As his country was burning last week, French President Emmanuel Macron was thinking about elections.
No, not the elections in Israel. The ones in Ramallah.
Macron was disappointed that his Palestinian buddies had suspended their elections that were supposed to be held next month. PA President Mahmoud Abbas, whose four-year term “ended” 17 years ago, decided that “conditions in East Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip are not conducive to holding elections,” blaming, of course, Israel.
Meanwhile, Macron wasn’t sure who to blame for France’s most violent unrest in years, with people setting fires, storming public buildings, smashing shop windows, looting and clashing with police.
He did mention “far-left activists” but carefully avoided any mention of the numerous Palestinian flags and keffiyehs that were blatantly visible throughout the riots.
After everything he’s done for Palestinians, including recognizing a Palestinian state, Macron would look like a fool to admit he bet on the wrong horse.
Suddenly, after years of lecturing Israel about being “too violent,” Macron was calling in his army to deal with out-of-control rioters, declaring that “those who sought to bring down the Republic will be held accountable.”
Well, Monsieur Macron, you must know that since 1947, Israel has been surrounded with precisely that: “those who sought to bring down” the world’s only Jewish state.
The real Israeli miracle is not that it successfully fought back against those forces sworn to its destruction, but that it did so while building a civic society in a region where tyrants dominate.
If the world weren’t upside down, we would see an immediate rapprochement between France and Israel. France would realize that Israel is a natural ally while Palestinians are fool’s gold.
But political habits die hard.
In a statement he made expressing regret about the Palestinian delay of their elections, Macron could only say that “it deprives Palestinians of the chance to vote and elections are an important element of the Palestinian Authority’s commitment to reform.”
Commitment to reform? Where has the man been for the past half century?
The only “reform” the PA is committed to is the eradication of the Jewish state, the same Jewish state that is not canceling the most consequential elections of its history.
Speaking of Israeli elections, Jews are on pins and needles awaiting results. As we went to press, our political editor in Israel, Shmuel Rosner, reported on the first night’s results and exit polls.
The one thing that’s clear is that it will take time to determine a final outcome, so we should prepare for days and weeks of political balagan as the major players jostle to build a coalition.
I have a short wish list for the next government:
First, no law exempting the Haredi population from serving in the army. This should not be controversial. When I asked Michael Oren at a recent Impact Forum dinner if there was a silver lining to this corrosive issue, he said that in the wake of Oct. 7, the great majority of Israelis are now united on the need for Haredim to do their share and serve.
Second, Israel needs an independent state commission of inquiry into the unprecedented failures of Oct. 7. Again, this should not be controversial. These commissions are an established Israeli tradition that provide crucial lessons for the future and hold the right people accountable.
Third, Israel needs a savvy government that doesn’t flaunt extremism. That also should not be controversial. Israel should continue to defend its nation like lions, but why strengthen our enemies by spewing radical ideas that will never see the light of day? We have enough enemies; we don’t need any own goals.
Regardless of what happens during these elections, let’s remember one thing: For all the ugly and noisy divisions in Israeli society, it’s still leagues ahead of the silence of tyranny. I wouldn’t be surprised if millions of people throughout the region, including in Ramallah, are looking at the balagan of Israeli elections and thinking: Hmm, I wish we could have some of that.
Ironically, to get “some of that balagan” millions have moved to countries that give them that freedom, like France.
But as Macron has learned all too well, there’s a big difference between making political balagan and seeking to take down a republic.
