What so impresses me is that even when Bennett’s wise suggestions were at first rejected, he did not react angrily or childishly.
By STEWART WEISSNAFTALI BENNETT (center) visits Jerusalem on August 5(photo credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)
Some time ago I wrote a column in this space that fantasized about who would make an ideal candidate for prime minister of Israel. I suggested that he (relax, could be a she just as well!) would be a multi-talented, multi-tasker with a long list of degrees and previous accomplishments. He would be traditional, if not totally observant, boasting a broad knowledge of Judaism and Jewish history.He would have served with distinction in the IDF, speak at least one foreign language as well as Hebrew, and have a deep love for our country as well as all of our country’s citizens, regardless of their background or political leanings. He would be a family man, devoid of any taint of a scandal, a person of integrity and high moral values. He would even be honest! And if possible, he would be financially secure so as not to be tempted by financial gain. A tall order, to be sure!Through the years, several potential possibilities popped up, their star briefly rising in the public scene, but no one completely filled the bill. That is, until now. In my humble opinion, Naftali Bennett is just the person we need to bring together a worn, torn country beset by a myriad of problems, both from above and of our own making.Our current PM, Benjamin Netanyahu, has made his mark on history, being the longest-serving prime minister we have ever had and guiding us through innumerable crises with confidence and character. But it seems clear that he has overstayed his mandate, and it is now time to pass on the baton. The nightly mass protests against him are no longer a novelty; they are a fixture that refuses to go away quietly.The charges pending against the PM, the failure to unite Likud with Blue and White for the common good – as promised – and the threat of yet another election all add up to just once conclusion: New blood must be pumped in.Unfortunately, Netanyahu failed to do the one thing that all great leaders must ultimately do: groom and train a viable successor to take their place and ensure a smooth transition. If anything, fledgling talented junior members of Likud have either been shipped off to a distant ambassadorial posts or purged when their popularity soared. And so, no one of truly stellar ability seems poised to grab the reins and guide the nation successfully along the path of history.Enter Naftali Bennett. He has a dream resume: He was born in Israel to American parents who came here just after the Six Day War out of an ideological passion for Zionism and building the state.He has an inspiring military record, having served in the elite Sayeret Matkal and Maglan commando units as a company commander, risking his life in dangerous missions on numerous occasions.Holding a law degree from Hebrew University of Jerusalem, he embarked on a brilliant business career, epitomizing the model of the entrepreneurial “start-up” Israeli, developing several hi-tech companies that resulted in lucrative exits.WHEN BENNETT turned his energies toward public service, he excelled in a wide variety of fields and functions. Ironically, he served both as Netanyahu’s chief of staff and campaign manager, receiving his political “basic training” in the Likud. He went on to lead, with distinction, a number of vital ministries that impacted positively on virtually every citizen of Israel. These included the Economy, Religious Services, Jerusalem, Diaspora Affairs, Education and Defense ministries. When he left the Likud to join Bayit Yehudi (the Jewish Home Party) he garnered 12 seats in the 2013 elections. Until he was dismissed from the government by Netanyahu in June of last year, he was a bright light with unparalleled experience in government.But Bennett was not content to quietly disappear into the opposition. He continued – and continues – to lead from a distance. He created a “shadow corona cabinet” that astutely diagnosed and then offered solutions to the health crisis we now face. It was Bennett who first advocated creating “corona hotels” to isolate the infected; to designate “red, green and yellow” sectors of the country where the necessary measures would be focused where needed while the economy was allowed to operate. He proposed, as defense minister, that the army provide the needed manpower to increase testing, assist in enforcement and manage the quarantine facilities.What so impresses me is that even when Bennett’s wise suggestions were at first rejected – and then finally instituted by our new corona czar – Bennett did not react angrily or childishly, spewing sour grapes at interviews, as most other politicians would have done. Instead, he welcomed the innovations and blessed Dr. Gamzu, only questioning why these same measures could not have been enacted months ago when he proposed them, perhaps saving hundreds of lives.One of the reasons Bennett left Bayit Yehudi to create his present New Right Party was that he wanted a pluralistic leadership that included not only the religious, but also gifted secular personalities such as Ayelet Shaked, who has also served with distinction. From the start, he maintained that all the myriad talents of the nation must be tapped in order to serve the greater good.Of course, Bennett has strong opinions on settlements, on dealing with Palestinian terrorism and the future borders of the state, to which not everyone will subscribe. But I am confident that he, like the late great prime minister Menachem Begin, will maintain his principles while working to achieve consensus, and will lead in a rational, inspirational style that will help us to reunite in common cause and view our future in a positive, optimistic, upbeat fashion.The patriarch Jacob, in his final blessings to the 12 Tribes declares: “Naftali is a gazelle, sent to run, delivering beautiful speeches” (Genesis, 49:21). I can’t think of a more appropriate mandate.The writer is director of the Jewish Outreach Center of Ra’anana. jocmtv@netvision.net.il
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