“The truth is that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could have hung in there for another year. If he had really wanted it, the 2013 budget would have been approved, despite its deep cuts, and everyone would have fallen into line. For a few brief moments, it looked to Netanyahu like he was going to get through it, as if the moment he put all his weight behind it, even the most socially-motivated party members (if there is one) would put their hands up in favor of the budget.

If he couldn’t get Shas aboard, he could have gotten friends from Kadima to support the budget, but in the end he decided to let it go. Some prices just aren’t worth paying.”

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