Benjamin Netanyahu was recently re elected – for the fifth time – as the Prime Minister of the nation of Israel. This election is historical in that Netanyahu’s government now has recorded the longest tenure of any Israeli Prime Minister. Netanyahu defeated the former Chief of Staff of the Israeli Defense Forces; Benny Gantz. Remarking on the election, U.S. president Trump phoned Netanyahu from Air Force One to offer his congratulations. Netanyahu’s office stated that President Trump ‘warmly” congratulated” the Prime Minister who thanked President Trump for his “great support for Israel” including the brave steps of officially recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, acknowledging Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights area, and withdrawing the U.S. from the Iran Nuclear deal that tacitly endangered Israel.
42 Days to Form Coalition Government
According to the structure of the Israeli government, the newly elected Prime Minister will have 42 days to form a coalition government by appointing – and cooperating with – various officials from the other political parties. Israeli voters in this election had a record number of 40 parties to choose from. This means that Netanyahu will have no small task in assembling his coalition government. Netanyahu has stated that – as he has previously done for more than a decade – he plans to seek support from the Ultra-Orthodox and right-wing nationalist parties in an effort to encompass the majority of Israeli political views in his coalition government. Yet, there is the unlikely option that Netanyahu and Gantz could form what the Israeli system refers to as a unity government. This is doubtful, and most likely Netanyahu will continue to govern Israel as he has after his four previous elections.
Relevant Scripture Passages
While the Bible does not speak directly to this election, there are several important scriptural principles that we must keep in mind. Most importantly we should remember that the Lord has promised to bless those who bless Israel and curse those who curse Israel, and that all the people of the earth will be blessed by Israel (Genesis 12:3). As such, we – as believers and as a nation – should pray for the stability of the region, the success of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government, and – as we are instructed by Scripture, we should pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6).