It was my optimistic but mistaken hope, that in the new year of 5783, I would be able to report on and write only about positive political events; but unfortunately, the country is not yet mature enough.
Political turmoil in Israel has become so commonplace that one would be forgiven for barely noticing, wrote a distinguished colleague. On June 30, a bill to once again dissolve Knesset was passed and the fifth general election in less than four years would be held on November 1.
Almost simultaneously, Yair Lapid became prime minister, by the rotation agreement with Naftali Bennett. It is my understanding that under the new circumstances he was appointed on condition that he will have to perform a caretaker role. That means to maintain the status quo, and without a mandate to make any consequential political decisions, other than concerning the immediate defense of the country.
But Lapid is so consumed with his own importance that he has become over-confident, without the necessary competence. That led him into making decisions based on his personal and private opinions, which are contrary to several of his senior cabinet ministers’ views and not in the interest of the country’s security.
Even his partner, Bennett, did not agree with his positive view of a two-state solution with the Palestinians. Let me say here again, that he became prime minister by an internal arrangement within his party and not by a mandate from the people. He therefore had no right to commit the country into offering to give away its heartland to the enemy.
Should Lapid have addressed the UN?
Was he even entitled to address the United Nations in the name of our country – during an election period? These were his unauthorized words to the world: “An agreement with the Palestinians, based on two states for two peoples is the right thing for Israel’s security and Israel’s economy and for the future of our children.”
What in fact that means is, that he wants to saddle our children with an even greater continuous conflict, because a Palestinian state wouldn’t just be recognized as a full member of the United Nations, but would be a training base for terrorist groups against Israel. Lapid is the paradigm of overheated passions that cause shooting from the hip.
Benjamin Netanyahu called Lapid’s speech “full of weakness, defeat and surrender” and added that “he endangers our future and our existence both on the Palestinian issue and on the Iranian issue.”
Lapid’s latest unconstitutional action as caretaker prime minister is to agree to the US-brokered Lebanon maritime boundary deal, giving away some of our territorial waters and natural gas reserves. It’s a total capitulation to Hezbollah. Lapid argues that it will bring prosperity to Lebanon and subsequently peace with Israel. This man has learned nothing from Gush Katif.
So I hope that as a result of the November 1 election, Netanyahu will become prime minister and he will fulfill his pledge that “we will not allow Hamastan to be established on the border of Kfar Saba, Petah Tikva and Netanya.”
The Abraham Accords achieved by the previous Netanyahu government removed the Palestinian state from the global agenda, and now, Lapid has brought it back into the forefront of the world stage. Is he prepared to evacuate 500,000 Israelis from their homes to establish a Palestinian terror state in the heart of our country?
If Yair Lapid is searching for an event that will propel him into the annals of Israeli history then he only needs to wait until November 1, after which he will be recorded as the shortest serving prime minister, and even just as caretaker following the declaration of an election.
Or does he want to get into the good books of US President Joe Biden? That would be a miscalculation, because it is thought that Biden won’t remain president after 2024. The world needs a strong leader, and Israel must go forward with Benjamin Netanyahu as prime minister.
The writer, 98 years old, is the oldest working journalist and radio show-host in the world.