So much has already been written and said about how Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu loathes the chair of the Rightward party, former Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked. But nothing, whether spoken or in writing, has managed to relay the passionate anger that Shaked conjured up in Netanyahu as the way he screamed at former Communications Minister Ayoub Kara when he dared to admit he was cooperating with her.
The “shouting match,” which took place in 2017, was first made public by Channel 13 on Sept. 2. The background for this conversation was a report in the economic paper The Marker that Shaked and Kara were working together on legislation to save right-wing Channel 20. Netanyahu was furious that Shaked was getting credit for this. “Tell me, have you gone mad? ‘Ayoub and Shaked?’ That’s what’s going to save Channel 20?” Netanyahu shouted at a stunned Kara. When Kara tried to explain that he wanted Shaked to pass the law quickly, Netanyahu pounced on him. “Ayoub, have you gone mad? They’re slowing it down. Who’s doing this thing? Who did it? Who initiated it?” Even when Kara responded, “But it’s ours!” Netanyahu refused to calm down. “Excuse me? Shaked, one of ours?” he shot back.
Very few politicians manage to make Netanyahu so intensely emotional. But while the subject at hand is a conversation that took place two and a half years ago and which focused mainly on Netanyahu’s obsessive desire to gain influence over the media market, it is hard to ignore his feelings about Shaked.
Netanyahu’s problem is that as much as he despises her and wants to ruin her politically, he depends on her for his own political survival. In fact, the morning before the Netanyahu recordings were made public, Shaked announced at a public event that her Rightward party would grant Netanyahu immunity from any indictment. “If Netanyahu asks to be granted immunity for the good of the public, we will certainly take the stability of the government into consideration,” she said. Shaked didn’t say it out of love for Netanyahu. She just wanted to prevent him from stealing Rightward's seats. Netanyahu is now doing everything he can to increase the strength of Likud at the expense of Shaked’s party, among other things. Shaked is also well aware that Netanyahu is a powerful brand on the right, so she decided to declare her fealty to him.
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