It looks like this is not only Benjamin Netanyahu's last chance to be elected prime minister. It's also his last opportunity to prove he is capable of being a mensch. The dictionary definition of a "mensch" is a "fair, honest person, whose word can be trusted." But somehow, the popular Yiddish usage explains the meaning better.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
A man who allowed himself to throw around endless promises he couldn't keep, and routinely broke them, both on the personal level in dealing with colleagues and opponents, and in dealing with the public, can finally prove he's able to do otherwise if he's only menschy about it.
A man who was accustomed to surrounding himself with a group of sycophants who tiptoed around him and fell in line with his talking points, could show us something different this time.
The list of people who have been hurt by and cast off by Bibi throughout the years is long and disturbing. It goes back to the days of Dan Meridor and goes on to include Moshe Kahlon, Naftali Bennett, Ayelet Shaked, Gideon Sa'ar, Zeev Elkin, and dozens more good and valued individuals. For years, Netanyahu has been engulfed in a sense of threat. This intensifies when popular figures emerge at his side who bring their own added value.
The upcoming election will give Netanyahu a chance to prove he can invest in and accept great people alongside himself, and not only small, frightened lackeys – that he can share credit and achievements as well as failures. Who knows – he might even bring back a few politicians who left and founded their own parties, thereby leading to Netanyahu's downfall last year. He should try a different approach with them, too. He might be surprised.
Netanyahu is an extraordinary politician, who has never publicly admitted to his mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes, even Netanyahu. Anyone who acts can err – and Bibi knows that better than anyone. But Netanyahu has never publicly acknowledged his mistakes, weaknesses, or failings. Not only is that inhuman, it also guarantees that the problems will continue. He should try to be a mensch, and might discover that it pays off.
Oh, and there's something else, something quite elementary – to tell the public the truth, and not act according to polls about what the people supposedly want to hear. Polls cannot be the only, or even the main, tool used to create content and messaging.
The public wants to hear the truth, even when it's unpleasant. It wants to be informed about the reasons that lead to unpopular decisions. The public hates being manipulated by lies and spins.
When all that happens, if it happens – we aren't naïve, after all – Bibi could find that the pathological hatred of him rife in large sectors of the public begins to wane. He'll never be modest, that's too much for him. But he might be a little less arrogant, and perhaps a bit more of a mensch.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
