Not Dead Yet
I’m always amused by the “obituaries” of Benjamin Netanyahu’s political career. Perhaps the premier political leader of our time, “Bibe” is being counted-out again, as we head toward October elections in Israel.
His political opponents always trot-out the same tired tropes during election season. With Oct. 7, some have tried to blame the premier for that catastrophe. As recently as two weeks ago, he was being eulogized by various political operatives.
Now it looks like—once again—Israel’s longest-serving prime minister might pull it off once again. His longtime party, Likud, remains the one to beat. That party is roughly the equivalent to an American Republican Party. Bibi defeated Shimon Peres for the top spot in Israel in 1996, by a narrow margin.
(Ironically, Peres had delivered a moving tribute/eulogoy for Jonathan “Yoni” Netanyahu, the oldest of the three Netanyahu sons, who died leading victorious troops during the famous Entebbe hostage rescue in 1976. Exactly 20 years later, the young lion and the old fox squared off, with Netanyahu’s youth winning the day.
Today, he is challenged by mediocre rivals. Opportunist Yair Lapid had an embarrassingly short run as prime minister which, oddly enough, makes him eligible someday for burial at Mt. Herzl in Jerusalem—the place where prime ministers and Israel’s war dead rest.
Netanyahu’s speech today at the rotten-to-the-core UN was bravo once again. His line that talk of “genocide” in Gaza is the “lie of the century.” He’s not wrong and not melodramatic. His perfect English and experience living in other countries still make him rare in Israeli politics. Peres was tough to decipher as he spoke in rough English. Guys like Avigdor Lieberman doesn’t even speak English. All this has always given Netanyahu—who has a degree from MIT—a handy advantage.
From The Times of Israel:
“A new poll by Channel 13 shows the bloc of parties opposing Benjamin Netanyahu in the lead ahead of next month’s election, but still far from winning the 61 seats needed for a majority in the120-seat Knesset.
“The result is significant because last week’s Channel 13 poll showed the parties supporting the prime minister holding a narrow lead, after months of surveys showing that bloc trailing. But like nearly all recent polls, that one predicted that neither side would win a majority in the October 27 vote.
“Today’s poll finds that the presumed anti-Netanyahu bloc would win 52 seats, compared to 51 for the presumed pro-Netanyahu camp.”
One thing that always swings in Netanyahu’s favor as the election deadlines loom is the public’s belief that he is the best option for security. Especially now as Israel fights on multiple fronts.
Sorry-not-sorry: as long as Netanyahu is functioning, and Israel is besieged, I think he’s the clear best option in any election. I think he wins in a few weeks.
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