Bibi’s biggest blunder

Our prime minister, Binyamin (a.k.a. Bibi) Netanyahu has been accused of many misdemeanors and alleged criminal offenses for which, so far, he (unlike his wife Sara) has not been indicted.

Because of his personality and charismatic character, he remains respected and even loved by the large part of our voting population. They are ready to forgive him in spite of the several charges which have been brought against him.

In truth, his many years in political life have endeared him to Israelis and have made him an admired friend in international circles.

Our economy is very strong, our hi-tech industries are world renowned successes, our relations with Asiatic and South American countries are excellent (better than with several European nations), and our borders have remained secure. The current Hamas problem on the Gaza border may soon be brought under control without having to go to war.

In short, Bibi has been a successful prime minister through his many years in office. Until now.

The recent passage of the Nation-State law, supported mainly by him and his coalition, has been Bibi’s biggest blunder.

Thousands of our citizens, artists, jurists, Jews, Druze and Arabs have vehemently denounced the new law and have made demands upon him to revise or amend the Nation-State law which has been declared discriminatory against our non-Jewish population.

The respected leaders of our 150,000 Druze citizens have petitioned the High Court of Justice seeking the requirement for the revision of the law. Bibi has denounced their action. He is a friend of the Druze and is of the stubborn opinion that the new law will not make them second-class citizens, as they fear.

Several meetings he has held with Druze leaders have been cordial and he has made offers to improve infrastructures and to increase financial aid for Druze cities and villages in the north Galilee region. But on the matter of their request that he amend and revise the new law he has stubbornly refused to consider it.

The successful passage of the Nation-State law is Bibi’s permanent legacy… the fulfillment of the Zionist dream.

Jews in the Diaspora countries have denounced him and the law which, due to Bibi’s political obligations to the Orthodox and ultra-Orthodox, challenges their Jewishness if it is not in accordance with stringent Halachic law and practice.

Aliyah from Western countries and large philanthropic contributions are in danger of being severely decreased. But Bibi is not worried. All that matters to him is the fulfillment of the Zionist movement’s historic principles, which, regrettably, never took into consideration the situation of the non-Jewish population which inhabited the land of Israel.

This law, Bibi’s “baby,” has turned out to be his biggest blunder and will cost us dearly now and in the years to come.

As my own personal protest, I am strongly considering leaving my membership in the Likud party and joining another party which still maintains the democratic ideals expressed in our Declaration of Independence.

Already, several of the Druze officers in the IDF are resigning from service and young Druze men who have not yet been drafted are being advised by some of their leaders to refuse to serve in the military forces of the nation which now deprives them, in their opinion, of the first-class citizenship which had been accorded to them since the birth of our independent state.

The pain which the new law has inflicted upon the entire Druze population is unimaginable. Our respect and honor, our gratitude and our love for them MUST be restored at once by the revision of clauses in the new law which, in their eyes, discriminate against them.

Several honorable members of our Knesset have walked out in protest of the law in a sign of support for the cause of the Druze.

Bibi’s biggest blunder must be redeemed and his law revised and amended for the sake of peace between the Jews of the State of Israel and our non-Jewish minorities.

People say that Bibi’s wife, Sara, is a very stubborn person. Bibi is now attempting to surpass her.

The decent Jewish citizens of our country CANNOT, MUST NOT, SHOULD NOT allow it.

Bibi’s biggest blunder must be revised from a blunder to a blessing for every citizen of Israel.

V’im lo achshav, ai matai? And if not now, when?