Dov Lipman, former Knesset member, to speak locally | Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle

Dov Lipman, former Knesset member, to speak locally

Dov Lipman, who served in the Israeli parliament from 2013 to 2015, is to speak in Milwaukee this month.

A minimum contribution is required to attend the 7 p.m., Sept. 10, 2019 event put on by the Jewish National Fund at Saint Kate – The Arts Hotel, 39 E. Kilbourn Ave. Contact Kim R. Levy at KLevy@Jnf.org or 414-963-8733.

Lipman is a political correspondent for JNS.org, the Jewish News Syndicate. He’s a senior manager for HonestReporting and teaches at Tiferet Seminary in Israel.

Dov Lipman

Lipman said he will speak on the “incredible times in which we live.” In advance of his speaking engagement here, Lipman answered a few questions for the Chronicle:

Chronicle: What do you think will happen with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu? Is he finished?

Lipman: I don’t know what will happen. I don’t think there will be enough mandates for him to form a government with his natural partners, but I won’t be surprised at all if Labor joins with him to enable him to form a government. However, if he is indicted I think the public pressure will be too strong and he will have to step away.

Chronicle: What will happen with the Democratic Camp (a new left-moderate coalition within the Israeli Knesset, the parliament) that you and others have written about? Is it a game-changer?

Lipman: No, it has not taken any seats from the other bloc so it’s simply dividing up the seats within the same bloc in a different manner. Like I mentioned above, the one wild card could be Labor which is now free to possibly join with Netanyahu now that the Democratic Camp has taken the Labor members who would most staunchly oppose such a move. 

Chronicle: What’s the mood in Israel regarding the coming elections, Netanyahu, etc.?

Lipman: People are quite numb to it. This will likely change in September. But the polls have stayed consistent all the way through so I don’t see much change taking place, which means we will have a stalemate again and something will have to give.  

Chronicle: Will you be re-entering politics or are you done?

Lipman: I am very much enjoying the break. If the right opportunity presents itself where I can get real things done for the country then I would consider going back.