Opinion: Politicians are often judged harshest by those who work closely with them, and Bennett received nothing but praise from longtime public servants around him, who say he is worthy of high-profile post he now leaves
Thank you, Naftali Bennett! You are leaving the position of premier with your head held high.
Thank you for a decade of public service and for always thinking outside the box for the benefit of the Israeli people.
Thank you for demanding Palestinian terrorists, released in the 2011 prisoner swap deal, return to jail after the murder of three Jewish youths in 2014, and your insistence during the Gaza war that same year that the IDF tackle Hamas attack tunnels.
Thank you for your work as education minister to advance the study of mathematics and sciences in Israeli schools.
Thank you for forming a coalition government, which first seemed unimaginable but lifted the country out of a political stalemate and four consecutive election cycles, driven by former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Thank you also for teaching us about the limitations of Israeli politics. To me, your government lost its right to rule when it became clear that it could not rely on cooperation of Arabs.
They, in turn, showed they prefer Palestinian nationalism over the social and economic advancement of their own communities. But if you had not tried, we would not have been able to learn that fact, which will have an impact in the future.
Thank you for standing your ground in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic and opting not to impose lockdowns that would have cost the country billions, even though it would have been the easy solution.
Thank you for not having a stroke when you dug into the Iranian file and uncovered what your predecessor had done – or more correctly, failed to do – on the issue.
Thank you for not accepting the proposals of the police and security agencies and insisting on allowing the annual flag march to proudly proceed through the Muslim Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem.
Thank you for exhibiting your government’s resolve to react with force to any provocation and aggression from the Hamas terror group in Gaza.
During your time in office, the Israeli communities bordering Gaza enjoyed the quietest year in a decade.
I know you are not perfect, not by a long shot. I understand your political moves in the past 10 years, including the decision to head this coalition government, were motivated by ego in the same way that all politicians are.
But I thank you for recognizing that fact, taming your ego and stopping at the right time for the benefit of the nation.
Thank you for reminding Israelis that politicians can honor the agreements they make, and are not only in the arena to destroy their opponents.
Politicians are judged often by those who work closely with them and one such person, a veteran public servant who served under many prime ministers, said on Wednesday that you remained with your feet planted firmly on the ground despite holding the highest post in the country.
“I’ve worked with many prime ministers, starting with Golda Meir,” Edna Halabi said in a tweet. “I did not vote for Bennett, but since meeting and working with him, I have come to value him and to like him personally very much. He is a hard worker, attentive and caring, and is worthy of the position,” she wrote.
Bennett’s decision not to run in the upcoming elections does not signify the end of his story in Israeli politics, but the end of one chapter. He will be back. Stay tuned.
As reported by Ynetnews