Isi Leibler’s Opinion: Can Bibi Do It?YNET NEWS:
Will Benjamin Netanyahu be able to overcome major challenges ahead?Tzipi Livni is betraying her primary electoral pledge to promote the national interest above any personal or political ambitions. Worse, she is basing her strategy on the premise that under the pressure of events, a narrow Netanyahu government will soon collapse which is tantamount to wishing a plague on all our houses to further her own selfish benefit.
Today, in the midst of a genuine state of national emergency, Livni is brazenly displaying contempt to her constituents, the vast majority of whom passionately yearn for a broad national unity government. She has also deprived us of the opportunity of instituting desperately needed reforms in the electoral system and promoting legislation to bring an end to the exclusive and inflexible haredi control of marriage and conversion. In addition, she has enabled small one-dimensional parties to continue leveraging their sectional interests at the expense of the community.
Livni must regard us as imbeciles when she hypocritically pleads that joining a Netanyahu government would compromise her “political principles.” We are aware that she had no problem in acquiescing to virtually all of Lieberman’s demands when she begged him to support her. The reality is that her party is overwhelmingly dominated not by ideologues, but by pragmatists and yes, opportunists, few of whom would have moral dilemmas in joining a government headed by Netanyahu.
Livni also alleges that her main obstacle against joining the government is that Netanyahu refuses to utter the mantra “two states for two peoples." Yet, Netanyahu has repeatedly expressed his intention to continue negotiations and reiterated his preference not to rule over Palestinians. Besides, as foreign minister, Livni had years of negotiations to adopt a two-state plan. Not only did she fail, but to this day we are still in the dark as to what concessions she offered Mahmoud Abbas behind locked doors.
All we know is that like Hamas, Fatah still adamantly refuses to recognize Israel as the state of the Jewish people, continues to insist on the right of return for Arab refugees, and demand that we retreat to the indefensible ‘67 borders. It is also now abundantly clear that it is only a matter of time before Fatah becomes submerged into Hamas. Would any responsible Israeli political party conceivably endorse the creation of such a terrorist state?
Prophets of doom In the midst of this maelstrom, we have a new American administration determined to demonstrate progress and “engage” diplomatically with rogue states like Syria and Iran. A nuclear Iran unquestionably poses an acute existential threat to us and Netanyahu is utterly sober when he appeals for unity in the face of the greatest threat confronting Israel since 1948. This is surely a time when all responsible politicians should set aside their differences and create a unity government.
Netanyahu, who has consistently been vilified as an opportunist, must be commended for displaying leadership, acting like a statesman and promoting the national interest. Alas, he is being forced to establish a narrow government which will be dependant on the support of Yisrael Beiteinu and the haredi and small right-wing parties. This is hardly ideal but there is no alternative.
>>> Isi Leibler | Tuesday, March 10, 2009
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