Bibi must deal with “social justice now”, UDI, illegal strike by 1000 medical residents, Turkey and Egypt. All are pressing problems. Bibi will have to walk and chew gum at the same time.
But when 400,000 Israelis (even if it was only half that) fill the streets, the government cannot ignore the protesters. It is not enough to reject them because they are politically motivated. Bibi’s job is to give them a better shake while not undermining our economic strengths. No easy task, but it must be done.
Be sure to read these two articles:
- Report: ‘Clinton Adviser Greenberg is Behind Israeli Protests’
- ‘Social Justice’ May Boomerang at the Polls
Ted Belman
‘Gov’t is committed to making tangible social change’
By JPOST.COM STAFF
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said Sunday that the government is responsible for making significant social changes, following large-scale demonstrations demanding social justice across the country on Saturday night.
“My government is committed to carrying out tangible changes in order to ease the cost-of-living and correct social distortions,” the prime minister said.
“I believe that the public dialogue that has developed, as well as the discussions of the Trajtenberg committee, will offer us a unique opportunity to implement genuine and responsible changes in this sphere,” he continued.
Netanyahu expressed his commitment to act quickly “and maintain the correct balance between social sensitivity and responsible economics.”
“This balance preserves the Israeli economy, the State of Israel, Israel’s people and the national welfare,” he continued.
The prime minister also highlighted the need to have a strong economy that would not be blighted by the problems seen in other countries in Europe. “Only if we have an economy that does not slip, fall and collapse, as happened to several principal countries in Europe, only thus can we ease the cost-of-living and correct those distortions,” he added. “We will do both: We will maintain the economy and we will correct what needs to be corrected.”
Opposition leader Tzipi Livni (Kadima) also commented on the protests and said that she believed that Israel could change for the better.
“From my standpoint, it was a demonstration of a million, even if there weren’t a million [people] there,” Livni said on Sunday of the previous night’s “March of the Million.”
Speaking at the “Israel 2012” conference organized by The Marker at the The Academic College of Tel Aviv-Jaffa, Livi said, “From here, either Israel will continue to deteriorate socially [and] we will desperately find ourselves with groups that do not communicate with one another, or Israel will change. And I believe Israel can change.”
Livni criticized the creation of a committee to address the social protest issues. Although she valued the Trajtenberg committee and believes it will raise appropriate solutions, Livni said she thinks that it is the duty of the leadership to make decision right now, before the committee does.
“There is a problem here with management,” she explained. “It is true that the manager has the monopoly [over power] but what does the prime minister do in order to manage it? The solution is not to give [responsibility] to someone else to do it. There needs to be reform in the public sector that will allow for management.”
Livni concluded her speech by saying that for Israel 2012 to be different, there will need to be elections in 2012.
With apologies [sort of] to the dear, sweet, Reverend Wrong:
Israel’s chickens
are coming home
to roost.
Correct. The goal should be equal justice. Social justice is a meaningless phrase that means whatever someone in power wants it to mean.
Louis VI actually reminds me a little of Bibi. Louis_XVI looks a little like Obama.
Correction: that should read to and that should also read Louis the XVIth instead of what I wrote.
@ Laura: I want to echo Laura’s remarks. This is a politically motivated mob with no other purpose than to harass Bibi.
These Communists should not be listened, too. And they better behave themselves while they are at it. If they try to pull some of that French revolution crap, they should be dealt with as any violent mob should be dealt with. No weak Louis the VIth response for them!
I have lived in Israel for thirty years and take my word for it, all these so called crises that we are living through now are nothing that should seriously bother anyone.
For decades Israelis have been screaming for social justice, or carrying out strikes, or facing confrontations with neighboring states and allies, this is what a state and especially Israel is really all about.
I have seen two wars, two intifadas, the bank shares collapse, suicide bombings without number, general strikes that lasted for weeks, and the Oslo catastrophe, the Lebanon pullout, and the Sharon Disengagement, and the troubles we are facing now doesn’t even hold a candle to the ones I just mentioned.
Indeed, if Israel were really facing an existential crisis or a true security or economic meltdown, not a single tent or a single demonstrator would be found anywhere in Israel.
The situation here in Israel for the past two years has been so good, so safe, and so secure that for more than a month a bunch of rather spoiled, well do, well fed, and well educated Israeli children have been crying that they are having a hard time, HA!
I wrote to some protest leaders today and asked “If the protestors were given a choice between building 100,000 units in J&S thereby lowering housing costs throughout Israel or adding 150,000 settlers to the Tel Aviv market thereby increasing them, what would you choose?”
If the G.O.I. had not had to bend — for the past two years — to the intrusive, meddling demands of the EU and the US State Dept to freeze housing developmental activity in the heartland provinces and the eastern sector of Jerusalem, there would be a SUBSTANTIALLY smaller problem to deal with now in respect to housing.
IF BB were wise, he would — very loudly — throw this right back in the face of Mrs Clinton & Mr Obama: “You caused this!” etc.
Don’t get me wrong, warmonger. I’m not saying they shouldn’t have the right to protest. I’m simply saying their demands shouldn’t be met. It will destroy the progress Israel has made economically.
I disagree with you Laura. In a democratic society all people should be able to express their concerns. Otherwise we run the risk of prohibition and social engineering.
It is good for the rest of the world to see that Israel is a normal country. This piece was on MSM. Usually Israelis are depicted as a people still living in the dark ages. Current modern day Israel is seldom shown on MSM.
Ted, please release my comment.
“Social justice” is a euphemism for marxism. And it is precisly because these protests are orchestrated by the political left and by forces outside of Israel, that they should be ignored. If Bibi gives in to them it will ruin Israel’s economy. Israel is thriving economically in contrast to the west. Socialism is a failure and the horrible economic conditions of European countries prove that. Israel must not reverse course.