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Last update - 20:44 22/09/2008 A legitimate election, and how By Yehuda Ben-Meir Tags: Kadima, Israel A proper culture of governance is a hallmark of a healthy democracy and well-run country. The obligation to respect democratic decisions made in accordance with accepted constitutional rules in that country, internalize them and accept them is one of the most basic foundations of a proper culture of governance. But in the last few years, this quality has seriously eroded here - an erosion that causes deep concern among everyone interested in the welfare of the State of Israel. A striking example of this dangerous erosion can be seen in the current flood of discussion, reports and chatter about Tzipi Livni's lack of legitimacy - "moral legitimacy" or "public legitimacy" - as prime minister. The arguments attempting to undermine the legitimacy of Livni's election and her moral authority to head a government that will receive the Knesset's vote of confidence are unfounded, and the reasons backing the arguments are vacuous. The inability to respect a decision made at the polls - even by a single vote, not to mention 431 votes - as well as the pointless arguments, bordering on absurdity, that the prime minister was chosen by "0.54 percent of the country" or that this is a "substitute for a substitute" indicate either a basic lack of understanding of our government's foundations or a deep moral flaw. These arguments don't have an ounce of truth and have no factual or ethical basis. Advertisement No one questioned the legitimacy of Moshe Sharett or Levi Eshkol when they were elected to replace David Ben-Gurion, after his resignation, by a few hundred Mapai Central Committee votes, and no one questioned Golda Meir's legitimacy after the central committee chose her to replace Eshkol when he died. We heard no demands for new elections, and rightly so, when Yitzhak Rabin was chosen by the Labor Party's central committee to replace Meir as prime minister by a few dozen votes in his race against Shimon Peres. Kadima, led by Ehud Olmert, won the Knesset election, and Olmert formed a government that still has the Knesset's vote of confidence. Olmert, who is not anybody's substitute, announced his intention to resign, and Tzipi Livni was chosen to replace him in elections in which all Kadima members were eligible to vote. There can be no process more democratic, and more legitimate, than that. In democratic countries, a difference of 1 percent is quite acceptable. There are many presidents and prime ministers who have served and currently serve thanks to such a margin, or even a smaller one. We didn't hear objections to the election of Benjamin Netanyahu as prime minister in 1996 when he beat Peres by less than half a percent (although then, too, there were charges of irregularities and double voting at polling stations in ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods). George W. Bush became U.S. president in 2000, even though his opponent got 500,000 more votes than him, because the Americans know how to respect their constitution, which states that the president is chosen by the Electoral College rather than the popular vote. Moreover, Bush had a dubious victory in Florida, where he won by 200 votes out of more than 1 million. But America accepted his becoming president, with all the authority the job entails. And thanks to that election, he led the American people into two wars. If Tzipi Livni manages to form a government and win the Knesset's confidence, she will enjoy complete legitimacy and have the full moral authority to decide tomorrow about bombing Iran or recapturing Gaza, as well as about signing the shelf agreement with the Palestinians, which involves an extensive withdrawal from Judea and Samaria. The writer is a senior research fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Rose laid to rest Mother, grandfather indicted for murder of 4-year-old Rose Pizem. Obama's tribute Obama lauds Olmert, says he's looking forward to working with successor.   1.   Yehuda Ben-Meir is wrong in his assesment 21:17  |  Dish It Out 22/09/08   2.   Whom do you think should rule? 23:15  |  Paul 22/09/08   3.   What Israel needs is new elections not a caretaker government 00:55  |  Shepherd 23/09/08

Read & React The speech Sarah Palin never gave: Ahmadinejad dreams of Final Solution Responses: 122 Livni offers Barak 'full partnership' in coalition Responses: 56 IDF intel chief: Iran 'galloping toward nuclear bomb' Responses: 110 Iranians in N.Y. rally: 'Ahmadinejad, why do you execute children?' Responses: 178 IDF soldier blinded in one eye after Palestinian woman throws acid at him Responses: 85 More Headlines 00:46 19 hurt as terrorist plows car into Jerusalem crowd 01:23 ANALYSIS / The latest J'lem attack - be prepared for more 01:01 Labor lays out demands for joining Livni coalition 23:39 ANALYSIS / How far is Livni willing to go to build a coalition? 00:32 Thousands attend anti-Iran rally organized by Jewish groups in New York 18:45 IDF soldier blinded in one eye after Palestinian woman throws acid in his face 18:28 Iraqi lawmaker may face death for visiting Israel, supporting peace 01:58 Survey: Alarmed Israelis plan to tighten belts 01:52 Living in Tel Aviv may be expensive, but dying is cheap 01:38 Health Ministry: Working night shifts raises cancer risk 00:28 Egypt FM: Hostages seized on a safari in Egypt released, safe 00:35 Mother, grandfather indicted for murder of 4-year-old Rose Pizem 15:42 Obama pays tribute to Olmert, looks forward to working with successor 20:01 Police: Palestinian teen killed in Yitzhar Saturday had infiltrated before Previous Editions Select Day 22 sep 21 sep 19 sep 18 sep 17 sep 16 sep 15 sep 14 sep 12 sep 11 sep 10 sep 09 sep

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