This weekend, I published a critique of Benjamin Netanyahu that deconstructs and debunks his claims about his prowess on the international stage. It appeared in English in Tablet and in Hebrew in Zman Yisrael. Here’s how it starts:
Regular readers aren’t going to be surprised by the headline on this piece: I’ve long criticized Benjamin Netanyahu, though I’ve also sought to accurately explain his worldview, and to correct misleading claims made about him. I also haven’t let my distaste for his policies at Israel’s helm prevent me from calling out unfair and often bigoted attacks against Israel itself.
But we are on the eve of an election, and many of you in Israel are still pondering your options, while many supporters of Israel outside it are wondering what the best course is for the country. And there are things you ought to know that Bibi isn’t telling you.
Now, there is a well-worn left-wing critique of Netanyahu, which takes aim at his approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This is not that critique, because anyone who agrees with it doesn’t need me to tell it to them, and wasn’t going to vote for the man in the first place. Instead, I am going to take Netanyahu’s own case for his reelection seriously—and explain how it fails on its own terms.
That case goes as follows: Knowing that many Israelis are upset about his double-talk, corruption, and subservience to narrow ultra-Orthodox and settler interests, Netanyahu has sought to cast himself these last two elections as Israel’s “indispensable man.” On the surface, it’s a compelling case. In the last ten years under Netanyahu’s premiership, numerous countries from Latin America to Africa have forged closer relations with Israel. Leaders ranging from Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro to India’s Narendra Modi have flocked to Jerusalem. Even Sunni Arab states have drawn closer to Israel. Bolstered by its vaunted high-tech industry, the Jewish state’s economy has boomed, and weathered even the financial crisis that crippled America and Europe. And of course, Netanyahu has forged a close partnership with the Trump administration, which has granted Israel significant foreign policy dividends. In light of all this, Bibi, claims his campaign literature, is in “another league.” Without him and his statesmanship—whatever his other faults—none of this would be possible or sustainable.
There’s only one flaw in this logic: Netanyahu didn’t cause any of these developments. He’s just taking credit for them.
Read the whole thing in English and Hebrew, and please do share with anyone pondering their options for election day.
Personally, I think it’s a strong piece, but some of Netanyahu’s supporters disagree:
(If you’re having deja vu, it probably means you’re an early subscriber to this newsletter who read the previous version of this argument here prior to April’s election.)
Send me your questions about the Israeli elections
Israelis go to the polls tomorrow for an unprecedented second election in a single year. There’s lots to unpack, so I’m hoping to do a newsletter Q&A to answer all your questions. Send them my way by replying to this email, and I’ll do my best to get to as many as possible.
Get your copy of The Newish Jewish Encyclopedia
Tablet is about to release our second book, and it’s a delightful one: The Newish Jewish Encyclopedia: From Abraham to Zabar’s and Everything in Between. It’s comprehensive, educational, beautifully designed, and utterly hilarious. Most of it was penned by my colleagues Stephanie Butnick, Liel Liebovitz and Mark Oppenheimer, the hosts of our Unorthodox podcast. I did contribute a few entries myself, but fortunately, they only asked me to cover the easy uncomplicated stuff, like “Zionism,” “BDS,” and “Rothschilds.”
Now, I try to always be honest with you guys, so I have to acknowledge that the book is not perfect. They did inexplicably cut this joke from my Hillel on campus entry: “Contrary to popular belief, the organization is not named for a wealthy Jewish philanthropist, but rather Hillel the Elder, a famous Talmudic sage.” Oh well, there’s always the second edition. But seriously, order your copy today.
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