What Netanyahu Has Cost Israel

Ari Shavit argues that Netanyahu has done important work focusing the world's attention on the danger of a nuclear Iran. But on other key issues -- including the other existential issue, the two-state solution, he has blown it:

Netanyahu's government failed to deal with Israel's basic problems. It did not take advantage of the peaceful years in the West Bank to make progress dividing the land. It did not leverage the broad unity government to change the system of government and regulate relations with the ultra-Orthodox. It did not rebuild the state apparatus or give the people a sense of solidarity and hope. It ground Israel's international legitimacy and internal enlightenment to dust. Netanyahu's government wasted three and a half precious years on maneuvers, survival and foot-dragging without progressing toward some better future.

But Shavit turns around and asks, why has the Israeli center-left been so utterly ineffective in offering a counter-vision to Netanyahu's. Read the whole thing.

This article available online at:

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/10/what-netanyahu-has-cost-israel/263479/