The above is taken from the Stephen Sondheim song “Send in the Clowns” which the composer wrote for the 1973 musical A Little Night Music, an adaptation of Ingmar Bergman's 1955 film Smiles of a Summer Night.
There are two lines in the lyrics which I find so apt for Netanyahu’s sixth government.
“Don't you love farce?”
And
“Isn't it queer?”
Farce – just look at the way Netanyahu has sold out the country for his specific ends.
And
Queer – in the lyrics, Sondheim uses the word to signify something “strange”, something “unusual”. The word is also slang for someone who is ‘gay’. Given that the newly installed Speaker of the Knesset is openly gay and has been besmirched most hideously, the word seems fitting.
(Sondheim was ‘gay’, coming out in his early 40s.)
“Top rabbi calls gay Knesset speaker Ohana ‘infected,’ blames him for Meron disaster.
Meir Mazuz, affiliated with several senior members of new government, calls Pride parade-goers 'animals walking on 2 legs'; he has previously blamed LGBTQ marches for COVID, terror”
https://www.timesofisrael.com/top-rabbi-calls-gay-knesset-speaker-ohana-infected-blames-him-for-meron-disaster/
J’lem chief rabbi pans Orthodox MKs who backed gay Knesset speaker
“Ex-chief rabbi of Israel Shlomo Amar, who has called LGBTQ people ‘wild animals,’ says it’s ‘unbearable’ that Amir Ohana was appointed to a position that is ‘meant to be lofty’”
https://www.timesofisrael.com/jerusalem-chief-rabbi-pans-religious-mks-who-backed-ohana-as-1st-gay-knesset-speaker/
Break out the tissues, poor Aryeh feels slighted that Netanyahu tricked him. The only surprise is that Deri is surprised. Netanyahu is a master at ‘slight of hand’. This is not the first nor will it be the last time that our Crime Minister pulls a fast one. Watch this space. Deri, Smotrich, Ben Gvir, and the rest of the wallies are being used by Netanyahu for his specific ends. Are they that blind, thick that they can’t see it?
“Deri: Netanyahu ‘tricked’ me by making Ohana speaker; an ex-Shas MK says gay MK should marry a woman”
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/deri-netanyahu-tricked-me-by-making-ohana-speaker-an-ex-shas-mk-says-gay-mk-should-marry-a-woman/
It buggers the belief that these people continue to live in the ‘dark ages’. What happened to enlightenment? Are they so blinkered, and close-minded that they can’t see the world around them moving forward? These people are a blot on Israel.
Maybe they should be living elsewhere.
The problem is that their numbers are growing rapidly.
‘Haredim are fastest-growing population, will be 16% of Israelis by decade’s end.
Group includes 1.28 million people in 2023; Haredi women increasingly joining workforce while men’s numbers stagnate; poverty rate twice as high as in general population’
https://www.timesofisrael.com/haredim-are-fastest-growing-population-will-be-16-of-israelis-by-decades-end/
According to the above article, there has been a 46% rise in men studying in yeshivas and kollels since 2014.
And why not, if someone is prepared to pay for these scroungers to sit around all day ‘reading’?
More fool us for allowing this shameful situation to develop and grow beyond our control.
I am no fan of Amir Ohana, but I wish him every success in his position as speaker of the Knesset. And may his husband and family take pride in his achievement.
Likud MK David Bitan has been most vocal in his derision of how Netanyahu divided up portfolios to Smotrich, Ben Gvir and Co. Bitan showed that he has ‘balls’. A recent article made this point adding that Bitan is under indictment on charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust as well as money laundering and tax offenses while serving as a deputy mayor and as a Knesset member and therefore can’t serve as a minister. Hence his rants against Netanyahu. Maybe sour grapes on Bitan’s behalf but he has a point. I wonder if Likud voters are genuinely happy with the dilution of their power.
It also begs the question of why Netanyahu can serve as PM while his trials are ongoing. And of course, how Deri a twice, in some reports I notice he is described as a thrice convicted criminal, can serve as a minister. Regardless of how many times, this is the face of Israel today.
And then we have our new ministry of tourism, Haim Katz, who is no stranger to the judicial system having previously been charged with alleged quid pro quo with a business associate, corruption, and bribery charge.
Yes, the case was dismissed being described as being weak.
It would seem that having run-ins with the judicial system is a prerequisite entry on a minister’s CV.
It looks like Itamar has been a bad boy. It looks like he told a ‘porky’. The question is, will the headmaster give him ‘six of the best’? Or will he get a wrap on the knuckles and be told to be a ‘good boy’ in the future? Bottomline, Ben Gvir just stuck two fingers in the air at BiBi. Remember me who is the Prime Minister?
‘Ben Gvir visits Temple Mount for 1st time as minister, despite indicating he’d delay. National security minister says ‘government will not surrender to Hamas’ after terror group warned against his visit; Likud denies Netanyahu asked far-right leader to postpone’ https://www.timesofisrael.com/despite-report-hed-delay-ben-gvir-visits-temple-mount-for-1st-time-as-minister/
And just as Deri is calling foul on Netanyahu over the appointment of Amir Ohana, so no doubt will Smotrich, Ben Gvir, and Co., over the composition of the Security Cabinet.
‘Netanyahu set to pack security cabinet with loyalists alongside far-right ministers.
Eight of 11 members of high-powered inner panel to be approved at Tuesday meeting will come from Likud, likely watering down the influence of hardliners Smotrich and Ben Gvir’
https://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-set-to-pack-security-cabinet-with-loyalists-alongside-far-right-ministers/
It would seem that our Crime Minister still has a card or three up his sleeve.