Lieberman at Monday's press conference. A different kind of politician
Photo: Ofer Meir
Lieberman should be saluted
Op-ed: In an unprecedented political move, the Yisrael Beytenu chairman said no to extortion and no to crushing democracy. Meanwhile, the spineless MKs of Likud and Kulanu are keeping quiet about Netanyahu's clearance sale.
It's unbelievable that something like this could happen in Israeli politics. Avigdor Lieberman
announced Monday that he is giving up the desirable and prestigious position of foreign minister, because he has fundamental demands. He is against Netanyahu's major capitulation to the ultra-Orthodox parties.
He refuses to take part in the clearance sale.
In the past few years, we have gotten used to a situation in which politics is "the art of possible." Every time an important principle has been crushed, the famous explanation has been found: Politics requires compromises. The explanation is correct. If all sides to negotiations, any negotiations, insist on their demands – the entire world will be stuck in an all-out war.
Lieberman is unwilling to give up the previous government's achievements in areas like an equal share of the burden and against the "Nahari law," which encourages haredi separatism and will restore the full funding of haredi schools that refuse to teach core subjects.
Political Fight
Naftali Bennett, who had been given Education Ministry, now eyeing FM's job; may face strong opposition from senior Likudniks who also want the post.
But the coalition which is taking shape is reaching new levels. It is a clearance sale because most right-wing voters in general, and Likud voters in particular, oppose the haredi demands. Most right-wing voters are in favor of an equal share of the burden. They are against draft dodging. They are against the funding of haredi institutions which nurture ignorance and encourage separatism.
And these right-wing voters, who are basically the majority of the right, have no representatives in Israel's Knesset. Netanyahu is in an ecstasy of a clearance sale, but the Likud Knesset members are keeping silent like lambs. They have nothing to say. In the coming weeks, they will become automatic. No one will dare open his mouth, no one will protest, no one will cry out, "The emperor has no clothes." No one will say that the state is more important that the total surrender.
Lieberman and Netanyahu. In his decision not to join the government, he basically determined the coalition's fate (Photo: Gil Yohanan)
But it turns out that there is one person, only one, who is apparently not that spineless. What haven't we said about him? That he's the worst of the bunch, that he's cynical, that he changes his skin, that it's unclear whether he is left or right. A considerable part of the criticism against Lieberman was justified. He is not a righteous person. His conduct often deserves criticism. But here, in one moment, it turns out that in a place where there are no people, there is someone who is willing to be a person.
It's possible that Lieberman's proper standing is just an act. It's possible that in a few hours we'll find out that it was just a miserable political trick, aimed at exerting more pressure in order to receive more benefits. Such things have happened in the past, but this time it appears to be serious.
Lieberman, it seems, means every word he says. There is no need to agree with all the principles he presented at his press conference in order to realize that he is a different kind of politician. Lieberman's move is much more significant than it appears. He basically determined the coalition's fate. There is no situation in which a 61-strong coalition could last.
Considering the fact that almost all the members of Moshe Kahlon's Kulanu party are much closer to Lieberman's views, especially in regards to the clearance sale, the coalition which has barely gotten on its feet is already beginning the countdown to its end. And in general, in light of Lieberman's standing, Kulanu's MKs appear worthless. Where are they? Why are they allowing not only a "compromise," but a complete crushing of everything they believe in? There is no need for nine of them to object the surrender. All it takes is one. It may happen sooner than we think.
Lieberman made an unprecedented political move. He said no to extortion and no to crushing democracy and no to a democracy of a minority. At the moment, assuming that he won’t change his mind in the coming hours, Lieberman should be saluted.
