by Sivan Rahav Meir, translated by Hillel Fendel
Political affairs commentator and inspirational Torah speaker Sivan Rahav Meir has an interesting insight into Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's uncharacteristic raging outburst last week at one of his former close colleagues.
There was much criticism of Bennett's outburst at much-admired, modest, hard-working MK Orit Strook in the Knesset last week. "Get out of my sight!' he raged at her. But in my opinion, he was actually quite calm - if we take into account the very difficult situation he is undergoing.
There were two important votes going on at the time. Both of these issues I had actually heard of for the first time a few years ago when, of all people, Naftali Bennett and Ayelet Shaked introduced me to them. These were clearly very important issues to them personally – and yet this week, they voted on both precisely opposite their positions of a few years ago.
The issues were: the lack of governance in the Negev, leading to a lack of basic law enforcement vis-à-vis the illegal Bedouin construction there, and the lack of electricity infrastructures in many Jewish outposts in Judea and Samaria. Back in the day, Bennett and Shaked, with clearly nationalist motives, made these issues their agenda by which to gain the support of right-wing voters: "We will end the Bedouin takeover, and we will bring basic infrastructures to young Jewish pioneers!"
The two politicians made countless visits to the Negev and to the pioneering Jewish outposts, years ago. Their promises were not made cynically, but sincerely. They truly felt that illegal construction taking over the Negev should not be rewarded, while the young Jews deserve electricity.
And then, now, Bennett finds himself voting precisely the opposite: in favor of the Bedouins and against the Jewish settlers, all because of an ultimatum by the Arab Raam party. Raam threatened to bring down the coalition if the government voted "unfavorably" on these bills. This caused Bennett not only to vote against his conscience, but also to change aspects of the legislative process, in opposition to the position of the Knesset's legal counsel.
After the votes, Bennett turns around and sees Raam MK Walid Taha celebrating, having fulfilled his election promises to the Islamic Movement and the Ashura "Council of Sages" of the Raam party.
Bennett then turns to his left and sees Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz – leader of the far-left Meretz Party, a member of Bennett's government coalition – quite pleased with himself over having successfully pushed to allow homosexual couples the right to have babies via a surrogate mother. And this, at the height of the Omicron Corona health crisis!
He looks over at Benny Gantz, his Defense Minister, rewarding his center-left base by meeting yet again with Abu Mazen. [All this, don't forget, is happening to the former head of the Yesha Council, Naftali Bennett – "simply" because he formed an Arab-left-Yemina government with these elements.]
Ah yes, he then sees his Finance Minister, Avigdor Lieberman, who, despite the Corona closure of many parts of the economy, refuses to open the national coffers and pay out compensation to those who have been hurt economically. Remember Bennett talking about how important it was for people not to suffer economically during Corona? It was he who, during the election campaign, coined the phrase, Lo parnasah, lo me'anyen – "If it's not a matter of making a living, it's not interesting."
And let's not forget far-left Deputy Minister Yair Golan calling the pioneer settlers of Chomesh "sub-human." Not to mention Yair Lapid, who is set to become Prime Minister next year, if the coalition doesn't fall. Bennett sees all his coalition "colleagues" and their standings in the polls, compared to his own woeful numbers.
And then it happens: Orit Strook, resident of Hevron, comes over to him to remind him of his promises to the settlers and of the fact that their votes helped him reach the Premiership. Not very long ago, Strook accompanied him on trips to the areas in question, often advising him even when she was not even a Knesset member, and they were a good team. But now? Is it any wonder that, with everything he has to worry about, that was the last thing he had to hear? And so he screamed at her in fury, "Fly away from my eyes [in literal translation]! Get out of my sight!" He then turned around like a lion in a cage, spitting anger in all directions.
And in truth, that outburst is probably nothing compared to what must really be raging inside him.