Three cheers for a fourth election?

Prime Minister Netanyahu has got to be one of the most honest politicians in history. Here’s why. 

After serving in the capacity of Prime Minister of Israel for a longer period than any other in history, you’d think he’d have acquired some serious connections, right? Think about it. If he really wanted to ‘steal’ the election, don’t you think he really could have? 

Let’s count about 100 ways, not the least of which could be through covert operations with a little help of some intelligence friends in high places. Former spies, even current spy masters, voting machine manufacturers--the list is endless. 

Instead, this ‘Honest Abe’ allowed three separate elections to take their natural course, each one resulting in a virtual tie. You can’t make this stuff up!

April election, September election, March election. Same results each time. The street definition of insanity, attributed to Albert Einstein, is trying the same thing again and again but expecting different results. Each time the same result: deadlock. So, why not give Bibi a little credit here. He allowed the election to take its course, and as for purported bribes? It’s laughable. Even if he ‘did it, compared to what 99% of other politicians take, Bibi’s a saint, albeit a Jewish one. 

Champagne and cigars? Will that be the epitaph on his tombstone, ‘Bribing’ people with champagne? Come on, if you’re going to bribe someone, at least give them the hard stuff!

OK, enough on the absurdity of accruing Bibi of bribery or stealing an election or having not guarded your silverware when he’s a dinner guest!

Moving on to the solution. It’s simple. Call it Deal of the Century Lite. All that is needed is for Avigdor Liberman to stop insisting that the Haredi pick up arms since they probably can’t shoot straight, anyway. Think about it. Would Avigdor really want to be in a foxhole with a newly drafted Haredi fighter? 

And if worse comes to worst and Avigdor still insists on ‘drafting’ the Haredi, let them study the Torah all day and write reports of biblical battles of old that might even give sound direction to modern military leaders, perhaps do other IDF work during their vacation periods. Perhaps they’d could come up with some creative new Jericho Marches, and with the merit of their Torah study it might work, perhaps an earnest march seven times around the modern city of Jericho and its18,000 Palestinian citizens will see the light. 

The world is full of different religions. Even in Judaism there are a variety of beliefs, but one thing we Jews all have in common is the Torah. So, if the Haredi want to study the Torah day and night, let them, even conscripted Haredi. If we are ever going to make an exception for conscientious objectors, we could do a lot worse than ‘erring’ on the side of studying the Torah. 

So, Avigdor, ‘hold your nose’ and allow those who believe in the Torah to embrace the Torah, day and night, and join the coalition to which you are most ideologically aligned, anyway. (They will also be holding their noses after your campaign rhetoric and videos.) In doing so, you can be the great peacemaker who reconciles Israel’s deadlock, avoids a fourth election, and allows the Haredim, Liberman, and the rest of us to coexist. 

Gerald McGlothlin is an American author and President of Special Guests, a publicity agency specializing on promoting pro-Israel speakers and other good causes. jerry@specialguests.com