The Movement for Reform Judaism

I’m making this shocking suggestion for the following reasons:
   
Barak’s resignation would have meant new elections. In the present political climate that would probably result in a government led by Binyamin Netanyahu. But what the country now needs is stability, not the best part of a year of pre-election limbo to be followed by a government comprising Likud, Avigdor Lieberman’s party and the Orthodox and nationalist bloc. If the choice is between right-wing ideologues and “pragmatic” politicians who cheat, I hold my nose and opt for the latter.

Had elections been announced now it would mean the end of the current efforts to come to some kind of understanding with the Palestinians. All the hoopla with Bush, Blair and the others would have come to naught. However sceptical I am about Annapolis, I believe that to abort the process now would be disastrous for Israel and probably the end of any chance of peace in the foreseeable future.

Barak is an experienced soldier and arguably the best Minister of Defense the country can have at this time. The defense problems that Israel is facing have become more severe in recent days: not only the threat from Iran as it comes closer to nuclear capability, and the destabilizing effect that Syria continues to have on Lebanon, but also the success of Hamas following the breach of the border between Gaza and Egypt that is reported to have increased the threat of terror against Israel.

By deciding to stay Barak has become the most powerful member of the Israeli Cabinet, probably more powerful than Prime Minister Olmert himself, for Olmert can only stay in that office as long as Barak is there. And anything that will cut the wings of Olmert is good news, for the Winograd Report should be read as an indictment against his way of governing, even though – for the sake of the stability of the government and the progress of the peace process – he has to stay in office. If he can do so with less arrogance and less pretense, the better it is for us all.
   
Barak, probably unduly sanctimoniously, said today that he knows that he’ll pay a political price for staying. This may indeed be the case. But it’s also possible that if he can emerge as something of a savior of Israel in these difficult times, he may have won over much of the electorate. Moreover, had he broken up the government now and the opposition had won, he’d be back in the wilderness indefinitely. I don’t know how he thinks, but I find it difficult to imagine that personal advancement is far from his mind.
   
But whatever the outcome in a year or so when elections will probably be held, at this moment we should be relieved that Barak is staying. We may wish to console ourselves that this is probably not the first time that he hasn’t kept a promise. Nor is he the only politician in Israel or anywhere else to have acted in this manner. 
   
It’s always shocking when voters are cheated, but in this case the alternative might have been worse. I for one believe that this particular broken promise has the potential of turning out to be a blessing for the State of Israel.

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