Our Prime Minister, the Feckless Child, Does it Again

Bad policies and bad judgement seem to be a recurring theme with the current administration and our esteemed Prime Minister.

Today, Bibi decide to hand on a “silver platter”, there may also have been ribbons and bows; a PR victory to the controversial and self-appointed, “moral guardian” of the IDF, Breaking the Silence. Don’t get me started on these guys. I have a great deal of criticism of the organisation, its tactics and often misguided activities. We all know where the best of intentions often lead, but that is for another time and another discussion. In doing so, today Bibi achieved the very opposite of what he had set out to do. Sounds horribly familiar, I know.

Today Prime Minister Netanyahu was due to meet with Germany’s Foreign Minister, Sigmar gabriel. Rather than highlight and indeed celebrate the important point that Germany’s top diplomat is visiting the national homeland of the Jews, just a day after Holocaust Memorial Day, which incidentally also saw the Austrian Prime Minister attend the official Holocaust Memorial ceremony in Jerusalem, Bibi saw fit to accentuate the fact that the current Israeli government abhors dissension, objects to opposing views and in effect, seeks to limit free speech.

In issuing an ultimatum to the German Foreign Minister, that should he continue with his plans to meet with Breaking the Silence, he would cancel their meeting, the irony of the leader of the National Homeland of the Jews denying a German the right meet with whomsoever he chooses, in the only democracy in the Middle East may be lost on Bibi, Bennett (who came out in support of Bibi’s decision) and their cronies, but not on the rest of us. The timing only adds to the farcical nature of this tawdry affair.

Why, because we are indeed the only democracy in the region, however flawed and Bibi should know better, importantly from a moral and ethical perspective, but failing that surely from a strategic perspective. What he should have done is exactly what the Leader of the Opposition, Yitshak Herzog chose to do, meet with Gabriel and counter Breaking the Silence in the strongest terms.

In trying to deny a platform to Breaking the Silence, he made them the focus of the German Foreign Minister’s trip. Now, these guys may be big news in Israel, but until today, I expect very few in Germany or the rest of Europe had ever heard of them. Bibi’s childish and ill-judged decision to bring them to the fore has gifted them publicity in Europe they could only dream of. Own goal, I think, or in the more militaristic terminology Israelis are so fond of, shot himself, and indeed all of us in the foot.

If anyone needs proof of how damaging Bibi and this government are to Israel then today is a perfect example. Bibi’s attempt to slight the Foreign Minister of Israel’s staunchest ally in Europe, not to mention the most powerful country in Europe, was reckless, irresponsible and wholly ineffective. Breaking the Silence end up on the front FM Gabriel comes out as a strong diplomat and a grown up, whereas, Bibi, our Prime Minister, Mr Security, Mr responsible, comes across as nothing more than a feckless child.

In their desperate attempts to appeal to a certain element of Israelis society and strengthen their “right wing” credentials, our so called leaders are all too willing to throw our country, our laws, our values and ethics under the proverbial bus, where for Bibi, Bennet & Co, the terms freedom of speech and democracy become more relative by the day.