Netanyahu and Herzog. Unity governments have actually had some significant achievements
Photos: AFP Reuters
Israel needs a unity government
Op-ed: A state is not a guinea pig; past experience shows that a national unity government, with all its problems, is the preferable option.
The new consensus determines that "unity is a disaster," especially among those who believed wholeheartedly that "Benjamin Netanyahu is a disaster." If they are right, then why let this disaster happen?
Almost all government in recent decades were national unity governments. Not only was it not horrible, but these governments actually had some significant achievements. Unless we go back to the election days' lies, about a breakdown that never happened. Ehud Barak's narrow government operated without any interruptions from the right. What did it achieve in the area of peace? Nada.
This new notion is gaining popularity on all sides. Fanatics and separatists from the right and from the left. This is the rhetoric which determines that there is an abyss between the camps. Granted, there is an abyss – between the extremes, not between the camps. The arguments don’t change: Let the rightist-haredi coalition show us what it can do; there is no need for a fig leaf and other stuff.
Election Win
Baruch Leshem
Op-ed: The left persuaded voters they needed a change, but not that Herzog and Livni could deliver it; and no one can work a camera like Bibi.
We are under the impression of the months after Yair Lapid and Tzipi Livni were fired. That's a wrong impression. During the unity, Israel held serious negotiations with the Palestinians. Netanyahu, behind the scenes, presented surprising stances. They have been published. It happened thanks to the unity government. He took a strong shift to the right only in honor of the elections. A day after the elections, he soon changed his tune. And that's a good thing.
A state is not a guinea pig. A unity government, with all its problems, is the preferable option. That's what past experience shows. It's true that at the moment there seems to be no chance for such a government. That doesn’t mean that we have to give up the option.
Secondly, I would like to wish writer Yehonatan Geffen good health, and the ability to voice irritating views. That's what freedom of expression is for. I also hope his violent attacker will be caught.
But there is something strange happening here. Geffen is far from being one of the outstanding members of the "Israel's enemies" list. There are people who are more famous than him. One of them shops at Tel Aviv's Carmel Market every Friday. No one has dared touch a hair on his head. That's another sign of maturity. So why the hell would someone go to the trouble of finding out where Geffen lives, travel all the way to his home, only to shout "leftist traitor" and throw an egg on him?
If the silencing violence is so widespread here, why is it not happening in the right's support centers? And how is it possible that throughout the entire election campaign there wasn't a single violent incident, apart from one provocation by Baruch Marzel's supporters?
It's possible that some lunatic went all the way to Geffen's house. But we’re allowed to ask questions. And there is definitely no need for the regular lamentations about silencing violence. These are only doubts. Let's hope we get some answers soon too.
Thirdly, singer Achinoam Nini (Noa) was also verbally attacked when two people shouted at her that she's an enemy of Israel. That's definitely wrong. Before someone tells us that a wave of violence is washing over Israel and that democracy is collapsing, let me to say that unlike Geffen and Noa, I have been under a double attack. I have been screamed at and called an enemy of Israel over my opinions about the settlement enterprise, and I have been screamed at and called a fascist over my arguments about rights organizations' contribution to the industry of lies against Israel.
On Monday I participated in a discussion on Army Radio together with Noa, who persistently claimed that there is more violence in Israel today. That's the acceptable notion. The facts are a bit different. The level of violence, which is based on many sources, not just police complaints, points to a 2.4% drop a year from 2004 to 2014. I
In the smartphone era, when nothing escapes the eye of the camera, the buzz created by each incident is much bigger. It means that there is more coverage, not more violence.
