I’ve written time after time about the irrelevancy of Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Leiberman. Yet, he still manages to suprise, not with an artful mastery of politics to gain clout, but with providing yet another excuse to his colleagues to dismiss him.
Let’s review Leiberman’s history. Instead of examining events years ago, how about just in the past few months. Leiberman’s Foreign Ministry managed to insult Turkey, even though tensions are high and salvaging that alliance is paramount to Israel for several reasons, including economic and military coordination. Then, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu deliberately circumvented Leiberman in negotiations to improve relations with Turkey.
Now, Leiberman decided to give a speech on the world stage — in front of the United Nations — deriding the peace process claiming it could take decades. Israeli leaders and U.S. President Barack Obama have all said the peace process is a top priority, with resolution of the crisis possible in years. In fact, the White House has placed a two-year prediction on the creation of a Palestinian state and the conclusion of the process.
Well, Israel’s foremost leaders — including Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak — have now distanced themselves even further from Leiberman after these comments before the UN that directly refute Israeli policy and contradict the White House.
Clearly, Leiberman is the skunk at the garden party.
The only thing saving Leiberman his post is the votes that he brings along. Leiberman unexpectedly won substantial votes in the last Israeli election, making his Yisrael Beitenu party a king maker in the contest between Netanyahu and Kadima leader Tzipi Livni. Leiberman’s leaving the coalition would lead to either new elections or force Netanyahu to court Livni to join, a proposition she has not shown any willingness to accept.
Therefore, for Netanyahu to retain his post as Prime Minister, Leiberman cannot be fired — but he is most certainly being circumvented and ostracized.
With an irrelevant Foreign Minister, Israel can continue to face increasing bias on the world stage, rising anti-Semitism in Europe, tension with the United States, a floundering peace process and countless other obstacles that could be addressed by a function Foreign Ministry. Or, Netanyahu and Livni could put aside their differences and, for Israel’s benefit, oust Leiberman, retain Netanyahu at the helm, re-install Livni in the Foreign Ministry and begin improving ties with the world in this critical moment in time.
Leiberman is clearly a pariah, and in order to prevent Israel from becoming a pariah state, the Foreign Ministry needs reform — and Netanyahu should enact changes that merely reflect the status quo.