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Photo: Motti Kimchi
Livni. Presented the toughest stances in the negotiations with the Palestinians
Photo: Motti Kimchi
Ben-Dror Yemini

Livni's noble act

Op-ed: Following the successful smear campaign presenting her as a radical leftist, Tzipi Livni decided that victory is more important than she is.

Three months ago, the Labor Party was in a very bad state. Political correspondents didn't hide their smile while speaking to Isaac Herzog and his pretensions to become prime minister. They chuckled. The merger between Herzog and Tzipi Livni was a turning point. They were mocked, but they did it.

  

 

This election campaign did not offer a vision. None of the parties presented a practical plan for the next five years or for the coming decade. But there were spins, a lot of spins, mainly in order to escape the real issues.

 

Where are we headed to? To a binational state? Towards a deeper crisis with the entire world? To a conflict with the American administration? Why a moment after the elections, the Israeli-Palestinian issue will take center stage again. We had a short-term break. It's over. Where are we headed to? We will search for answers in vain.

 

And there was also a smear campaign. Livni was badmouthed more than anyone else. She was presented as a radical leftist. Livni? Have they gone mad? Throughout the entire negotiations with the Palestinians, Livni presented tougher stances vis-à-vis the prime ministers. It happened during the Ehud Olmert era, and that's a known thing. But it also happened during the Benjamin Netanyahu era.

 

Livni wouldn't budge an inch over the "right of return" issue. She even opposed a symbolic return. And who was willing to compromise, just to compromise? Yes, it was Netanyahu.

 

Livni and Herzog. Will last-minute move help them gain momentum again? (Photo: AFP)     (Photo: AFP)
Livni and Herzog. Will last-minute move help them gain momentum again? (Photo: AFP)

 

But the propaganda worked. The smear campaign was successful. Livni, who made it clear to Israel's Arabs in the past that Israel is a Jewish state, and that the Palestinians will receive their national identity in a Palestinian state, and not in Israel, was turned into a radical leftist in the mudslinging campaign. Lies win not only when they are directed against Israel, but also when they are activated within Israel.

 

It's not that the Labor Party or Zionist Union supporters bought these lies. But mud has a strange habit – it sticks. And when the battle is over nearly 10% of the voters, who are still hesitant, Livni – who helped the Zionist Union turn into the leading camp – became a burden in the past few weeks. She doesn’t deserve it. Israel doesn’t deserve it. This is another victory of the culture of smear and lies.

 

Just like Herzog's noble act three months ago, which helped him gain momentum, Livni is performing her own noble act at the last minute, hoping it will help them gain momentum again.

 

God knows I have some criticism against Livni. I have expressed it in my columns. Even now, I must admit, I have no idea which party I'm going to vote for. But just like I slammed the lies against Netanyahu, and there were lies, I feel a duty to come out against the mud being thrown at Livni, for no fault of her own. And Livni decided that even if 0.5% of the undecided voters won't vote for the Zionist Union because of the mud – victory is more important than she is.

 

So yes, despite the dirty and spin-ridden election campaign, a good word is in order.

 


פרסום ראשון: 03.17.15, 13:59
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