Weekly Commentary: Strengthening Netanyahu by not blindly supporting him

Dr. Aaron Lerner Date: 3 September 2009

"In today's complex situation, our prime minister whom we chose, Binyamin
Netanyahu, must maintain all our national interests - the settlements that
are the apple of our eye, Jerusalem, and also our relations with the United
States and avoiding international isolation, because we will not be able to
do the things that are close to our hearts if we are isolated...I am hearing
a lot of talk, and I ask of the faction members: Support the prime minister.
He believes in what we believe in, with only one difference - he sees the
entire picture with regards to security and diplomacy,"
Education Minister Gideon Sa'ar addressing Likud party gathering in Tel Aviv
today.

Minister Gideon Sa'ar supports Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, but Sa'ar's
remarks weaken rather than strengthen Netanyahu's position as his team
negotiates with the Americans and in turn the Palestinians.

The greater the opposition to Israeli concessions, the greater the value
placed on the concessions Israel finally agrees to and in turn the greater
the consideration Israel can require in return for those concessions.

The harsher the criticism of concessions, the easier it is for Netanyahu to
stand his ground against pressure for unacceptable concessions.

This is a policy - not personality - debate.

And what if there is some deep dark secret that somehow justifies a
concession that those of us without access to the "entire picture" are not
aware of?

Again no problem. Since opposition within the Likud reduces American
expectations of what concessions Netanyahu can deliver.

On a personal level, Prime Minister Netanyahu may prefer hearing the blind
support of Sa'ar over the sharp warnings of others.

But this isn't personal.

Dr. Aaron Lerner, Director IMRA (Independent Media Review & Analysis)
(Mail POB 982 Kfar Sava)
Tel 972-9-7604719/Fax 972-3-7255730
INTERNET ADDRESS: imra@netvision.net.il
Website: http://www.imra.org.il