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After two years on the
job, Binyamin
Netanyahu gets a mixed
report card.

attributed to a array of factors that
were on the domestic, regional, and
international playing field he inherited.
His mastery stems from an ability to
manage controlled tension; his political
opponents have been uniformly weak,
fragmented, and focused on more
pressing priorities. Netanyahu controls
DR KENNETH W. STEIN
the political middle ground and has
Special to The Jewish News
made others adjust to his schedule and
time clock.
ince becoming Israel's ninth
In matters where domestic judg-
prime minister in May 1996,
ments
might have cost him politically,
no person has dominated the
Netanyahu
has wobbled, but not fall-
pace and content of the
en
down.
In
appointing advisers,
Arab-Israeli negotiating process more
defining
prerogatives,
accepting
than Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu.
advice,
and
delegating
authority, Bibi
Though the object of contempt
has faltered.
and praise from every quarter,
However, he has proven a shrewd
Netanyahu has remained steadfast in
master
of public relations. Even his
fulfilling six interrelated goals: maxi-
most
consistent
detractor in the Israeli
mizing his chances to remain in office
press,
Haaretz's
Yoel
Marcus, acknowl-
until the next
Photo by AP/ Eyal Warshaysky edged that he is a
scheduled elec-
"maestro of pro-
tions in 2000,
paganda." He
positioning him-
has avoided pros-
self favorably for
ecution, dodged
that re-election,
responsibility
for
insuring personal
bad
political
and national secu-
choices, and con-
rity for all Israelis,
founded
his
eliminating physi-
weak
and
splin-
cal violence as a
tered
opponents.
policy option for
Netanyahu is to
the Palestinians,
Teflon
what
preventing the
Jimmy
Carter
establishment of a
was
to
Velcro.
territorially con-
Little of it sticks
tiguous and fully In control: Prime Minister Binyamin
and
if it does,
independent
Netanyahu faces reporters in Jersusalem
not
for
long.
recently
Palestinian state,
Domestically,
his
and creating facts
Likud
Party
is
in Jerusalem and the West Bank
not a threat. Opponents have left his
which will influence the outcome of
cabinet.
Remaining voices of sub-
Palestinian-Israeli final status talks,
stance
skirmish
for the number two -
scheduled for completion by May
position
in
party
hierarchy. Within
1999.
his
ruling
coalition,
Netanyahu had
Whether you like him, his policies,
danced
adroitly
in
the
middle of the
or neither, he has effectively achieved
political
right,
balancing
requirements
his objectives. After two years in
-of
the
Orthodox,
the
settlers,
Russian
office, Netanyahu's report card would
immigrant
needs,
his
Sephardi
core
be mixed: it would include A's for
base,
and
those
of
the
Third
Way
effort and for meritorious achieve-
Party that want to retain the Golan
ment of stated goals, C's or D's in
Heights.
political behavior, judgment, style and
And Netanyahu benefits from a
in managing the economy, and D's
Labor
Party without a distinct or
for misunderstanding and mishan-
unique
political course and where
dling diaspora Jewry's sentiment
there
is
division about how far left to
about the "Who is a Jew?" controver-
go
to
define
policies. It is Netanyahu's
sy and for deteriorating relations with
good
fortune
that Israel's new elec-
the Arab world.
toral
system
requires
80 not 61 votes
Netanyahu's political survival can be
to remove the Prime Minister.
All indicators show that
Dr. Kenneth W. Stein is director of
Netanyahu's slow down in the peace
the Institute for the Study of Modern
process has had a negative impact on
Israel at Emory University.
the Israeli economy: there is reduced

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