Opinion  Nahum Barnea
In search of a leader
Nahum Barnea
Published: 07.06.10, 11:05
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29 Talkbacks for this article
1. the booboo is flawed but still the best of the bunch
Bergman   (06.07.10)
At least he speaks English fluently, recovers himself after his usual quiver-dither. On the other hand we have Barak and Peres who have always chomped at the bit to lose wars and give away Israel's territory and sovereignty. But in general, the author is right, there is no leader, no leadership and no one to take responsibility.
2. Barnea: capitulate blockade, then accuse Bibi of capitulatng
Paqid Yirmeyahu ,   Ra'anana, Israel   (06.07.10)
Yeah, we need to follow the advice of a foot-shooter like Barnea.
3. Until the horses stop running in different directions,
Paqid Yirmeyahu ,   Ra'anana, Israel   (06.07.10)
NO ONE can drive the stagecoach. Mosheh Avinu complained about it. If he were to come back now he couldn't lead Israel; and I'm persuaded he would refuse the job this time. Those who blame the leader need to look in the mirror, because that's where the problem is. Rejection of Torah for the sake of hedonist "me, me, me" takes precedence over Am Ekhad. When you line the horses up, THEN a leader can lead; not before! The idea that rejection of Torah is going to unite "Israel" has NO possibility of success. Uniting Am Ekhad can ONLY happen through teshuvah as a people. Paqid Yirmeyahu Paqid 16, The Netzarim, Ra'anana, Israel Israeli Torah-reverer (& Orthodox Jew) Advocate for Logic as Hermeneutic Halakhic Authority Welcoming All Torah-reverers (Jews & non-Jews)
4. Nahum Barnea mistake,he begins well and ends badly
Salma ,   Palestine   (06.07.10)
"Israel" with any leader Mr. Barnea, will remain in isolation and denial, unless the occupation ends with a real Palestinian state, change the faces without changing the convictions, it is only a waste of time. You can't only focus on your nose,While the entire face is ugly! These words of course in general and not directed to Mr. Barnea ;)
5. Netanyahu
Israel Israeli ,   Tel Aviv   (06.07.10)
Netanyahu inherited a terrible situation thanks to Kadima (Sharon, Peretz, Olmert, Livni) andLabor (Barak): two lost wars, corruption, international isolation and accusations of war crimes. To protect himself from the press and judiciary, Netanyahu had to appoint the failure Barak as DM instead of the far more qualified Ya'alon. All of the governments failings can be traced to one man: Ehud Barak.
6. If there's a better leader he/she hasn't appeared
Sam ,   Canada   (06.07.10)
Netanyahu faces some tough circumstances.Israel is appearing as a violent country because it is repeatedly being provoked to respond aggressively. It's the Palestinian strategy looking for sympathy. Arabs and other Muslims have spread all over the West and it is easy to call them into the streets for demonstrations in front of the cameras. The liberal, leftist Western press is not sympathetic to the blockade or settlements. So, Netanyahu has a tough job. On the other hand the Western press (Der Spiegel,The Economist) is beginning to question the Palestinians on their logic of a 2 state solution when they demand a return of refugees into Israel proper. Netanyahu offers a vision of peace and if not possible a vision of Eretz Yisrael and in that he leads Jews in the right way to the best of his ability.
7. in search of a leader
Bear ,   zefat, Israel   (06.07.10)
Hey! Chochom! If you know so much, why don't you run for PM and show us all the right way?
8. Netanyahu and Barak's "bully" syndrome
Michael ,   Haifa   (06.07.10)
They are arrogant towards Israelis and the peoples of the region but full of self-righteousness towards the rest of the world
9. kiss ass barnea
alexi   (06.07.10)
pacifist barnea like meretz is trying to resurrect the mother of alll cowards olmert whose middle name is appeasement who recently said we used to be darlings of the international community while 8000 rockets slammed into israel. What losers. Barnea is a pathetic pacifist. Olmert is beyond description, he would sell his wife for a buck. So Erdogan is a terrorist who bankrolled ITT and provoked israel. Weapons were found aboard the marmora and the lynch mob were terror elements who boarded separately from the rest of the passengers. Though there was a lapse and the commandos were not properly armed for the mission, accountability will be had in the inquiry and likely barak will have to resign for it. But the mission was successful in the end. Since the nazis, jews said nev er again would they go willingly into the gas chamber. And if they go down, they will go down fighting and take some with them. Barnea is a sorry coward along with haber who extolled the virtues of olmert who cost the lives of 150 soldiers in lebanon 2006 war and who did not resond immediately to hamas rockets like bibi is doing. Barnea, ramon, olmert its alll the same-old pathetic jews waiving the white flag of surrender before the nazis. Arabs stole israeli land. The gene of subservience still lives in barnea, avinery, oron, ramon and livni and it is sickening.
10. Nachum
Ehud ,   Jerusalem   (06.07.10)
Nahum Barnea pines for the golden days of Ehud Olmert, when all was good. Is it just me or are all the idiots memebrs of the Israeli press corps?
11. Barnea
michael pielet ,   boca usa   (06.07.10)
Netanyahu is doing a very good job under extremely difficult circumstances. Barnea should focus his venom on the enemies of the Jews, and their are many. Why not start with Iran.
12. Talk about whinning, Barnea is an expert.
Terry ,   Eilat - Israel   (06.07.10)
Stop kvetching about Netanyahu, for all his faults & weaknesses, we don't have anyone much better. Our dysfunctional political system seemingly produces political hacks, not real leaders. And, I am not speaking as a fan of Netanyahu, I didn't vote for him because I was afraid he would move Left, which he did. So, in your expert objective opinion (sarcasm), who would you like to see as a leader? Ehud Barak? That's not a very funny joke, it would be hard to find anyone less competent than Ehud Barak. How about Tzippi Livni? Do you seriously believe anyone sane would vote for her? Most of us aren't suicidal, at least not any more. Most of your article was just a smoke screen, a subtle subterfuge. The deterioration of our relations with Turkey have very little to do with us. It is the direct result of Turkey having an Islamic party in power. If Erdogan's party loses power, our relations will improve. Turkey has changed sides, period. That's reality.
13. I'm not finished.
Terry ,   Eilat - Israel   (06.07.10)
The aim of your article, despite the attempt to obfuscate it with a lot of camouflage & besides taking a cheap shot at your two boogeymen, Netanyahu & Lieberman, was to recommend a total capituation of our security interests in lifting the Gaza blockade. So, in your opinion, we should allow Gaza to turn into another S. Lebanon. Indeed, just what we need is another Iranian base full of missiles on our southern border. The one option you didn't consider is that we should sacrifice our political interests for the sake of our national interests. Of course, that would never occur to you.
14. #5 Israel Israeli, Tel Aviv.
Terry ,   Eilat - Israel   (06.07.10)
You hit it on the nose, Ehud Barak, serial bungler & strategic disaster.
15. Be thankful!
Dorothea Killus ,   Loerrach, Germany   (06.07.10)
Can you not, please, be thankful for such a great leader in such a terribly difficult situation - and pray for him?! As we follow the news from Germany, what you say maybe clever but lack wisdom - and a certain willingness zo carry the burden with him, this honourable PM.
16. In search of a reporter
Tony ,   Melb Australia   (06.07.10)
The autjor of thus article is delusional and not Netanyahu. The fact is that the reporter would be better asking why Australian police are not investigating the "Australian" who got shot in the leg on a ship provided by IHH a known front for terror. What has hurt Israel is PR and this reporter could help here instead of undermine the PM
17. Thumbs up Bibi, despite Barnea.
Janice Cohen ,   ירושלים   (06.07.10)
18. mass attack of the Left
Nachman ,   Maale Adumim   (06.07.10)
This was foretold. The left is mounting a mass attack on Netanyahu to assist their darling in the White House (who is looking for "regime change" in Israel - Obama would rather the opportunist Livni was running the country) using ludicrous arguments that hold no water. There is a Similar sort of article in JPost by Jeff Barak who praises Ehud Barak as if he was his uncle - maybe he is - quite forgetting how awful he was when he was PM. Thank goodness Netanyahu is the Prime Minister since otherwise by now we would have evacuated the Old City to appease Abbas as a gesture for "peace".
19. ARMCHAIR GENERALS
Richard ,   Boca Raton, USA   (06.07.10)
I love these pacifict ARMCHAIR GENERALS like Barnea who do not know what a rifle looks like but can condemn a man like Bibi who is trying to do the impossible job of protectiong the Holy Land. I wish schmucks like this would shut up and go Saudi Arabia to live out their sorry lives. Let the real men and women defend Israel.
20. The Israeli people = A people of the extremes....???
Swiss-Dino ,   Switzerland   (06.07.10)
Incredibly intelligent, when it comes to science, medicine etc., but incre- dibly dumb when it comes to politics and diplomacy....???? If pushing away your only ally in the region, straight into the arms of the arch enemy (Iran), is not incredibly dumb, then I don't know what incredibly dumb is..... Please don't blame Netanyahu, blame the political "wisdom" of the average Israeli voter.
21. #15
op ,   ni   (06.07.10)
Dorothea - if prayers could turn that buffoon into a leader I would convert to Judaism - for that would be the act of the one true God
22. #15 honourable PM by whom ? you ?
sami ,   Lebanon   (06.07.10)
Pray for him too ! Okay next Saturday I will start, we have synagogue under contraction but still okay we have lot of profits to share with our cousin Jews. But sorry Dorothea you lack the cleverness and wisdom together.
23. To # 15 - The One True God
Dorothea Killus ,   Loerrach, Germany   (06.07.10)
Of course prayers have to be addressed to the one true God describes in Psam 115 in comparison to false gods. If y o u were God-fearing, you would not humiliate the PM of Israel who seeks orientation in the Thorah calling him a "buffoon". Is it clear to you that one popular form of idolatry today is self-centeredness, taking one's own impure feelings and judgments for the truth?
24. #22You keep inpressing me with your talents
sami ,   Lebanon   (06.07.10)
" the PM of Israel who seeks orientation in the Thorah " All Muslim Jihadists seek orientation in the Koran too , and it seems the existence of one is the reason of existence of the other. We will have a win-win situation when we get ride of both.
25. Israel and the lessons of the flotilla
Jacques Heller ,   Modiin, Israel   (06.07.10)
I do share some of your thoughts or conclusions but I do not agree with your political analysis. 1. There is no other solution today than to enforce the blocade of Gaza in order to avoid further deliveries of heavy weapons. 2. Boosting the authority and sovereignty of the PA is useless because there is no sign at all from them of any first step towards peace, on the contrary. Enough is enough. Only the USA can compel them to make a first symbolic step. 3. A new era in our ties with Turkey? You are dreaming! Erdogan and his party have made a strategic choice: an alliance with the islamist-rogue states of the Middle East. There is no return to the West or to Israel. Remember Mussolini's speeches! Our old friend Turkey has vanished. Erdogan has crossed the border and since his insulting attitude to S.Peres in 2009, he seems not to control his words or deeds. He is puting the whole region on fire. He has to be stopped NOW and only the USA or NATO can do that. Unfortunately, President Obama is also changing strategies... 4. For Israel, it is not the time for apologies and signs of weaknesses. Our People do not deserve to be insulted or given too many lessons. I agree with you that it is the time to get united around a firm and clear political vision.
26. Israel needs stronger leadership, not weaker leadership.
Chaim ,   Israel   (06.08.10)
Israel needs stronger leadership, not weaker leadership as Barnea advocates. Replacing Israel Beiteinu with Kadima would be absolutely disastrous. For the first time in decades, we are hearing some frankness in the Knesset. It is largely because of Avignor Lieberman and Israel Beiteinu. The LAST thing Israel needs is more of Livni's pathetic grovelling for foreign approval. Didn't she do enough damage by handing Hizbullah victory in Lebanon, disgracing us at Annapolis and on and on? Israel needs leadership with the courage to frankly reject settlement freezes and the monstrous Two State Final Solution for the life destroying abominations they are. We must reject the sick path of appeasement forever.
27. #3 Hedonists?
galilean mom ,   Israel   (06.08.10)
Why do you think that all secular Israelis are about 'me, me' me'??? This is not my personal experience living here in Israel for the past 39 years! If anything I find the religious Haredim to be about 'me,me,me'.
28. 27 Valid point
Paqid Yirmeyahu ,   Ra'anana, Israel   (06.08.10)
Hedonism refers to materialism. However, my experience is that "secular" is a synonym for materialist, being oriented to the material world, think in materialistic and hedonistic terms, even in philanthropy. Since even the most rudimentary science demonstrates that the universe, expanding at an accelerating rate, did not always exist (as scientists assumed less than a century ago), implies a beginning, then there IS a "Prime Cause." Though scientists fear using the term Creator or ha-Sheim certainly it is so. That being the case, the complexity and absolute logic of the laws of the universe reflect the Intelligence of its Creator... implying a purpose. And that implies a purpose for me and you; my life, your life and everyone else's life--something beyond the material, physical, world. It's simplistic and, at best, pseudo-intellectual to ignore that easily demonstrated purpose to suppose that only "secular" matters. There are deeper and more profound aspects of life. All the best, Paqid Yirmeyahu Paqid 16, The Netzarim, Ra'anana, Israel Israeli Torah-reverer (& Orthodox Jew) Advocate for Logic as Hermeneutic Halakhic Authority Welcoming All Torah-reverers (Jews & non-Jews)
29.  Mr Nahum Primitivsky,
natasha ,   israel   (06.08.10)
It's you who are in state of denial - We have a democratically elected governement backed by majority and our FM is a leader of a big party that will grow even bigger, and you know it .
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