Will COVID-19 crisis bury PM Netanyahu?
With an unprecedented economic crisis generated by the coronavirus pandemic, it is not at all sure whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu can regain public trust.
Fortunately, for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, there is no rival Benjamin Netanyahu warming up on the benches.
Over the past two weeks, the renowned luck that has paved Netanyahu’s way throughout most of his political career appears to have run out. The rabbits he used to pull out of his hat in times of trouble have fled. Israel has been plunged into a severe health crisis that has turned it almost overnight from one of the West’s most flourishing, stable economies into a lame and bleeding duck.
For the first time in a decade, Netanyahu’s approval ratings have plummeted within days. In May, 74% of Israelis described his handling of the coronavirus crisis as “good,” whereas only 23% said it was “bad.” In June, the gap shrank with 56% believing he was doing well and 36% disagreeing. In a July 6 poll, his performance index turned negative, with only 46% approving of the way he is tackling the resurging pandemic and 49% giving him a failing grade.
In terms of his handling of the pandemic’s economic repercussions, his plight is even worse, with 62% giving him a failing grade and only 33% approving of his performance. These results should be of particular concern to Netanyahu, always considered an economic wizard that earned him the sobriquet of “Mr. Economy.” Now, his Midas touch appears to have dissipated. With some 1 million Israelis, about 20% of the workforce, laid off or furloughed, and a virus that refuses to call it quits, Netanyahu looks like a flailing swimmer desperately trying to hold on to a straw to save himself from drowning.
