Comments on: Israeli election primer http://www.yourish.com/2009/02/08/6385 Cutting straight to the point Fri, 19 Mar 2010 07:39:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Soccerdad http://www.yourish.com/2009/02/08/6385/comment-page-1#comment-35984 Soccerdad Mon, 09 Feb 2009 03:54:45 +0000 http://www.yourish.com/?p=6385#comment-35984 It's clear that Bibi wasn't a great PM, but was he the disaster many of his critics claim? One of the reasons I reprinted Evelyn Gordon's view, is that I don't think that it's that crazy. It took 15 months from the time that Barak became PM until the "Aqsa Intifada" started. I think this suggests that under Bibi Israel's greater security was the result of his actions. Now his failure to handle Abu Marzook or Khaled Meshaal (and the resulting release of Sheikh Yassin) hurt a lot. But I think the record is more mixed than abject failure. (According to a press release in late 1998, Palestinian employment in Israel was at a 6 year high. So the Palestinians also benefited from Netanyahu's rule materially, even if Arafat was never satisfied with his diplomatic moves. It's ironic, but despite the resentment shown Netanyahu from the Left, he almost certainly saved the peace process.) It’s clear that Bibi wasn’t a great PM, but was he the disaster many of his critics claim? One of the reasons I reprinted Evelyn Gordon’s view, is that I don’t think that it’s that crazy.

It took 15 months from the time that Barak became PM until the “Aqsa Intifada” started. I think this suggests that under Bibi Israel’s greater security was the result of his actions.

Now his failure to handle Abu Marzook or Khaled Meshaal (and the resulting release of Sheikh Yassin) hurt a lot.

But I think the record is more mixed than abject failure.

(According to a press release in late 1998, Palestinian employment in Israel was at a 6 year high. So the Palestinians also benefited from Netanyahu’s rule materially, even if Arafat was never satisfied with his diplomatic moves. It’s ironic, but despite the resentment shown Netanyahu from the Left, he almost certainly saved the peace process.)

]]> By: Imshin http://www.yourish.com/2009/02/08/6385/comment-page-1#comment-35979 Imshin Sun, 08 Feb 2009 17:15:12 +0000 http://www.yourish.com/?p=6385#comment-35979 "The latter, despite his flaws, has recorded substantial achievements in every position he ever held." She's kidding, right? Bibi was an abominable prime minister. He made every possible mistake. He fumbled and bumbled and couldn't take the pressure. And under that pressure he made some truly disastrous decisions. One reason Lieberman is doing so well in the polls is that a lot of people on the right just can't trust Bibi. Everyone agrees he makes an excellent Foreign Minister and a lot of people are willing to accept that he would even be good again as Finance Minister (his performance as Finance Minister last time is the only reason I'm even considering him), but having him as prime minister again? More than a bit worrying. “The latter, despite his flaws, has recorded substantial achievements in every position he ever held.”

She’s kidding, right? Bibi was an abominable prime minister. He made every possible mistake. He fumbled and bumbled and couldn’t take the pressure. And under that pressure he made some truly disastrous decisions. One reason Lieberman is doing so well in the polls is that a lot of people on the right just can’t trust Bibi.

Everyone agrees he makes an excellent Foreign Minister and a lot of people are willing to accept that he would even be good again as Finance Minister (his performance as Finance Minister last time is the only reason I’m even considering him), but having him as prime minister again? More than a bit worrying.

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