It all started Aug. 3, when Yisrael Beitenu leader Avigdor Liberman saw videos of Prime Minister Benjamin (“Bibi”) Netanyahu going to a street stand in Ramle to pick up a falafel. It was suddenly clear to Liberman that Netanyahu had decided to bring down the government and call a new election.

Liberman is probably the most senior “Bibiologist” in all of Israel. He is intimately familiar with the code of behaviors used by his former boss. He also knows that Netanyahu is a hypochondriac, so that if he takes to the street with the coronavirus raging all around him, and that if he is willing to expose himself to dozens of strangers, backed up by a cheerleading squad chanting, “Bibi, we love you!” the die is cast. Netanyahu is about to launch a new election campaign.

Only time will tell if Liberman is right. But he will not waste time waiting for that to happen. Instead, he has launched his own election campaign with one clear purpose in mind. He says as much openly, too: “I have appointed myself to the post of project manager for removing Netanyahu from power, no ifs, ands, or buts.” He seemed to enjoy saying it on a Aug. 5 morning interview with Army Radio. By using the title assigned to professor Ronni Gamzu, the coronavirus czar appointed by Netanyahu two weeks ago, Liberman was emphasizing just how much the prime minister really disgusts him.

When asked what he meant, Liberman responded sarcastically: “First of all, we need to thank Netanyahu for everything he did, and then send him home. That’s it. Enough! What I think we’ve seen is a prime minister who failed to win an election on three separate occasions. He is a resounding economic and health failure.’’