Alternative history: If Herzog were prime minister
What would have happened if Herzog had been elected to the highest job in the land, and done exactly what Netanyahu is doing now?
"Mr. Prime Minister, the President of the United States is on the line. May I put him through?" Prime Minister Isaac Herzog loosens his tie, sinks deep into his chair, picks up the phone and puts the receiver to his ear.
"Hello Mr. President, the situation can’t go on like this. You have to talk with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, and demand that he help calm this situation down. Since the establishment of my government, in May 2015, we’ve been accommodating him as much as we can. But the incitement against us and the terror attacks continue unabated. Since the beginning of the escalation, four months ago, dozens of innocent civilians have killed and more than 300 wounded. And this isn't just happening in the territories. It's also happening at the heart of Tel Aviv, in Petah Tikva, and in the Israeli capital. You can probably imagine that the head of the opposition, Benjamin Netanyahu, is rejoicing at this and saying that if he were prime minister, he would’ve already put an end to the intifada."
A smile comes to Herzog’s lips when the American president tells him he knows all about Netanyahu's tricks, but that even Bibi knows he would not have been able to eradicate the lone wolf terrorism.
"Tonight, I'm supposed to speak at the Knesset, and then convene the Security Cabinet. I'm in favor of negotiations, but we may have to announce a complete closure of Judea and Samaria until further notice and take drastic measures. I expect you to support Israel."
Knesset Speaker Merav Michaeli, a member of Herzog's Zionist Union party, is unable to control the commotion in the assembly. Forty opposition members, led by Netanyahu, have signed a petition demanding that the Prime Minister hold a security discussion and answer their questions. Before the Prime Minister's remarks, the floor was given to MKs from the coalition and from the opposition. MK Ze'ev Elkin of the Likud party bellowed, "You are incompetent. People are afraid to walk the streets. Just hand over the reins and go home. You have lost the public's trust."
Coalition members interrupt him. Michaeli pounds her gavel again and again. "Friends, we'd really like to proceed to the vote."
Welfare Minister Eitan Cabel is up next at the podium, addressing the opposition. "In difficult days like these," he says, "we expect you to stand by the government and not divide the nation."
"I'll remove you," roars Speaker Michaeli at MK Bezalel Smotrich (of the Bayit Yehudi party), who shouts, "You are done, go home. Let us show you how to deal with the Palestinians."
Defense Minister Omer Bar-Lev, who once again presented his plan for separation from the Palestinians just a few days earlier, said flatly, "The government has no intention to ignore the recent attacks. We will reach each and every attacker." Laughter could be heard coming from the direction of the opposition's seats. "This will not prevent the next attack. The next victim," MK Gilad Erdan shouted at the podium. Former Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz exalted the contribution of the outgoing Netanyahu administration in improving the economy, lowering housing prices and the cost of living.
"While you freeze construction in Judea and Samaria, we expanded the construction, maintained a settlement project, and added tens of thousands of housing units in in=-demand areas. And despite the tense security situation, we managed to reduce housing prices," he scolded the coalition, "You received a thriving economy from us, and now - because you do not act against terror - your Finance Minister, Shelly Yachimovich, can’t even bring in even a single investor, and the natural gas remains offshore. Shame on you."
Finance Minister Yachimovich demanded the right to speak, and began counterattacking Steinitz him fiercely. "We got a thriving economy? In what imaginary world do you live? The deficit stood at over 5 percent, young people left the country for the benefit of Milkys in Berlin (Milky is an Israeli chocolate pudding snack. A small controversy broke out after it was revealed that a Milky-like snack was being sold for a significantly cheaper price in Berlin, supposedly highlighting the high cost of living in Israel. -ed), and housing prices are going through the roof because of your economic lapses. How dare you say that we aren't doing enough? You left behind a political shambles that affected the economy. Now sit quietly, and let us clean up the mess you made."
Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni clarified the government's position, saying, "Our hand is extended for peace, but the Palestinians and the international community must understand that there is a limit to our patience. We expect to receive backup, not boycotts."
Herzog's speech at the assembly began at 8pm, alongside the evening news on Israel's three biggest channels. His gaze was determined, his voice steady. His hair has whitened in the one year that's passed since he was elected Prime Minister. For about 40 minutes, during which he was interrupted repeatedly by right wingers, he promised that his government is doing all that it can to act against lone wolf terrorism. "Netanyahu was Prime Minister up until a year ago. Aside from isolating us from the world he did nothing, and now he's moved into a pundit's position," he said. "Where were you, Mr. Netanyahu? Why did you do nothing? We, however, will not hesitate to act aggressively. In the words of Yitzhak Rabin, I will work for peace as if there is no terrorism, and will fight terrorism as if there is no peace process. Hence I am going to the Cabinet meeting, where we will decide on a series of steps. "
This was the first Cabinet meeting since the terror wave began. Herzog consistently avoided convening it using various excuses. The extended meeting was held at the Defense Ministry offices in Tel Aviv, in a room that first Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion had used in the past. Herzog, a history buff and lover of symbolism, insisted that the meeting be held there. While Cabinet members received a comprehensive review by IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot, Shin Bet Director Yoram Cohen, who was nearing the end of his term, and Israel Police Commissioner Roni Alsheikh, a right wing demonstration began right across the street, near the Azrieli towers. The thousands who came to the "Let the IDF win" demonstration were looking forward to hearing speeches by right-wing leaders Benjamin Netanyahu of the Likud and Naftali Bennett of Bayit Yehudi.
Bennett spoke first. After adjusting the yarmulke on his head, he said, "During Operation Protective Edge, when the Netanyahu administration was in power, I called for the eradication of terrorism. We acted. We found Hamas' attack tunnels and demolished them. I called, back then, for the destruction of the Hamas regime. If it were not for the election, leading to the rise of leftist rule with the outside support of the Arabs, we would have stopped the attacks. Instead, they give terrorism a prize and freeze construction in the (disputed) territories. We would have been building on every hill, settling every outpost. Judea and Samaria have always been - and always will be - ours."
Between talk and action
The protestors' shouts could be heard in the conference room, swelling when Opposition Leader Benjamin Netanyahu approached the podium. Wearing a brown leather jacket, a kind of fancy military battle-dress, he asked the audience to let him speak uninterrupted. "But you can applaud," he told them.
"Just recently, I published another edition of my book on the war on terror. This is my specialty. In my book I list a number of steps that could defeat terrorism completely. Among them are the demolition of terrorists' homes, the enactment of a law allowing the deportation of terrorists to Gaza, freezing Palestinian funds until terror stops, instituting of an indefinite closure and revoking VIP cards from the heads of the Palestinian Authority. This government is weak. It does not oppose terrorists with an iron fist, so they dare to raise their heads and hit our city centers.”
"When I was Prime Minister, I visited the Gaza Division in the south, and I said that we were conducting the fight for Israel's security on several fronts. Keeping the peace on the Temple Mount, in the West Bank, and in Gaza. Each sector can catch fire and inflame the other sectors. Today, I stand here with former Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon, and I am convinced that the situation is out of control. When I was Prime Minister I managed policies to calm the situation, while conducting action against terrorists and against the forces of terrorism, in a responsible and measured manner, with strength - with a lot of strength when needed. The current government is not doing this."
"We say to our enemies - we will not allow intrusion of our borders or an attack on our territory and our people. I don’t get the impression that the message was understood among decision makers here. The situation is deteriorating, and I say to Prime Minister Herzog: Let's schedule new elections and allow the people to decide if they want your reign to continue."
At the end of the Cabinet meeting, the decisions were released to the press. "After long consultations," the official statement said, "the Cabinet, at the direction of Prime Minister Isaac Herzog, has decided, with the advice of the authorized bodies, to recommend that the government immediately begin shuttering breaches in the separation fence in the Jerusalem area, and that it begin construction of a new fence in Tarqumiyah.
"It was also decided to promote the quick enactment of a law punishing transporters and hosts of illegal aliens, to close inciting media outlets, and to deny work and trade permits on a larger scale. It also was decided to prevent Palestinian travel on some main roads and to recruit 1,000 more police officers for community policing missions, in order to increase civilians' sense of security. At the same time, the Prime Minister is calling for the Palestinian Authority President to open negotiations towards an interim agreement that will lead to a permanent arrangement."
Prime Minister Herzog summed up the meeting, saying, "We will not hesitate to strike strongly, but only the restoration of trust between the parties will bring an end to this cycle of violence. Unlike his predecessor, who was strong in words, we focus on deeds."
Meanwhile, outside the conference room, the demonstrators' voices were loud and clear. The frantic mob carried signs protesting the Herzog government, shouting "Herzog go home," "Go Netanyahu," "Only a right-wing government will bring back quiet to the streets," Only Netanyahu will bring security.”
