In Praise of Netanyahu – Supported Referendum Law Despite Personal Ramifications

Dr. Aaron Lerner
IMRA
Weekly Commentary
25 November '10

“3. 1A (a) The government will not ratify an agreement that requires ratification and will not sign an agreement that does not need to be ratified, according to which the law, jurisdiction and administration of the State of Israel shall not apply to territory, including an agreement that includes a commitment for the future and a commitment that is conditional, except after the agreement is approved by the Knesset and in a referendum, in accordance with the provisions of this Law.” National Referendum Law

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu deserves praise for facilitating the passage of the referendum law this week.

It is an important piece of legislation that will require a national referendum for pretty much any deal involving the Palestinians (even an agreement not involving Jerusalem would require a referendum if it included the swap of even one centimeter of land within the Green Line).

With the law in place, factions in the national camp know that they would have a shot at defeating an agreement even if a different coalition is in power.

Put in the most brutal of terms: they can punish Netanyahu if he goes too far even at the risk that the move ultimately brings the Left to power.

And an even more cynical view: if Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu cuts a deal with the Arabs he will join forces with the Left in the referendum battle against what remains of the national camp. In contrast, if he sits in the opposition, Binyamin Netanyahu and his Likud party can be expected to lead the campaign to defeat the agreement at the ballot box.

Mr. Netanyahu could have cited “diplomatic considerations” and indefinitely postponed the vote on the national referendum law. But he didn’t.

Instead he put that national interest ahead of his personal interest in staying in power.

And for this he most definitely deserves praise.

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