Who is the Alpha Male of Israeli politics?
The natural candidate would be the prime minister, wouldn't he. Democracy's First Among Equals, the man who conquered the seat coveted by many, manned by few. EHUD OLMERT.
But is he really the dominant type?
Maybe it's just me, but whenever I read about a decision of his, the next sentence after "Olmert decided that ..." is "... after his close advisers persuaded him to do so." And his advisers' prime, probably only, motivation is to keep their man on his seat. Therefore his actions do not bear the mark of "I'll do what's in my eyes is best for the country, come what may" but rather "I'll do what's best to remain in office, pending my close advisers' nod of approval."
Sorry, but this behaviour does not befit the Leader of the Pride, the lion sought by lionesses, the Hombre who challenges any other male who might threaten his reign.
Who's next on the list? Tzipi Livni, following the footsteps of Golda Meir. After all, it was Ben Gurion who said of our first premieress that she's the only man in his cabinet. And he was right, too.
So why is Tzipi Livni a worthy candidate? Because she steps into the ring, she spars on the ropes with the best of them, she speaks her mind and does so with lucidity and, yes, with a decent amount of consistency.
The but has to follow. It could be viewed as a technicality, or a temporary setback on her way to the summit. BUT, she did blink when Olmert barred her from attending the meeting at the United Nations on the cease-fire agreement with Hezbollah. The Danish foreign minister was there, but not the most senior diplomat of one of the parties to the conflict.
Peretz. Lets just put it at that - a moustache can be a sign of virility but not of having what it takes to be the Alpha Male.
Netanyahu. Anything added would spoil the joke.
Peres? Next!
Wait a minute. There's someone else. He's an elected party leader, he's proven that he's worth his salt and that his words are not empty shells. He has a solid constituency and he has certainly proved that he fears no one. He is the leading candidate to join the shakey coalition and even win himself the defense portfolio.
He is Avigdor Lieberman. Scarey, but true.
Bradley Burston has done a much better job than I to describe what THE Alpha Male of the region has to offer. You should read his "Nasrallah for Prime Minister - of Israel".
The natural candidate would be the prime minister, wouldn't he. Democracy's First Among Equals, the man who conquered the seat coveted by many, manned by few. EHUD OLMERT.
But is he really the dominant type?
Maybe it's just me, but whenever I read about a decision of his, the next sentence after "Olmert decided that ..." is "... after his close advisers persuaded him to do so." And his advisers' prime, probably only, motivation is to keep their man on his seat. Therefore his actions do not bear the mark of "I'll do what's in my eyes is best for the country, come what may" but rather "I'll do what's best to remain in office, pending my close advisers' nod of approval."
Sorry, but this behaviour does not befit the Leader of the Pride, the lion sought by lionesses, the Hombre who challenges any other male who might threaten his reign.
Who's next on the list? Tzipi Livni, following the footsteps of Golda Meir. After all, it was Ben Gurion who said of our first premieress that she's the only man in his cabinet. And he was right, too.
So why is Tzipi Livni a worthy candidate? Because she steps into the ring, she spars on the ropes with the best of them, she speaks her mind and does so with lucidity and, yes, with a decent amount of consistency.
The but has to follow. It could be viewed as a technicality, or a temporary setback on her way to the summit. BUT, she did blink when Olmert barred her from attending the meeting at the United Nations on the cease-fire agreement with Hezbollah. The Danish foreign minister was there, but not the most senior diplomat of one of the parties to the conflict.
Peretz. Lets just put it at that - a moustache can be a sign of virility but not of having what it takes to be the Alpha Male.
Netanyahu. Anything added would spoil the joke.
Peres? Next!
Wait a minute. There's someone else. He's an elected party leader, he's proven that he's worth his salt and that his words are not empty shells. He has a solid constituency and he has certainly proved that he fears no one. He is the leading candidate to join the shakey coalition and even win himself the defense portfolio.
He is Avigdor Lieberman. Scarey, but true.
Bradley Burston has done a much better job than I to describe what THE Alpha Male of the region has to offer. You should read his "Nasrallah for Prime Minister - of Israel".
posted by Orr at 7:06 pm
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