# 411 – Bibi

Bibi

You will be pleased to know that this epistle is going to be short.

And I must stress: this is MY OPINION only. An interested observer, who continues to claim that he is ‘swinging’ (e.g. flexible) centre. If I blurt out some extreme statement, it is a sign of emotion, provocation and/or other such natural characteristics. I am NOT an extremist, one way or the other.

Israel is fast approaching a national and/or general strike. The unions are becoming involved. Transport and other important services are being severely disrupted. The military was already breaking down. I thank God and everyone else involved that after 3 months of this, and with all those fingers & toes crossed, we still have not seen any severe violence. True, I have not seen flowers handed out to the police (e.g. Flower Power in San Francisco), but I can actually imagine some of the officers ’taking a step back, or even refusing orders.

Yesterday, Bibi sacked his Defence Minister, Yoav Gallant. (What a great name, compared to ‘Shmotrich’), after the latter made what turned out to be a watered-down statement against his government’s policies. Today, there are rumours that the Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, (with Shmotrich, one of the extreme reasons for this situation) may resign – out of politically inexperienced frustration? Wow, that would be a dollop of icing on the hoped-for cake.

This is still the closest you can get to the true definition of democracy. A very wide cross section of the population (still without Israeli Arabs or Ultra-religious) is peacefully demonstrating all over the country. I never expected to want to use the word ‘pride’ in my letters. A dangerous characteristic. But when I see those masses of flags, the mixture of peoples, I am proud. (Why don’t I join them. Perhaps I shall, but I would have to take at least a golf-seat with me. Having leg problems…).

So….I just watched Piers Morgan’s interview on YouTube with Bibi Netanyahu from 2 days ago, during the PM’s pointless London visit (as were his recent trips to Germany and France). I’ve become an admirer of Piers’ intelligent and open method of seeking answers. I also continue to be aware of Bibi’s excellent grasp of English (American). You may recall that he was Israel’s voice to the outside World during the Gulf War. During his many overall successful years in power, his charismatic words have usually had my backing.

So this was going to be interesting.

Short and not so sweet: Piers did not do his homework, and Bibi twisted and turned his way out of the truth. God, how I hate Bibi’s misuse of the word ‘democracy’. Yes, in general, which includes most of Israel’s 74 years, the judiciary does need ‘watching’, does need to be ‘reined in’ sometimes. There needs to be a balance between judiciary, legislation and executive. That’s absolutely OK. But today’s coalition is a BIG mistake for Israel. (Right-wingers among you may disagree, but please keep reading).

It includes extremists. It includes, for instance, a diplomatic idiot, Finance Minister Bezalel Shmotrich, who blurts out that there is no Palestinian, no Palestinian state – even displays a map of Israel which encompasses all of the West Bank etc. – AND Jordan. (The fact that this counters what Palestinians do with THEIR maps of Israel is a classic example of 2 wrongs not making a right).

I never expected to be joining the masses who accuse Bibi, their PM, to be a liar. But after watching him for 3/4 hour IN ENGLISH – he is.

He must go – he can now sit down and write part II of his auto-biography: ‘How I Became a Disgrace’.

And….a few minutes ago, Bibi spoke to the country. Ignoring people like me, he spoke in Hebrew. But I got the gist, which was that he ‘is now prepared to speak to the Opposition’. Huh? But that’s what he told Piers Morgan has been on the table since Day 1. He claims the Opposition have refused to meet. NOT TRUE. It’s just that they had a condition: freeze the process; they cannot talk while the Government continues to push the reforms through. So I’m not quite sure if he brought anything new to the negotiating table.

The News did say that some of his Coalition partners, some from within his party, have started talking to the crowds. I hope, I pray that the crumbling of his Coalition has started. And, of course, I hope the Opposition is ready. Now they need a leader. Lapid seems to have lost some friends; Gantz, maybe. But perhaps someone closer to Bibi, someone with the power and respect necessary to unite this country.

Stephen