The country where the centre CAN hold
The emergence of Benny Gantz as Netanyahu’s main rival highlights the gulf between Israel and the (crumbling) democracies of the West
» Read moreTLR 189- Netanyahu’s Last Hurrah
January 10, 2019
In a matter of weeks, Israeli politics has swung from somnolent to frenetic. It now requires considerable effort just to keep up with the daily news of who is doing what — forming new parties, leaving old ones, creating or destroying alliances. Yet the polls — which no-one believes, yet everyone reads and quotes — have remained consistent regarding the most important aspect of the campaign, namely the winner: they say that Netanyahu is on course for another victory, which will enable him to choose his partners in the next government.
Going down
Massive volatility in the financial markets has become the new norm. But while the smart money is adjusting to the changed environment, most investors and their advisors have their heads firmly in the sand.
» Read moreTLR 188- Goldilocks has Left the Building
November 23, 2018
After weeks of quiet, thanks to the summer holidays and the Jewish holiday season running virtually back-to-back in August and September, Israel has reverted to intensive news generation. However, the striking thing about the developments over recent weeks is their content – what is in the headlines versus what is not, as well as what should be.
Netanyahu’s new Bank of Israel Governor, no questions asked
The country has a new (designate) Governor for its central bank. Nothing is known about him, whether and why he is suitable, or what he thinks — or even knows — about the Israeli economy. Netanyahu alone decided what’s good for the independent central bank. His will be done.
» Read moreTLR 187- All Change – Part 2
September 5, 2018
The previous issue presented an extensive discussion of the ‘challenges’ being encountered with regard to the appointment of the next Governor of the Bank of Israel — including a review of the legal and procedural requirements, why the process is again proving so difficult, as well as the ideological and policy implications involved in finding a ‘suitable’ candidate.