorththodox parties, Ben [17:00] Gver Smotri and Likood. There's your [17:02] coalition. That's the exact same [17:04] coalition we have now. That's my [17:05] prediction of where we're going to end [17:06] up being. [17:07] >> And the number, what's the magic number? [17:11] >> The magic number is 61. [17:13] >> I thought so. 61 because there's 120 [17:15] Knessetent members and you need half [17:17] plus one. [17:19] >> Wow. [17:21] Now, when when will that get determined? [17:23] How long does it take? So, here's the [17:25] way here's the way the system works. So, [17:27] we vote on election day. The votes get [17:29] counted. And by the way, [17:31] >> I've been a vote counter. I've been in [17:33] the counting rooms. I' I've been a poll [17:35] No, I've been a poll worker. I know the [17:36] whole system inside and out. [17:38] >> Maybe we should do I should come on [17:39] again and I I should explain to your to [17:42] your uh to your audience how our entire [17:45] system works. But it's it's a pretty [17:46] long discussion. [17:48] >> But basically, um it's all paper [17:50] ballots. It's all done in a way that [17:52] it's practically cheatroof. I mean there [17:55] people in Israel might say, "No, they're [17:56] still cheating." It's nothing compared [17:57] to what you have in America. Your [17:59] American elections are a joke [laughter] [18:01] in terms of integrity. I know it's [18:02] really The whole world laughs at you, by [18:04] the way. The idea it I I got to tell [18:06] you, it's insane. Uh but no, so we get [18:10] the result late at night. We'll know the [18:12] total number of votes. We'll know [18:14] exactly what the who got in and who did [18:16] not get in. Once we subtract all the [18:19] parties that did not get in and subtract [18:20] those then the remaining votes get [18:23] divided by 120. Now obviously it doesn't [18:26] divide exactly but that's when we it'll [18:28] get determined what is a Knesset seat. [18:30] It'll then take a couple days for the [18:32] votes that come from soldiers and from [18:35] the diplomats and people who are in who [18:38] are in national service abroad. We don't [18:40] have absentee voting except for people [18:42] who are there working for they're [18:45] probably they're probably gonna balance [18:47] each other a little. I'd assume the [18:49] soldiers the right way and the soldiers [18:52] tend to do the soldiers [18:54] >> traditionally for decades already. When [18:57] the sold the soldier vote usually comes [18:59] in like a day or two later and the [19:00] soldier vote always adds to the right [19:02] wing. It always helps the right. uh and [19:06] especially in the last two decades where [19:08] young people are young people in Israel [19:10] are young people in Israel are more [19:12] right-wing than their parents in to my [19:14] children who were born and raised in [19:15] Israel who are now adults to my children [19:18] in their minds the stereotype of a [19:20] leftist is someone old meaning young no [19:24] it's true young people in Israel [19:26] >> young people in Israel are are more [19:29] right-wing than their parents as a rule [19:30] >> god bless [19:31] >> so so that so that and more [19:33] nationalistic and also also more [19:35] religious than their parents. I mean, [19:36] that's that's that's the trend in [19:38] Israel. [19:38] >> All good, man. I wish we were going that [19:40] way. We are a little bit [19:43] Rabbi, I I I was in New York la last [19:46] week and I went to a church that I [19:48] helped to save when it was on fire. I [19:51] have a medal for it. So, this church is [19:53] deep in my heart. [19:56] the church. The last time I was there, [20:00] because I stopped off there when I go [20:01] back to New York about three years ago, [20:04] four, there was nobody in the church on [20:06] Sunday night for mass. [20:08] It was full this Sunday [20:11] was full. I mean, pretty much full. [20:13] There about three empty seats here, [20:15] three empty seats there, three empty [20:16] seats there. Little bit like the old [20:18] time. [20:19] >> Any people? [20:20] >> Something is happening. I I see that [20:22] >> waking up. [20:23] >> I I see that. I also helped save the [20:26] synagogue on 55th Street in and [20:28] Lexington when it was on fire. My fire [20:31] department did that, but I was there [20:34] helping to direct them and the rabbi [20:36] invited me to the recon constituting of [20:40] that beautiful synagogue that ha it has [20:43] kind of like an Arabic look to it, but [20:47] it's a gorgeous synagogue. That place is [20:50] full now. [20:51] >> Thank God. I I always go back there too [20:54] because it's very special to me. And a [20:56] couple of years ago, I go back there. [20:57] Nobody was there. Same thing with St. [20:59] Agnes. Now, the last week when I went [21:02] back, [21:04] it hard getting a seat both places [21:08] and the [21:09] >> Listen, it's music to my ears because I [21:11] >> they're both a little bit they're [21:12] they're not like Orthodox Orthodox Big [21:15] O, but uh the the synagogue on Fifth on [21:20] Fifth Avenue is a little more, you know, [21:24] Orthodox than than liberal Judaism. And [21:28] St. Agnes has a still has a Latin mass [21:30] every once in a while which makes it [21:32] sort of like Orthodox [21:34] >> sort of tradition. [21:35] >> So the the these people these kids are [21:37] coming back to the more orthodox form of [21:41] our religion. Rabbi, [21:42] >> thank God. And what we have to hope for [21:44] is that they is that they get married [21:46] and they build families. Family [21:48] formation is a problem in this [21:49] generation. [21:50] >> They're holding hands. The kids are [21:51] holding hands and fab. I'm like [21:54] [laughter] [21:55] it's good stuff. Anyway, so what's going [21:57] to happen? Let me just lay it out, you [21:58] know, quickly. [21:59] >> I'm sorry. I just had a I just had share [22:01] that with you. [22:01] >> After they figure out how many, [22:03] >> you know, I'm half Jewish and half [22:04] Catholic, so [laughter] [22:06] >> after they figure out how many seats [22:08] each party got and who got in, uh, and [22:11] once we know the seats, it'll take a [22:12] couple days because of the of the [22:14] reasons I gave you of the soldier votes [22:15] and other things. Once that all gets [22:17] settled, then what happens is the [22:21] official process is that each of the [22:23] parties tells the president and [22:25] president for us is a ceremonial [22:27] position. Herzog, they'll tell the [22:29] president of Israel who they are [22:32] recommending [22:33] as their choice for prime minister. Each [22:35] party will make a formal recommendation [22:37] of who they want to be prime minister [22:39] and the person who receives the most [22:41] recommendations [22:43] then gets gets uh gets uh appointed as [22:46] it were or named by the president uh he [22:50] gets given the prerogative to form a [22:51] coalition. He then has 28 days to form a [22:55] coalition. Right now he could have short [22:57] >> 28 days. [22:58] >> He he has a plurality at that point [23:00] usually [23:01] >> of course and usually that's just a [23:03] matter but that's when the horse trading [23:05] begins. That's when the negotiating [23:06] begin. [23:06] >> So I I if it's 61 he may be at 40 or [23:11] something or 45 or [23:13] >> no meaning he'll at that point he'll [23:15] know which parties are with him but then [23:17] he'll start negotiating with them. Which [23:19] ministries are they going to get which [23:21] ministries are they going to control? [23:22] What are their terms for joining the [23:24] coalition? what are the legislative [23:26] initiatives that they're going to insist [23:27] on to be in the coalition. So, there's a [23:29] whole bunch of negotiating that goes on. [23:31] uh and and the and then and then at the [23:35] end of that process when he has the 61 [23:38] plus [23:40] then he convenes the Knesset is convened [23:43] and there is a vote of confidence [23:46] meaning a vote to seat the new [23:47] government and once that passes because [23:50] the coalition is of course the majority [23:51] it's over 61 that passes and then the co [23:54] and then the government is seated and it [23:56] and it and it starts running that's but [23:58] it's a process that usually takes a [23:59] little bit of time and quite often if at [24:01] the end 28 days. He has not uh he hasn't [24:04] put it together yet, which happens a [24:05] lot. He can ask for an extension. [24:07] Extensions are often granted, but up to [24:09] a point, and when that runs out, I don't [24:11] remember the exact number of how much [24:13] how long an extension he can get, that's [24:15] when it triggers a new election. If he [24:17] still fails, right, [24:18] >> to form a government. So that's the [24:21] process. It could play out for a little [24:22] while. It's very similar to to the [24:24] Netherlands. You might remember when the [24:25] Netherlands had their election where [24:27] vers got a lot of votes. It then took [24:29] months and months and months and they [24:31] still hadn't seated a government yet. [24:32] So, it's a little bit similar to that. [24:34] It is a bit of a processuring. What [24:36] Americans like is to know after the [24:38] election who won. We're not going to [24:40] know so clearly. It's going to take a [24:41] little bit of time to play out. [24:42] >> Who runs the country during that period? [24:45] >> Oh, the existing government, meaning the [24:47] previous government. [24:47] >> Netanyahu. Netanyahu is in charge until [24:50] he either puts it, right? He'll still be [24:52] prime minister, [24:52] >> somebody else does. [24:53] >> He'll still be prime minister. Yeah. [24:55] There's kind of a political taboo [24:57] against making any big decisions during [24:59] a transition like that, [25:00] >> right? [25:01] >> But, you know, with the war going on, [25:02] there could be decisions have to be made [25:04] regardless. [25:05] >> He may have to. [25:06] >> Yeah. Well, Rabbi, that that um that [25:10] would get you that that would I I'd give [25:12] somebody two credits in comparative [25:14] government for that lecture you just [25:16] gave. [laughter] [25:17] That was fabulous. I thank you very very [25:20] much because you educated me and I I [25:23] know you educated my audience in what is [25:25] going to be a difficult process [25:29] to understand and I I have [25:33] a a a complete [25:36] I I do not understand why this man isn't [25:38] reelected in a uh in a landslide. It's [25:41] like it's like it's like Churchill. I [25:44] keep [25:44] >> No, but we can have that conversation. [25:45] There are domestic issues and [25:47] >> I know there are but [25:48] >> there are and there are political [25:50] >> get rid of him in two years. You need [25:51] him right now. [25:52] >> Get rid of him like they did Churchill [25:54] after you win the war. [25:56] >> For sure. [25:57] >> Churchill was okay. You got rid of him. [25:59] He came back again. But you know, you [26:02] can get rid of BB. But after you win the [26:04] war, [laughter] [26:07] >> you need him. [26:07] >> I'm with you. The man the man has more [26:09] kuons than anybody I' I've ever known. [26:12] So, [26:12] >> well, listen. You know, the election's [26:14] next Tuesday and this process is going [26:16] to play out. I'm happy to come back on [26:17] as it's playing out and you will and [26:19] keep your audience. [26:20] >> You know what I appreciate about BB as [26:22] an American? [26:23] >> He made our our job easier. [26:27] I don't I I don't know if we want to [26:30] acknowledge that enough. But when we had [26:33] to go into Iran, he had already softened [26:36] them up. And he also took care of all [26:40] the proxies that we would have to have [26:42] done. And in doing that, we could have [26:44] done it, but it would have cost a lot of [26:46] American lives. [26:48] >> We owe him a lot. And the American [26:50] politicians who don't understand that [26:53] are fools. [26:55] >> American political [26:57] if if you don't like him for some [26:59] domestic issue, that's your I don't [27:00] care. That's your problem. But as an [27:02] American, this is the best prime [27:04] minister you ever had. He was the best [27:07] to America of any prime minister you [27:10] ever had. [27:11] >> Oh, God bless you, Rabbi. [27:13] We'll be back. [27:15] >> Thank you. What a great man. [27:19] What a great teacher.
