When President Reuven Rivlin told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his rival Blue and White party leader Benny Gantz on Dec. 4, "It seems to me that you want to go crazy," he was expressing the prevailing view among most Israeli analysts and pundits. “If that is what you want, go crazy! But why drag the people of Israel with you?” Rivlin asked, urging the duo once again to join forces in order to “return Israel to the correct path."

The politicians and pollsters are already busy playing the blame game, ranking in order those most to blame for the “insanity” of holding the country’s third elections within less than a year. The financial papers are detailing the costs of the election and estimating the loss to the economy of the legally mandated election-day holiday. But what is the essence of the "correct path" for "the people" — the path that Netanyahu and Gantz are blocking? What is the alternative to the newly scheduled March 2020 voting? If another round of elections is a mark of "craziness,” is the alternative Rivlin is urging — i.e., a government with a politician indicted for bribery, fraud and breach of trust, the archenemy of all the country’s law enforcement authorities — an example of sanity? Rivlin had tried to advance a unity government deal of a rotation agreement between Netanyahu and Gantz, with Netanyahu declaring incapacity to function as premier after his indictment. But would such a deal have liberated Israeli society from the blinded followers surrounding Netanyahu? Obviously, even if Netanyahu would have taken the deal and declared incapacity, his dark ways and spirit would have hovered over Likud legislators and ministers.

The Dec. 11 Knesset decision to vote itself out of office is not only a sane move. It is a badge of maturity for Israel’s young democracy. Knesset members from the opposition who voted in favor of dissolving the 22nd Knesset are not keen for yet another battle over public support. Instead of raising his hand in favor of new elections, Gantz could have gotten his foot in the door to the prime minister’s office. The Foreign Ministry gates would have been opened for Blue and White senior Yair Lapid, and his ally, Labor-Gesher head Amir Peretz, would have been offered the choice of the Finance or Welfare ministries. “The people” would have rejoiced at seeing the Likud and radical right ally Yamina shoulder to shoulder with Blue and White and its allied Democratic Camp party, and also with the ultra-Orthodox parties, posing for a happy family photo. Just as long as it was not marred by the faces of Arab lawmakers.

“The people” love to see everyone “joining forces” in defense of their children against the Arab enemy, and especially the Iranian one. “The people” do not like the “establishment” and hate “the media.” They want a strong leader who generates respect for the people of Israel around the world.