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Netanyahu's Third Term: Last Chance to Make History

After being re-elected and before beginning the task of forming a coalition, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would do well to redefine his goals and his vision for his third term in office, writes Nadav Perry. 
Likud-Yisrael Beitenu activists sit atop a wall surrounding Jerusalem's Old City after they hung a campaign banner depicting Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu January 20, 2013. Netanyahu said on Saturday a country with as many enemies as Israel cannot afford a weak ruling party, after polls ahead of Tuesday's parliamentary election showed a slide in his support. The banner reads "Only Netanyahu will protect Jerusalem". REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun (JERUSALEM - Tags: POLITICS ELECTIONS TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
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So, who will Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu call first right after learning the election results? Evidently no one. Prime ministers who are reelected do not make phone calls; they receive them. Perhaps it would be best for Netanyahu, assuming reasonably that he will be re-elected, to wait a bit before making time for phone calls and other distractions and dedicate a few minutes to himself and his own thoughts.

Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin said, in an interview, that after two terms in the nation’s highest post, during which there were no earthshaking developments, Netanyahu will want to make his mark on history during his third term. After all, if he doesn’t make history now, he never will. And the right time for him to do so is immediately after the elections, before he begins the task of building a coalition. The first step is defining objectives: In this past term, he wanted to renew the freeze on construction in the settlements, but wavered due to pressure from his coalition partners. He was leaning towards apologizing to Turkey for the Marmara events, but didn’t because of his coalition partners. Time and time again, he cast a fearful glance at his “natural partners” whenever he reached a dramatic crossroads. This time, it would be better if he first asks himself what he wants to achieve during this term and only then begin forming a coalition that will enable him to do so.

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