The latest military operation ended with a sense of success, unlike some in the past that ended with a feeling of failure. Despite the minor objectives and short duration, a military operation can go sideways at any point, and when this time – thank the heavens – it didn't, the credit goes directly to the leadership, military and political. They took the risk and are now reaping the rewards.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
Yair Lapid can proudly mark off having succeeded in another layer that makes up one of the most complicated positions in the Middle East, if not the whole world. But there's a catch to it. Perhaps even several. First, the election is months away. Second, he is sharing a victory with Benny Gantz, his main rival in the leadership of the Left. Third, nothing has changed for Lapid politically, and Operation Breaking Dawn does not change the fact that he will not be able to form a coalition without Ra'am and the Joint Arab List. Moreover, the conflict further emphasized the difference between the Jewish and Arab parties.
In a joint press conference on Monday, Lapid and Gantz made sure to praise each other, but beneath the surface, each tried to sting the other and deliver the right political message that would serve their ongoing election campaigns.
Lapid praised Gantz but also gripped him. His statement carried a conciliatory message but was also patronizing and suffocating. He, Lapid, is the leader of the camp, and he thanked all those who helped him: Gantz, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, and the rest.
Gantz, on the other hand, tried to convey a completely different message: that he was the mastermind behind the operation. That Lapid is the prime minister now and the responsibility rests on him, but that is only due to the necessity of the circumstances. The elections are coming, which may result in Gantz taking charge.
Opposition Leader Benjamin Netanyahu did not sit idle either. The public tends to lean Right when there is a military operation. Even the aggressive and prolonged military operation that Ehud Olmert and Tzipi Livni led in Gaza before the 2009 elections ultimately benefitted Netanyahu and the right-wing camp.
Netanyahu feared that a prolonged Gaza operation would affect the election process, leaving him out of the loop, so he made sure to push himself into the circle of decision-makers – ending his boycott of attending security updates and making sure pictures of him smiling at Lapid hit the news – to give his full backing of Operation Breaking Dawn.
Netanyahu is not a Cabinet member, nor is he in contact with military officials, yet he managed to create the impression that he is part of all of this.
But his most significant achievement came from Ahmed Tibi and his fellow Arab lawmakers, who take advantage of every military campaign to make themselves hated by the Israeli public.
After a year of being preoccupied with civil matters, it becomes clear yet again that political, security, and national matters are still a top priority for Ra'am and the Joint Arab List.
And therefore, with all due respect to Lapid, the bottom line is that he does not have a government without them, causing the undecided, who do not want Netanyahu to return to power, to think twice and even three times about their priorities.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
