what he says: as bad as current government is, what is he nuts? Bibi has ushered in a great economy, great security, and manages to deal with the USA and Arabs in a manner that is fitting a great juggler. Who was better? Rabin? Barack? Livni? Come on Nachum, take off the hate filled glasses and see reality, Bibi and the government is doing a good job!

The problem with Israel is that there is no faith in its leaders. Netanyahu is the most experienced man for the job because it's his 2nd time as Pm. furthermore Israel needs more then ever a politician who is convincing on the world stage. Bibi isn't the one to hate, it's the circumstances that Israel has been in since day one. No other country has faced the same challenges all at once that we face. No other parliament in the world has the same quality of politicians with the same backgrounds I.e literally taking a bullet for his country. What is failed to be recognized is that no matter what decision that is made i.e to attack Iran or not, to lower taxes or not, to fund housing schemes or not etc. will always face criticism. So damned if you do and damned if you don't , atleast I'll rather the devil I know and am familiar with then the one I don't.

What we see from here is not what you see from there.

Its the best under the circumstances we live in. No one is promising a happy new year. These are not times for a happy new year. The world is in turmoil. I would like to see the Natanyahu detractors, critics and complainers, come and do a better job! Bibi has the MOST DIFFICULT era to rule in. Our neighbors are armed to the teeth, NONE of our *cough* allies understand our existential needs to thwart complete national destruction by another sovereign state, no future government will be any better. And NO, Bibi is not spineless. Have to disagree with this op-ed completely.

We elect indecent governments, because we, as a people, have lost all sense of decency towards ourselves and towards others

I wouldn't say that ynet has a right or left ideology. Its ideology is 1) Anything Bibi does is terrible. 2) Olmert is the messiah. 3) Publish any material that can make Israelis feel bad This article in its absurdity sums it up

...and in the General Public. Fearing retaliation by pro-Jewish, pro-Israel, pro-Christian, forces, such as the ADL, AIPAC, the Christian Coalition, the Media itself, and their witting and unwitting sycophants. "Among the less benign reasons U.S. sources don’t leak is that it can hurt your career. Said Perkovich: “It’s like all things having to do with Israel and the United States. If you want to get ahead, you don’t talk about it; you don’t criticize Israel, you protect Israel. You don’t talk about illegal settlements on the West Bank even though everyone knows they are there.”

Post # 4 was directed to post #2. My apology to # 3

The current israeli government is doing the possible best options among the given circumstances and reality. What do you expect from Netanyahu ? To contact andromeda inhabitants to ally against the iranian threat ?

" The government should have altered its priorities, reduced the defense budget " Comment - Not at all - Because it is always like this - Money use always to be short, when Political and Military crisises arises. Every Political and Military Crisises, has usually always its toll, a bad Economy effecting the Socially lower clases. Those who understand will put their bet on the defence budge, t and those who dont, will go the way of Chamberlain and increase the Danger even to those lower clases. That this Government Zig-.zags, it must, it is as regarding the threaths, a kind of Tactic for to face the worst Scenario. Be ready for Surprisises. Arn.

Yes, unfortunately you are correct. I do believe that so many people here learn their horrible patterns of behavour from the governments that always find a way to screw them one way or another. Double talk is the norm here because its whats everybody has learned in order to survive.

Bibi's government is far from perfect. However, it shines like a beacon in the dark compared to what we had under Kadima and Labor. Gone is the corruption of Olmert. Gone are the constant idiotic self aggrandizing comments of Livni. Gone is the constant boot kissing appeasement that cost so many Israelis their lives and well being. Moreover, Israel is weathering out the recession better than many other nations.

How does expanding Israel's settlements while demolishing Palestinian homes for building illegally when no permits are given help Israel's security? Don't get me wrong, Israel has a right to exist and in a final settlement settlement blocks should be kept. However, this is not the second intifada. Sucide bombers aren't striking Tel Aviv every day. Everyone one of Israel's founders like Moshe Dayan and David Ben Gurion right before he died in 1973 realized keeping the West Bank would destroy Israel as a Jewish state. For starters, settlement outposts need to be dismantled. All funding and subsidizes to settlements outside settlement block also needs to end. I love Israel, but not the ugly version that the settlers want that goes against Israel's own founders.

That's thanks to the the security barrier that Israel erected, in the face of wall-to-wall opposition from the so-called "international communitiy". Your less-than-honest intentions are betrayed by your singling out of Tel Aviv, as though the security of the rest of Israel is of minor importance.