Is My Take On Israel's Election Relevant?I can write a long post about why Israelis should vote for Likud in Tuesday's election, why Likud under the leadership of Binyamin Netanyahu, Uzi Landau and Natan Sharansky is the party that would best serve Israel's interests. I can explain that Likud is the only pragmatic right-wing party, that National Union and the National Religious Party completely failed to have any political impact in previous governments, except to bring down Likud governments which were replaced by Labor governments. I can attack Kadima and its leadership for having no ideological values, Labor and Meretz for retaining an ideology that has completely failed, and Shas and United Torah Judaism for consistently selling out for power and money.
When it comes down to it, though, it really matters little what I think. I've always lived in New York, have never served in the IDF, and as much as I am emotionally invested in Israel's fate, I am living my life elsewhere.
Ultimately, Diaspora Jews like me have every right to express their opinions about Israel, but must accept that Israelis are the ones who have to choose their country's course. Even if we think that the course chosen is a terrible one.
posted on 3/23/2006
