Channels

Photo: Gil Yohanan
Prime Minister Netanyahu
Photo: Gil Yohanan
Aviad Kleinberg

Netanyahu in his element

Op-ed: The opposition had a golden opportunity to ask the prime minister hard and probing questions this week, but squandered it by being disorganized and allowing him to easily dismiss the serious issues they raised.

There was something depressing in the exchange between the prime minister, foreign minister, economy minister, communication minister and regional cooperation minister—and the members of Knesset who were given a rare opportunity on Monday to pose questions to the prime minister, foreign minister, economy minister, communication minister and regional cooperation minister.

 

 

Seemingly, the members of Knesset got the chance to make the prime minister et al do something he was systematically avoiding: hold a sort of lengthy press conference in which a true discussion can take place where the almost-omnipotent leader is required to provide serious answers to probing questions. That is not what happened. In fact, what did happen at the Knesset was feeble and detached of anything a serious journalist could have accomplished.

 

The weak and pathetic nature of the session was also evident in Netanyahu's smugness. He was completely in his element: Comfortable, amused. He wasn't threatened by anyone in the plenum, not even for a moment. He even pleasantly dismissed Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein's fawning attempts to protect him from imaginary threats. Bibi doesn't need protection. Protection from who? From what?

 

Netanyahu: Smug and at ease (Photo: Gil Yohanan)
Netanyahu: Smug and at ease (Photo: Gil Yohanan)
 

The whole thing looked more like a meeting between Israeli supermodel Bar Refaeli and students at the Berl Katznelson elementary school in Kiryat Ata. The students are excited, disorganized, and wanted the star to pay attention to them. Here and there a student, eager to show their intrepidness, would dare ask a difficult question. The daring student: "What do you have to say about the tax evasion allegations?" The star: "Nonsense." Ah. Okay. Did you see how I asked her? Did you take a picture of it? Great!

 

What stood out most of all was the opposition's utter inability to work together to properly prepare for the question and answer session. Since each of them was allotted only three minutes, Netanyahu had no problem responding with a series of punch-lines to their feeble attempts of "ask the expert." The opposition should have taken advantage of the opportunity and push the multi-minister questions-evader into a corner.

 

With the opportunity they were granted, the opposition MKs should have divided the work among them: Decide on a topic or two they deem important—such as the fact Netanyahu continues holding onto so much power (the many ministries under his authority) for so long, the diplomatic stagnation, the role he played in creating the deep social divide in Israel, and the private conduct of the dear (in more ways than one) leader—and persist until they receive a serious answer.

 

A disorganzied opposition: Livni, Lapid and Herzog (Photo: Gil Yohanan)
A disorganzied opposition: Livni, Lapid and Herzog (Photo: Gil Yohanan)

 

None of the issues the prime minister etc. etc. has been ignoring or badly handling can be thoroughly examined in three minutes. Rather than have an eclectic collection of questions, the opposition MKs should have organized so the next inquirer asks a follow up question, based on hard data as much as possible. This is what a serious journalist would do. It's okay if not all of the topics in the world are covered, they need to focus on what's important and not give it a rest until they get answers.

 

They could have, for example, systematically gone through and discussed each of the ministries which Netanyahu is currently holding onto—mostly so he wouldn't have to give up more authorities. If these ministries don't need ministers, why do they exist? They should have discussed the deepening divide in Israeli society, which Netanyahu feeds off of both in actions (like the outrageous phone call to the parents of Sgt. Elor Azaria) and in failures (the lack of a response or the weak and late response to demonstrations of hatred and racism on the right wing).

 

The opposition comes out in full force for question and answer session with Netanyahu (Photo: Gil Yohanan)
The opposition comes out in full force for question and answer session with Netanyahu (Photo: Gil Yohanan)

 

They could have discussed, while presenting hard data, the systematic neglect of the Arab sector in Israel—the many promises and little action. They could have discussed the personal conduct of Netanyahu and his family members.

 

All of these issues are worthy of probing questions, but during the Knesset meeting they popped up for a moment and disappeared within a moment.

 

Why was this so? Not just because the opposition does not have a single leader that all others could unite behind, but also because its members are incapable of uniting around shared problems and waging an ethical and political struggle to promote shared goals. This doesn't mean they have to stay together all the way, just that they are willing to go a considerable length of the it together. It requires a certain world view, it requires leadership, it requires strategic thinking. Without all of these, Bibi will keep on enjoying himself.

 


פרסום ראשון: 07.20.16, 19:48
 new comment
Warning:
This will delete your current comment