The Quiet Within the Storm

December 28, 2008 - 1:35 AM by

You have to give Israelis credit; when the chips are down, even the ones who aren’t necessarily suspected of idealism come shining through.

As Israel went to war against Hamas over the weekend, the leaders of the major political parties all decided to suspend their political campaigns for the duration of the operation – which, both Prime Minister Olmert and Defense Minister Barak said could be lengthy. Barak, who leades the Labor Party, said that he had to concentrate on the operation and had no time for politics.

The Likud, too, suspended its campaign, and has put on hold a radio campaign featuring ads attacking Kadima chief and Foreign Minister Tsipi Livni. Posters that bear the campaign’s tagline – “Tsipi, the job is too big for you” – that have already been put up will be taken down. In a statement Saturday night, Likud leader Binyamin Netanyahu said that “there is a time for debate and a time for unity, and today is a time for unity,” he said. “If our enemies thought we would not be united under rocket fire, they were wrong. The cannons roar, but we are united.”

banner_sderot_entrance

With the elections coming just about a month from now – and the gap between the Likud and Kadima narrowing, according to the latest polls – the suspension of campaigning is really extraordinary. It wouldn’t be surprising for opposition politicians, for example, to accuse the government of timing its operation to cynically improve its standing in the polls, giving it a “January surprise” type of bounce that could sustain it until the elections. But no – politicians on the left and the right spontaneously announced (without any coordination, as far as I could tell) that they were holding off on the negative noise we are set to be subject to. Not that any Israeli, given the choice, wouldn’t opt for the noise if it meant that the south was secure. But it does show that our political leaders and would-be leaders are a better caliber than we usually give them credit for being.

(Photo courtesy One Family Fund)

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , • Category: A New Reality, General, Israeliness, Life, Politics, War 

Comments

3 Comments on The Quiet Within the Storm

  1. David-Joe on Sun, Dec 28th 2008 3:41 AM

    2. Kol Hakavod. My Israel, is back :-]

    Better later than never.

  2. chaim on Sun, Dec 28th 2008 5:19 AM

    3. as long as criminaly insane traitorous gangster Olmert is PM nothing will change,
    this traitorous swine is an enemy colaborator working with israel’s enemies to hasten its destruction/
    IDF if you want to make sure you will win this war in gaza,you must first get rid of this traitorous human garbage
    chaim

  3. M on Tue, Dec 30th 2008 11:06 PM

    4. I’m glad Israel is finally defending itself. Enough of Hamas!!

Leave a Comment





© 2012 ISRAELITY | Site by illuminea | Sitemap