How Will History Treat Netanyahu?

Netanyahu and Gantz join forces last October(TOI)

There is a lot of venom out there for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Venom expressed by people on both sides of the political aisle. 2 people that I consider my friends and whose opinions I value greatly are polar opposites politically. One politically conservative; the other politically liberal. Both of them consider Netanyahu a disaster of epic proportion. One of them recently expressed the belief that Netanyahu is a despicable human being that has done more damage to Israel than all the antisemites in America put together.   

I know these two gentlemen are not alone. Anti Netanyahu venom of this nature is widely shared both here and in Israel (although it mostly comes from the left). I do not share that view.

But maybe he deserves it. After October 7^th it was widely and understandably believed that this would be the end of the Netanyahu era. The buck stops with the prime minister. He would have to pay the price for the country not being prepared for what happened on that day. And sooner or later Israelis would vote him out of office. 

The leading candidate to replace him had been the center-left Benny Gantz. One would think that with all the anti Netanyahu  protests going on in Israel - plus the worldwide criticism of Israel’s conduct in the war that Ganz would be a shoe in as the next prime minister in the next election.

 One may, however, be surprised to learn that this is not necessarily the case. As noted in the Times of Israel: 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu overtook war cabinet minister Benny Gantz as the public’s preferred choice for premier in a television survey aired Wednesday, marking the first time in a year that the incumbent rated higher than his best-polling rival. 

Another interesting fact that flies in the face of the venomous opposition to Netanyahu is the bi-partisan invitation to address both houses of congress. He accepted.

For someone that  is considered a disaster of epic proportion by so many people, how is any of this possible? 

Should he be boycotted by members of congress in protest? At least one senator, Bernie Sanders,  said he will  do  exactly that. He considers Netanyahu a war criminal.  

There are several questions that need to be addressed here. One of which is why is he so hated? And why do Israelis now prefer him to Gantz? 

Let us first dispense with why he is so hated. Which is mostly by the left half of the country. His conservative politics are anathema to them.  A lot of people hate Charedim believing them to be takers. Not givers. Upset that they do not share the burden that most other Israelis do. This is true in both secular and religious Zionist circles. Netanyahu’s concession to Charedi parties for purposes of retaining power is seen as a betrayal of Israeli values. They see Charedim as not willing to share the burden. This is why not only the left is upset at him. It is why you will find some people on the right upset at him.

Then there is his selling out to another ‘devil’ (beside Charedim). In order to retain power he has included 2 of the most extreme right wing parties into his coalition allowing them to enact extremist polices that exacerbate tensions between Palestinians and Israelis,  put Israeli lives at risk, all while alienating world opinion and damaging Israel’s relationship with the US.

There is also his willingness to double cross even his closest allies if he thinks it will keep him in power. 

There is also the fact that he is being tried for corruption. 

And finally there is the widespread belief that his entire purpose in prolonging the war with Hamas is to stay in power. And that could not care less about the hostages or their  families. 

How then is it possible that a man like this is leading Gantz in the polls? How is it possible that a man like this has been invited by both parties to address a joint session of congress?

I think the answer is that he is not quite the devil he is made out to be – even if some of those things are true. And not everyone in Israel hates him or sees him as any kind of disaster. 

For one thing Israel is not a dictatorship. Netanyahu did not come to power though a military coup. His party has won a plurality of votes in every election for well over a decade.  Which gave his party the first right to form a government. As party head that makes him prime minister. 

The Israeli public has also moved steadily rightward since the days of Menachem Begin. That should not surprise anyone. Intifadas tend to send a peaceful populace in a rightward direction. The last election resulted with far in more people voting for right wing parties than at any time in its 76 year history.

Pining for ‘the good ole days’ of a socialist type Zionism where the Kibbutz was the ‘Jewel in the Crown’ will not go anywhere. Forget about that ever happening again. Israel has changed from a socialist type economy to a free market economy. The socialism that the Kibbutz represented as the way of Israel’s future is long past its glory days and is practically dead. (Sorry Bernie). 

The person most responsible for that is Netanyahu who began the process as Sharon’s finance minister. Much of Israel’s reputation as a tech giant, innovator of science  technology,  and medical advancements happened under his watch. Israel’s relationship with the US has never been closer than it is now – despite differences between the the prime minister and the current president.

I also happen to believe that he is very articulate spokesman for his country.(I’m sure that will be vigorously disputed by his detractors.)

Sure, there is still plenty to complain about. Netanyahu still has a lot to answer for with respect to October 7^th. But to cast him as a disaster of epic proportion is nothing more than seeing only the negative - and being willfully blind to anything positive.

How will history treat Netanyahu? I have no idea. His story isn’t over yet. And in any case it will depend on the political perspectives of the historian writing it.