Tzipi Livni
Photo: Reuters
Don't stop dreaming
Anat Gov slams commentators who ridicule Livni's attempt to introduce new political norms
"Stop dreaming," "change your way of thinking," "pinch yourself," "wake up" – these were just some of the "original" and smug metaphors being hurled at Tzipi Livni by commentators and thinkers. Most of these remarks, by the way, came from women – a puzzling fact that requires in depth research.
Something quite amazing is happening here. We are seeing a woman within the political establishment – actually, not a woman, a person – who is attempting to stay true to her principles and her way, as much as this is possible within the political swamp, yet she immediately becomes the subject of jokes by commentators and their senior leakers.
Everyone knows better than her what she needs to do, her motives are being disparaged, contempt is shown to her insistence to stick to her principles, and everyone explains that this is happening because she lacks experience (because if she had more experiences, she would have fallen into Netanyahu's arms a long time ago in exchange for the perks he is offering her, just like many others did before.)
After all, her negotiations with Shas earlier, which she ended because she thought their extortion attempts went beyond her red lines, were characterized as "a failure" by the critics. And now that she is attempting to deliver on her pre-election pledges, everyone (and particularly the females) is quick to explain to her that in politics it is acceptable to violate election promises, and that she better "stop dreaming."
Even the desperate attempts to prompt senior Kadima officers to badmouth Livni are touching. Again, something strange is happening here: In contradiction to earlier estimates by the commentators, not only are we not seeing defections to the Likud, but rather, all of Kadima's members, including Mofaz (yes, Mofaz,) are backing their leader in an almost unprecedented manner around here.
We are seeing no knives drawn, no mud-slinging, and no comments from "close associates." Everyone agrees that the essence must be clarified first, before worrying about the number government posts the party can get.
If Livni is said to be dreaming because she insists on entering the government only if she can lead it in line with her views - the views that prompted more voters to vote for her than for any other leader – and if she is dreaming because she believes that promises to voters must be kept, I too want to be dreaming like that.
We have been living and wallowing in the reality spoken of by the commentators for dozens of years now. Those who voted for Tzipi Livni at least attempted to shift to a different reality.
So please, Tzipi, don't stop dreaming.
