In June, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's prospective government fell apart as his nominal partners -- namely, Israeli nationalist Avigdor Lieberman and ultra-Orthodox parties -- squabbled over the potential conscription of the ultra-Orthodox into the military. Lieberman has since upped this demand to include a call for a unity government between Netanyahu's Likud party and opposition leader Benny Gantz's Blue and White party.
Should Netanyahu secure enough support for another term in the country's Sept. 17 election, he must also receive enough votes to ensure Lieberman does not have that same level of kingmaker power. And that means trying to lure nationalists who might vote for Lieberman into Netanyahu's camp, which explains why the prime minister has promised voters such substantial changes to Israeli policy. ...
