A Guest Post by Dr. Harold Goldmeier
WHAT IF THERE WERE
SOUNDS OF SILENCE?
Did you ever wonder about your life’s path? What if you
learned to play piano or violin like your mother wanted? What if you paid more
attention in math class and biology? What if you asked that pretty girl in the
second row to a movie?
What if Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu replies to
questions about the Iran nuke deal negotiated by the world’s six most powerful
countries with, “No comment”?
What if he lets the Arab Gulf states take center stage
disparaging and denigrating the deal, while Israel’s Prime Minister focuses on
the raggedy domestic crises? What if the handsome and well-groomed leader
removes the perpetual scowl from his brow, smiles more often, and cuts the
strident tone and tenor of his speech? What if Netanyahu ceases proclaiming he
is the only Israeli who can protect and safeguard Israel, and tells Israel when
its people are going to live safe and secure?
What if Naphtali Bennett stops running for Prime Minister
(or is it president of the United States?) every time a camera shines a light his
way? What if Bennett stops thrashing around in search of the limelight pontificating
on foreign affairs at whips of news about Israel? What if he concentrates on being the
Education Minister instead of the Foreign Affairs Minister-want-to-be? What if
he is adamant about reducing school class sizes and reforming the crumbling
education system, as he is about publicity?
Ah, the what if’s of life. If you’re a pessimist those are
the regrets. If you’re a happy person,
what ifs are sweet dreams.
Following President Obama’s speech announcing the nuke deal
with Iran was it necessary for Netanyahu to again tell the world how bad the
deal is, how vehemently he opposes it, and not so subtly hinting he expects
Congress and the Republicans to fight it to the death? Didn’t he make that
crystal clear in the speech to Congress and every press opportunity since then?
What if Obama, Merkel, Cameron, Hollande, Putin, and Xi Jinping already know
Israel’s position?
What if MK Bennett had not opened the Pandora box in his embarrassing
BBC interview threatening Israel will use its nuclear arsenal against
Iran? Bennett went into a free fall when
the BBC interviewer poignantly questioned him if he is in fact making such a
threat. Bennett might have avoided his scabrous tap-dance making him appear a
blunderer. His interview was brutal to watch. Bennett clearly lost control of
the message. What if he lies low once in a while?
What if Israel’s leaders do not huff and puff and harrumph,
cap their threatening bluster, and follow American President Theodore
Roosevelt’s advice to “speak softly and carry a big stick”? What if they stop sabre rattling and the fractious
talk?
Israel’s political sway in American and European politics is
severely weakened by loss after loss when going up against Obama. The former Chairman of the Massachusetts
Senate Ways and Means Committee once told me, “I have no real power, but people
respect and listen to me because I give the appearance of having power.”
It’s about images of modesty and empathy not force and
coercion in the age of visual news and social media. Israel spent much of its
political cache trying to out-elbow Obama in Congress and the media. Recent
studies and my own observations in Arutz Sheva articles confirm Israel is
losing the long war, the war for the hearts and minds and souls of Europeans,
young Jews and American Democrats.
None of this is to say the misology of those critical of the
Iran/P5+1 nuclear deal is misplaced. It may be bad for Israel, other Arab
states, the West, and the future of all mankind as some charge. I am neither a
military strategist nor a soothsayer, but what do Netanyahu and Bennett achieve
by repeatedly poking the bear?
What if they took to heart Dr. Seuss’ warning, “I’m afraid
that some times you’ll play lonely
games too. Games you can’t win ‘cause you’ll play against you.”
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