Hanoch Daum
Photo: Mor Elzon
Respecting our democracy
Wishes of Israeli voters more important than perfect ties with US
Part 2 of analysis
Had a foreigner landed in Israel in the middle of last week, he would have formed the impression that an armed clash broke out between Israel and its best friend. The headlines conveyed a sense of eulogy. At some junctions it appeared as though the Zionist dream had been buried and our hope had been lost.
Israel’s masters of the house, that is, the leftist elite, went into mourning. Alon Pinkas, the would-be ambassador who was never appointed, appeared in the media in the role of historian, in order to sum up our state’s history and recommend another country for us to relocate to.
Yet the loud critics who scampered amidst us with panic missed one thing: This crisis was not forced upon Israel. The simplest thing Netanyahu could have done in order to resolve this conflict in 40 seconds was to capitulate. He could have said, immediately, that he is freezing construction at the Jerusalem neighborhood in question.
After all, it’s not that hard to be well-liked in America. To that end, the Israeli government only has to adopt the Left’s positions.
However, this raises a small problem that not everyone understands: The democratic problem. It’s a little unpleasant to explain it, yet we have no choice – the Likud won the elections, among other things because it objects to dividing Jerusalem.
And so, with all due respect to the terrible heartache afflicting all sorts of public opinion leaders because Obama does not worship us, the question of the Israeli voters’ will is still more important than a somewhat less friendly atmosphere vis-à-vis America.
Netanyahu delivers
Up until recently, we had Israeli governments around here that got along very well with the Americans. Yet did this improve our lives? Was the economic situation better as result of it? (No, it wasn’t.) Was the security situation any better? (Did we already mention the Qassams?) Did we manage to achieve peace? (Not as far as I know.)
I assume that sooner or later, the current crisis with the Americans will be resolved, and the proximity talks with the Palestinians will get underway. Yet we need to make something clear ahead of the next dispute, which based on the Obama Administration’s conduct appears inevitable: The Netanyahu government is capable of getting along with America. We are not dealing with government officials who are less talented than their predecessors and who really want to appease America but simply don’t know how to do it.
What we have here is a principle. What we have here is ideology. The issue here is not inadequate capabilities, but rather, unwillingness to pay with Jerusalem’s unity in order to maintain perfect ties with Obama.
With all due respect to the panic that overcomes all the experts on behalf of themselves around here, the main objective Netanyahu was chosen to advance when elected prime minister was not getting along with the US; this is not the mission that prompted us to convene at the land of our forefathers.
This mission is wholly different: Enabling Israeli citizens to enjoy a life of economic prosperity and personal security, in a state whose united capital is Jerusalem. When it comes to this mission, at least last time I checked, Netanyahu delivers.
