Subscribe to Print Edition | Sun., November 23, 2008 Cheshvan 25, 5769 | | Israel Time: 05:30 (EST+7)   Back to Homepage web haaretz.com Haaretz Toolbar Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate GA 2008 Travel Week's End Anglo File

Last update - 08:08 20/11/2008 Hollow Leadership II By Ari Shavit Tags: Israel News  In the first round of the 2009 election campaign, Likud won. Likud under Benjamin Netanyahu succeeded in preventing Tzipi Livni from forming a government, succeeded in redefining itself and succeeded in creating momentum. In contrast, Kadima under Livni failed in its coalition negotiations and failed in creating a high-quality, moral leadership team. At the end of the first month of the great war of images, Likud is the new Likud of Moshe Ya'alon, Dan Meridor and Benny Begin, while Kadima is the same old infected Kadima of Shaul Mofaz, Roni Bar-On and Tzachi Hanegbi. Likud is demonstrating power, modeling morality, the rule of law and leadership experience, while Kadima is limp, hiding behind a rosy-cheeked face on a hollow campaign billboard. The second round is likely to be different. The Likud primary is liable to scar the new face that Netanyahu gave his party. But for now the trend is clear. The center-right bloc is being managed better and more wisely than the center-left bloc. While Likud has taken on board the lesson of the Olmert-era, Kadima is perceived as the continuation of that period. While Likud is positioning itself as the party of the new politics. Kadima is wallowing in the old politics. Livni's left-of-center is making gross mistakes that are paving the nationalist right's way into power. Advertisement Two years ago, David Grossman gave Israel its only public moment of truth in the past decade. His speech in Kikar Rabin after the Second Lebanon War was an Obama speech par excellence. He electrified a wounded, helpless nation by standing up, with courage and with grace, against a hollow leadership. Grossman's performance in the Tel Aviv square and the concept that he coined there also define the current election campaign. The question the public is asking now is not left or right--it's serious or not serious, focused on the issues or corrupt. The question is whether a leadership that failed in its duties and forsook the country will be replaced by a moral, functional leadership. Netanyahu has many faults, but he is aware of this. Livni has many virtues, but she is not aware of this. She did not openly rebel against Ehud Olmert, instead continuing to enjoy his patronage. She did not fight corruption or defend the rule of law. She did not put together a suitable leadership team or offer a peace, economic or educational plan. And so, on February 10 Netanyahu is liable to be viewed as the candidate of change, while Livni is liable to be viewed as the candidate of business as usual. Likud is liable to present itself to the public as a genuine leadership, while Kadima is liable to present itself as Hollow Leadership, part deux. It's still not too late to change this. The trend is strong but not irreversible. If the parties supporting the division of the state can get it together they can still turn the race around. But to do that they must read the map correctly, and listen carefully to the hopes and dreams of the voters. And to do that, they must return to the fundamental insight of Grossman. Both the center and the left must outright reject the destructive act of Amos Oz, who gave his support to Olmert, is inciting against the Labor Party and in effect plumping for the same old spin-leadership of Kadima. Regretfully, and in contrast to the insight offered by Grossman, Oz's way is both immoral and ineffectual. It might add another three or four Knesset members for Meretz, but it will not offer an alternative to the nationalist right and to the hollow center. It will push the majority of Israelis into Netanyahu's arms. Time is short and work is long: Livni must immediately put together a new leadership team whose members are no less respected than those of Netanyahu's. Kadima and Meretz must cooperate with Labor instead of attacking it in a childish, irresponsible manner. Livni, Ehud Barak and Haim Oron must offer concrete proposals for reaching peace with the Palestinians, not vague, abstract ones. The center-left must prove that it is not a cosmetically improved incarnation of Olmert but rather an alternative to Olmert. If the center-left does not do this it will lose in the 2009 election both its political world and its moral authority. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Mikaeel Jackson Report: Pop star Michael Jackson converts to Islam. Peace now Abbas calls on Obama to enact Arab peace plan as soon as he takes office.   1.   I have an idea 07:26  |  RobertK 20/11/08   2.   "Ideology is Everything" -- Yitzik Shamir 15:09  |  Ovadiah ben Avraham 20/11/08   3.   Largely true internally, irrelevant externally 15:32  |  Felafelhead 20/11/08   4.   Why the Center-Left is stuck 18:36  |  ARA 20/11/08   5.   Largely true internally, irrelevant externally (2) 19:54  |  Felafelhead 20/11/08   6.   ARA has said it perfectly and the masses know this. 20:29  |  S Judah 20/11/08

Read & React 20,000 Jewish pilgrims to descend on Hebron amid settler violence Responses: 227 Experts argue: How close is Iran to its first nuclear weapon? Responses: 144 Video: Prof. Avi Shlaim says settlements turn Israel into Apartheid state Responses: 193 Debate over Museum of Tolerance - an exchange Responses: 29 PLO official Yasser Abed Rabbo: The Palestinian people need Obama's help Responses: 85 Gideon Levy: Israeli left was born in sin and died because of a lie Responses: 100 More Headlines 03:04 Defense establishment paper: Golan for Syria peace, plan for Iran strike 21:39 Settler teens attack Border police in Hebron 02:22 Candidate for U.S. security adviser wants NATO force in West Bank 02:23 Obama's Mideast peace platform is coming into focus 05:04 As he heads to Washington, Olmert prepares his comeback 03:45 Belgian broadcaster features Hitler in ads for travel show 04:30 Israel in pole position at Chess Olympiad 22:13 Top Israeli diplomats in Turkey kicked out of Istanbul university 01:12 Saudi Arabia denies report it offered asylum to Taliban leader 01:36 Ethiopian immigrants: Why place us so far from job possibilities? 10:08 Iran executes man convicted of spying for Israel 22:49 Hollywood in Netanya: Ben Stiller and Chris Rock in coastal city for 'Madagascar 2' premiere 05:25 Swimmer Jaben suspended for a year after positive drug-test results Previous Editions Select Day 21 nov 20 nov 19 nov 18 nov 17 nov 16 nov 14 nov 13 nov 12 nov 11 nov 10 nov 09 nov

Special Offers Advertisement Living in Israel Studying in English Click & Meet our students from all around the world Dan Boutique Jerusalem New Dan Hotel in Jerusalem Young, Fun & Distinctively Dan Book Now Online! Fattal Hotel Chain Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel. Car rental in Israel Shlomo Sixt Receive $15.00 from our low rates. Dial 013 for your long-distance calls and get all your money back US CITIZENS Vote for real change. Request your ballot today! Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations Jewish Singles Personal Ads Find the love of your life on JDate.com Israel's Premier Real Estate Website www. israel-property.com Hebrew Summer courses From $39.95 Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel

birthright Israel | Search engine marketing

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved