Was Netanyahu’s Election Victory Sweet Revenge?
Jews don’t believe in taking revenge, even if it is sometimes unavoidable. Nonetheless, if revenge is not the best word to describe what happened in Israel last week, there is at least a unique kind of sweet justice in Prime Minister Benjamin (Bibi) Netanyahu’s electoral victory over the Left’s Labor, which called itself the Zionist Union for the purposes of this election.
While there may be no hard proof uncovered yet, it has certainly been one of this campaign’s most widely known secrets that the elites of Israel’s mainstream media formed an unofficial alliance with the Left’s “Anyone but Bibi” campaign.
That aggressive and obviously well-funded political operation was run by the One Voice and V15 (Victory in 2015) organizations, the former of which was apparently financed by the U.S. State Department to the tune of at least $250,000 and possibly much more. The dirty trail apparently leads all the way to the White House, as the director of V15 is none other than Jeremy Bird, who was President Barack Obama’s National Field Director in 2012.
The continuing revelation of this blatant international interference, now being investigated by a U.S. Senate committee, hit a raw nerve with the traditional Israeli public that was already upset about the Left’s self-righteous verbal ridicule, at their political rally a few weeks ago of “those who kiss mezuzot”(the Torah parchments on Jewish doorposts). But the never-ending arrogance of the secular elites was ultimately destined not to go unanswered.
When this vicious campaign became known to all, especially as a result of the widespread publicity gained by the well-attended rally for the Land of Israel last week, there was a strong backlash, and the average Israeli spoke his mind at the voting booth on Election Day. Due to the polls predicting a Zionist Union victory, many voters who were planning to support the firmly right-wing religious Jewish Home party, altruistically shifted their votes to Netanyahu’s Likud at the last minute in order to defeat the Left, but also perhaps as a direct response to the unbridled and unfair attacks on Netanyahu.
Netanyahu, who ran a powerful campaign, especially down the homestretch, can savor this moment of well-deserved victory. As for his nemesis in Washington, Obama and his administration will probably get what for them may be a nightmare, a right-of center and religious coalition, headed by the man they love to hate.
For the original article, visit israelnationalnews.com. Used with permission.
David Rubin is former mayor of Shiloh, Israel. He is founder and president of Shiloh Israel Children’s Fund, and the author of four books, including The Islamic Tsunami and his latest,Sparks From Zion.
