Our political oligarch

In my mind’s eye I see Henry Kissinger, the man and the legend, sitting at his chair in his New York office on the 26th floor and laughing, and laughing, and laughing. This wise Jew once said that the State of Israel has no foreign policy, and that all its moves stem from domestic policy. Ever since he said that, almost no month goes by without developments in the State of Israel affirming his witty remark.

The most loyal expression of this statement in practice has been masterminded by the man who today is our foreign minister. Avigdor Lieberman too, just like Kissinger, is sitting somewhere today, alone or with friends, laughing, and laughing and laughing. The Israelis, such suckers, again bought it hook, line and sinker. Chef Lieberman is probably preparing another such concoction as we speak: If you want to buy into it, you deserve it.

Avigdor Lieberman is a very intelligent and talented man; many people feel he is still an enigma. Yet I feel that his secret has been revealed, and the answer can be summed up with two words that I once heard from his former close associate, Knesset Member Israel Hasson: “Political Oligarch.”

Lieberman has been able to decipher the secret of Israeli politics years ago: A majority among our population is emotional and clings to the past and to primordial fears entrenched in us. This population group doesn’t have the time or desire to think: One can hurl a word or two in its direction as bait, it “eats up,” and is caught. Now, it’s time to move on to the next fish.

Back in the election campaign he managed for Benjamin Netanyahu in the 1990s, Lieberman learned that two or three words or an idea that provokes fears can get the job done: The “Peres will divide Jerusalem” slogan found its way to the street, and it was no longer possible to find the source of this claim. Two days later the slogan already resonated: “Peres will divide Jerusalem. Yet there was nobody who could have given you answers for questions like why? Who? What the hell? What are you basing this on?

All means are kosher

Lieberman, who possesses the keenest political senses among all Israeli politicians, always recognizes the issue that by next week will stir the patriotic emotions of Israelis.”Without loyalty there is no citizenship,” he said, and went on to gather the voters.

Lieberman, as noted, is an oligarch whose business is politics (which also enables him to do business.) Just like the oligarchs that gather dollars, he gathers votes. His top priority is to collect more votes, even if the State of Israel gets screwed up because of it. The State and his post as foreign minister are in his view a means for drawing more votes. All means are kosher.

Another foreign minister, any foreign minister, would raise a hue and cry had even one state boycotted him. Yet Lieberman ignores the hints that nothing awaits him in Washington and that it would not be wise for him to set foot in Europe. All he has left to do is travel from Sao Paolo to Trinidad and from Gambia to Zambia, while trying to convince the Israeli public how badly these countries were neglected (which is true,) and how important it is to boost our diplomatic ties with them (as a substitute for London, Paris, and Berlin.)

And en route from Brazil to Gabon, Lieberman arrived in Israel for a stopover, and just like any pyromaniac he lit a match that the media (that is, me!) turned into a great fire, and then flew off somewhere, until the next gimmick.