Benny Gantz, the leader of Israel’s Blue and White party, may have a distinguished record as the former IDF chief of staff (as have two other leaders, Ashkenazi and Ya’alon) and an attractive manner, but he hasn’t exactly overwhelmed us with his words and actions. Yet, according to current opinion polls, his party is in the lead – thanks to Netanyahu’s excesses.
Even the near-open rift with Yair Lapid at the top of Blue and White doesn’t seem to have damaged the party. Lapid’s Yesh Atid joined the generals placing him second after Gantz and promising to make him prime minister half-way through the term of office, should Blue and White form the next government. Even lightweight Lapid may be preferable to Netanyahu.
One is inclined to ascribe the support for Blue and White to the feeling among many Israelis that Prime Minister Netanyahu is by now out of control and must be prevented from staying in office. Even Gantz has said so in a recent statement.
Here are some almost random examples of Netanyahu’s seemingly paranoid excesses:
*Afraid that small right-wing parties will lure Likud voters, Netanyahu has made a deal with the leader of one of them, former Likud Member of Knesset Moshe Feiglin, to withdraw his party from the elections with the promise of being given a portfolio in the next Netanyahu cabinet. Other small right-wing parties are also being targeted to get voters to support Likud.
*In order to lure right-wing Jewish settlers in the West Bank, Netanyahu promises to champion annexation of West Bank areas now settled by Jews, thus violating the status quo.
*Netanyahu has launched a campaign against a commercial television channel for bringing challenging evidence against him. It’s part of his continued attacks on the media that dare to be critical of him. He very much wanted to be also the minister of communication, but the High Court wouldn’t let him. As a result, it now appears, he made life hell for the one who held the job before he finally replaced him.
*It’s not clear to what extent Netanyahu’s stance against Iran and its stooges along Israel’s borders are in the interest of the country’s security and to what measure the situation is being used for pre-election scaremongering. One can only speculate what brought about the latest near war with Hezbollah in Lebanon. Mercifully, a full war was prevented.
*There’re suggestions in the media that Netanyahu has asked President Trump for a significant pro-Israel gesture that would boost the re-election chances, perhaps of both men.
*If that weren’t enough, he has also engaged his wife and son in his campaign. His wife claims credit for having brought the trade mission of Honduras to Jerusalem. His son Yair has attacked Dan Shapiro, the former US ambassador to Israel, who now lives in Israel.
Republished from San Diego Jewish World