Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s quest to become Israel’s longest-serving leader has become a referendum on his decades in public life.
Israel is 2019 is an abundantly prosperous nation with an incredible military and is a
hub of global technological innovation. Israel's relationship with the world's most powerful country, the United States, is currently at an all-time-high. Despite the ongoing regional conflicts, Israel stands as a beacon of hope and democracy in the Middle East. And the lion's share of the credit for all that belongs to Benjamin Netanyahu.
"And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive." Jeremiah 29:14 (KJV)
When Israel was regathered officially back on
May 14th, 1948, it was hailed as a true miracle, and indeed one mentioned in bible prophecy (
though they will be driven out and regathered one more time during the time of Jacob's trouble). And since 1948, Israel has had to overcome many wars and obstacles to their continued survival. Yet through it all, the God of Abraham has seen fit to bless Israel with a leader who is not afraid to declare Jerusalem as their undivided capital, and to stand strong and defend Israel as God's chosen land for the Jews. Name me one other Israeli politician who has the guts to do that.
Israel needs to return Benjamin Netanyahu to office when they vote tomorrow, because Israel needs a strong leader who has America firmly at his side. It is because of Netanyahu that President Trump
declared Jerusalem to be the capital of Israel, it is because of Netanyahu that America just
recognized the Golan Heights as being under Israeli sovereignty. These things would never have happened with any other Israeli leader, Netanyahu is nothing if not unique. Israel needs to reelect Benjamin Netanyahu.
Israel’s Election Is Seen as a Referendum on Netanyahu in a Country He Helped Transform
FROM THE WSJ: The race is tight. Most final
polls show a fluid situation ahead of Tuesday’s vote, with Mr. Netanyahu’s main challenger, former Gen. Benny Gantz, drawing slightly more seats with a message focused on voter fatigue,
corruption allegations and quality of life issues. But small right-wing parties are forecast to do well enough to put Mr. Netanyahu in a better position to cobble together a government coalition.
Still, Mr. Netanyahu has warned voters in recent days that his right-wing rule is in danger, in what Israelis call a “gevalt campaign,” borrowing from the Yiddish phrase expressing a sense of doom or fear.
“If we don’t change the current trend, we are going to lose,” Mr. Netanyahu said Sunday at a meeting described by his Likud party as an emergency session.
Even if Mr. Netanyahu doesn’t manage to surpass Israeli founding father David Ben-Gurion’s years in office, he has irrevocably changed Israel’s political landscape and its role on the world stage, contributing to and
benefiting from a rightward shift in the once-socialist country. With Jewish-Israeli support for a Palestinian state at its lowest levels in 20 years, his opponents have little interest in a big change in direction.
A victory would strengthen his status as a world leader and historic Israeli political figure. He has appeared to relish the election as a plebiscite on him personally and has largely
campaigned as a statesman, meeting with President Trump and President Vladimir Putin of Russia to press the point that he is indispensable.
“This is going to end up being a referendum on Netanyahu because he’s made it so; he’s saying, ‘I am the only one who can play at this level internationally,’” said Reuven Hazan, a political-science professor at Hebrew University.
The needle has moved so much during his 13 years as premier, first in the late 1990s and then from 2009 on, that policies once considered up for debate aren’t major issues in his re-election bid.
Polls show most Jewish voters agree with him when he says that Jerusalem will be the undivided capital of Israel, the Jordan Valley claimed by the Palestinians will remain under Israel’s control and that Israel will hold on to major settlement blocs.
On Saturday, seeking to cement right-wing support, he said in a TV interview he would extend Israeli sovereignty over parts of the West Bank if he is re-elected, a major policy shift that would stir Arab opposition and pose a test for Mr. Trump’s push for regional peace. He also said he was discussing annexing parts of the contested territory that Israel captured in 1967.
READ MORE
No comments:
Post a Comment