Netanyahu Wins Using the Fear Card

Whispering in the Wind (WITW 70) March 25

Last week’s election win in Israel by Benjamin Netanyahu and what is to be an ultra-right-wing coalition government, surprised and disappointed a number of world leaders including the President Obama of the United States.  Netanyahu has shown that he can win an election by promoting fear and insecurity over economic stability and social resolution – and that’s got to be a lesson, if not an omen of what could/might happen in Canada.    

Netanyahu Wins and Plays the Fear Card

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party won a surprising fourth term victory in last week’s national election.  With the votes counted it appears that Netanyahu won 30 seats in the country’s120 seat parliament – making it relatively easy for him to form an ultra-right-wing coalition.  The election was a stunning defeat for the left leaning Zionist Union Party led by Isaac Herzog.  Up until a few weeks ago the Zionist Union Party was expected to win the election, but that was before Netanyahu pulled out all the stops: snubbed President Obama in the United States Congress; suggested that Israel’s national security was being threatened; and declared that a Palestinian State was out of the question with a Netanyahu government.  To add fuel to an already anxious Israeli society, on election-day Mr. Netanyahu pleaded with the Jewish voter and suggested that Arab voters were going to the polls in “droves” – a situation that could only be countered with non-Arab voters going to vote for the Likud party candidates.  A good number of astute observers of Israeli politics have concluded that questionable rhetoric and putting national security on top of Israel’s political agenda, secured a fourth term win for Mr. Netanyahu and his ultra-right-wing coalition government.  Since the election results were announced, Mr. Netanyahu tried to mend fences with President Obama and even apologized to the Arab community citizens in Israel for his campaign rhetoric.  For me, it demonstrates the worst in politics where power becomes more important than effective political leadership.  And for Canada, will Canada go through the same routine in its national election?