I was bummed to read about Netanyahu’s resignation in protest of the Gaza pullout. I have always liked and respected the guy. I also have thought for years that most of the settlements are economic, military and political disasters for Isreal and that they should be abandoned.
These two opinions now look to be in direct conflict, and I have no clue how to reconcile them.
Anyone have any insights on the subject?
It might be great news. Hardliners (on both sides) are keeping the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in a stalemate. Bibi was no good for the region.
I ay “might” because it appears his resignation was solely to distance himself from the Disengagement, and probably does not preclude a return to politics at a later date.
I wager he’s gonna run for PM again at the next opportunity.
I am assuming that he will challenge Sharon at the next opportunity, which will probably be sooner than scheduled, potentially splitting Likud. A cynic might say he is taking the position in order to have a different position from Sharon on this contentious issue. That is possible I suppose, but I don’t think for a second that he would take this approach unless he really was fervently opposed to the withdrawal.
That opposition is a real problem for me. I don’t like having such a different opinion with a guy like that who is obviously much better informed than I will ever be.
Don’t you think* every* MK - Likud, Labor, Shinui, Shas, etc… is better informed than you (and me) on this issue? There’s quite a spectrum of opinions there - they can’t all be right.
Certainly they all have different positions, but I have always found Netanyahu persuasive in the past. It seems like my opinion of him or my opinion of the situation needs to change.
but I have always found Netanyahu persuasive in the past.
He’s quite a good speaker. He’s also pretty right wing - I think the hardline approach has proven to be a failure, and a lot of people are moving away from it - Sharon is the perfect example.
(And I agree with you guys that he’s setting himself up for a run againt Sharon for PM.) I think this is a good asessment from Haaretz:
Netanyahu is gambling that it will be easier for him to run against Sharon from outside the government. Sharon is gambling that resigning will push Netanyahu into a right-wing corner, leaving him alone in the political center. The results of the disengagement will determine which of the two bet correctly.