Netanyahu
deserves the Israeli people, and they deserve him
If after everything, the Israeli phoenix succeeded in rising from the ashes and getting reelected, something is truly broken, possibly beyond repair.
By
Gideon
Levy
Mar. 18, 2015,
http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/.premium-1.647555
The
first conclusion that arose just
minutes after the announcement of the exit polls was particularly
discouraging: The
nation must be replaced. Not another
election for the country's leadership, but general
elections to choose a new Israeli people
– immediately. The country urgently needs that. It won’t be able
to stand another term for Benjamin Netanyahu, who emerged last night
as the man who will form the next government.
If
after six years of nothing, if after
six years of sowing fear and anxiety, hatred and despair, this is the
nation's choice, then
it is very ill indeed. If after
everything that has been revealed in recent months, if after
everything that has been written and said, if after all this, the
Israeli phoenix succeeded in rising from the ashes and getting
reelected, if after all this the Israeli people chose him to lead for
another four years, something is truly broken, possibly beyond
repair.
Netanyahu
deserves the Israeli people and they deserve him. The results are
indicative of the direction the country is headed: A
significant proportion of Israelis has finally grown detached from
reality. This is the result of years' worth of brainwashing and
incitement. These Israelis voted for
the man who will lead the United States to adopt harsh measures
against Israel, for the man whom the world long ago grew sick of.
They voted for the man who admitted to having duped half the world
during his Bar-Ilan speech; now he has torn off his mask and
dis-avowed those words once and for all.
Israel said "yes" to the man who said "no" to a
Palesti-nian state. Dear Likud
voters, what the hell do you say "yes" to? Another 50 years
of occupa-tion and ostracism? Do you really believe in that?
On
Tuesday the
foundations were laid for the apartheid state that is to come.
If Netanyahu succeeds in forming the next government in his spirit
and image, then the two-state solution will finally be buried and
the struggle over the character of a binational state will begin.
If Netanyahu is the next prime minister, then Israel has not only
divorced the peace process, but also the world. Piss off, dear world,
we're on our own. Please don't interfere, we're asleep, the people
are with Netanyahu. The Palestinians can warm the benches at the
International Crimi-nal Court at The Hague, the Israel boycotters can
swing into high gear and Gaza can wait for the next cruel attack by
the Israeli army.
The
battle for all these has yet to be officially decided. The next prime
minister will be crowned by Moshe Kahlon and the heads of other small
parties. At the time of this writing, Kahlon has yet to declare his
intention. The ball is in these parties' court; they will decide if
Netanyahu continues. Most of them despise him, but it's doubtful
whether they will have the courage to turn their backs on the public.
That will be their test. That will be the test of their courage and
integrity. Moshe Kahlon and Aryeh Dery, do you truly believe
Netanyahu is better than Isaac Herzog for the society and social
welfare you purport to care for? Does the country's decent and
courageous president, Reuven Rivlin, believe Netanyahu will be a
better prime minister than Herzog? There is a lot resting on his
shoulders now – but the fact that a figure like Netanyahu and a
party like Likud succeeded in maintaining power as the country's
leading faction already says a great deal.
Netanyahu
is threatening to surpass David Ben-Gurion as Israel's longest
running leader. He is already in second place, and yet it's hard to
think of one significant achievement on his part. The list of damage
he has done is long. But he is the nation's, or much of the nation's,
chosen one. That choice must be respected, even if it makes it
difficult to hope for a good outcome. The only consolation is that
another Netanyahu term will prompt the world to act. That
possi-bility is our only refuge.
Gideon
Levy tweets at @levy_haaretz
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