Put aside all the hue and cry - pro and con - over Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's surprise deal to form a unity government with the opposition Kadima party and to defer elections until late 2013.   And then examine why it happened and what it portends. Netanyahu was leading a center-right coalition for the last three years that remained remarkably stable -- until fairly recently when it became apparent that something had to be done about the Tal Law, which exempts orthodox youth from military service.  The exemption statute is due to expire in August and Israel's Supreme Court has struck it down. What to put in its place?  Religious parties in Bibi's coalition were girding for a fight against any mandatory conscription while other coalition partners were clamoring for equal national service -- military or otherwise - without any exceptions.   Netanyahu himself acknowledged the growing cracks within the government.  At first, he aimed for advancing...(Read Full Post)