The big talk today, so far, is how Netanyahu folded over the new tax on the vegetables (and the tax on the tourism industry, but people seem less interested in that).

Personally, I think this tax was a diversion. I don't think he ever intended for it to pass. I think he put it out there for the purpose of distracting everybody, especially the MKs, from something else he was trying to pass that he thought might be opposed. By putting out such a ridiculous tax, that he knew his coalition members, if not also his party members, would adamantly oppose, the ended up spending their energies fighting this instead of the "other" item.

I do not know what that other item is, but I see no reason to believe that he really intended this vegetable tax to pass. before the first reading of the bill a few weeks ago, Netanyahu had made a deal with a number of MKs that they should at least let it pass the first reading, and then he would allow them to oppose it. They agreed and di so.

I think he never intended for it to pass, but floated the idea out to divert attention from something else.