JERUSALEM –The “letter” below has, of course, never been written; it’s a product of my imagination. Yet without a move along its lines, Israel won’t have a government and we may have to go to elections again, which is both ridiculous and scandalous. Avigdor Lieberman could save us from it. But will he?
Dear Jewish citizens of Israel,
As you know, we are at an impasse: neither Netanyahu nor Ganz seem to be able to form a government unless I join either of them. But, though I sympathize with the ideology of the right, I refuse to sit at the cabinet table with the ultra-Orthodox because of their machinations to protect their young from serving in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and because of the way they’ve refused to accept as Jews many immigrants from the former Soviet Union some of whom vote for my party.
I also believe that it’s time for Netanyahu to go home, or go to jail, whatever his future may hold.
In principle I find it very difficult to join a Ganz government because most Arab Members of Knesset support him and I’m vehemently opposed to all Arabs. To me they’re our enemies. However, I’m prepared to sacrifice myself for the good of my country and join Ganz, thus giving him a majority in the Knesset. I’ve decided to put aside my misgivings for the sake of the stability and the continued prosperity of Israel. I expect the Arab parliamentarians to behave with restraint and not provoke me to revoke my offer.
Though I believe myself to be the best defense minister Israel has ever had, as three of the four leaders of Ganz’s party, including Ganz himself, are former IDF Chiefs of Staff I will forego even that claim and take another important portfolio in the hope of one day becoming the prime minister of Israel.
Without this my action Israel will have to go to elections again at enormous expense and with no certainty that the outcome will be very different.
Avigdor Lieberman, Leader of Yisrael Beiteinu.
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Rabbi Marmur is spiritual leader emeritus of Holy Blossom Temple in Toronto, Canada. Now a citizen of Jerusalem, he may be contacted via dow.marmur@sdjewishworld.com