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Danon is Dangerous

Reader comment on item: The Right Moment for Israel's Danny Danon?

Submitted by Eric (Israel), Aug 6, 2013 at 08:31

It has been a long time since I disagreed with Daniel's opinions and analysis. But I do think he this time he is missing some related information. I reside here in Jerusalem so my perspective may be a bit different.

I am not a fan of Netanyahu's decision regarding the prisoner release. As you can tell from the polls here in Israel, it is not popular with much of the population. But, I think that most people are cutting Netanyahu some slack here as no one is fully privy to just what is being swapped behind the scenes and what this may or may not have bought the country. No one here believes for a minute that these current talks will lead to anything one might qualify as peace. But most people think that we need to try, hopefully without sacrificing too much in the process. As a consequence of Netanyahu's decision to release these prisoners, Likud is suffering a bit in popularity. Hard to say at this time if will last or not. The Jewish Home party has gained a bit perhaps a result of Israeli's worrying about the government giving too much, not clear.

But now back to Danon. It is very easy to sit on the sidelines, like Danon, and pontificate that Netanyahu shouldn't release the terrorists. It is much harder to be put in the center and have to make the difficult decisions required of a true leader. The country needs to engage in these talks even if it is pre-ordained that they will fail because not to participate is a non-sequitor. Appearances are important here.

My big problem with Danon, however, is not so much his policies but his understanding of what democracy is about, the collateral damage he leaves in the wake of his methods and the philosophical deviation from the founding tenets of the Herut Party and its Revisionist roots. He has announced on more than one occasion that the Israeli Supreme Court is rendering verdicts against the government and should be subjected to an election process from the Knesset. This shows to me a very profound misunderstanding of how democracy works and the importance of separation of powers. Indeed there are better procedures for nominating and appointing the Supreme Court Justices here, but subjecting them to a vote from the Knesset is a disaster! And I am much more concerned about the government following the basic tenets of democracy than I am about a specific policy decision here or there.

I actually think that Danon is dangerous and if he continues, unchecked, he will lead the Likud far away from the Revisionist Policies at its root core. Those principles laid out by Menachem Begin and Zeev Jabotinsky have a very strong respect for all the fundamental principles of a modern democracy. Specifically, I regret that Danon and his party hacks forced Benny Begin and Dan Meridor out of the Likud party during the primaries. It was an ugly display of Danon at his worst. Benny Begin was the most principled and ethical MK of his day. And he was a hawk to boot. But he knew when compromises had to be structured for the benefit of the country. What Danon did along with Moshe Feiglin was ugly, both of whom are outright dangerous to this country.

If Danon continues to rise amongst the ranks of the party, unchecked, it is my opinion that the Likud party will start to lose support overall... for good reasons.

Submitting....

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Reader comments (37) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
Foreign policy reflected by Ambassador appointments [95 words]David W. LincolnAug 14, 2015 15:25224696
danny danon [64 words]ELIEZER BEN ZE'EVFeb 13, 2014 06:05213177
Danon calls for the annulment of the Oslo Accords and a "3 State Solution" instead [19 words]PezDispenserSep 21, 2013 18:08209921
Israel's UN Amabassador Danny Danon "Three State Solution" [407 words]RobertApr 14, 2016 12:40209921
2I'm surprised you left out Feiglin [80 words]ShalomAug 9, 2013 11:20208897
1Do not be hasty [171 words]yuval Brandstetter MDAug 8, 2013 11:29208882
Danny, can I TRUST YOU? Call me and give me a promise ear ro ear, face to face, heart to heart [219 words]NuritGAug 7, 2013 19:02208856
If you think that... [438 words]josef zuaresAug 7, 2013 14:15208854
1There are actually 4 parties in this game [84 words]MaxAug 7, 2013 06:43208850
The Jewishness of Israel [46 words]David W. LincolnAug 6, 2013 17:55208844
The Right Moment for Israel's Danny Danon? by Daniel Pipes [35 words]BALARABE ABBAAug 6, 2013 11:54208840
Leaders [182 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
yehuda Ben AsherAug 6, 2013 11:35208838
The Leadership Challenge - Remaining True to a Unified Israel [457 words]M. ToveyAug 12, 2013 16:16208838
The Right moment for Israel's Danny Danon? He's a man with a plan. [107 words]AnneAug 6, 2013 08:48208836
1Danon is Dangerous [583 words]EricAug 6, 2013 08:31208835
Exit Danon [34 words]AlanaJul 15, 2014 14:57208835
Danon [177 words]ericJul 17, 2014 05:13208835
Ding Dong Danny Danon [40 words]AlanaJul 19, 2014 20:15208835
1He's a politician [87 words]David ShilohAug 6, 2013 08:10208834
Finally, a real leader for Israel [80 words]Dafna YeeAug 6, 2013 07:06208833
D Danon not what you have in mind [141 words]Al SheeberAug 6, 2013 01:49208822
1Netanyahu may not be as befuddled as people think [324 words]Alan KaplanAug 6, 2013 00:39208820
1Danny Danon? [36 words]steven LAug 6, 2013 00:20208819
I could not agree more and truly hope that [43 words]Gerald A. HonigmanAug 5, 2013 22:34208818
A list of good men to choose from [113 words]GeorgeAug 5, 2013 22:12208816
Right. Israel needs new leadership [61 words]SalomonAug 5, 2013 19:18208810
So why didn't Danon quit the Knesset and the Likud in protest? [30 words]Fred McMurrayAug 5, 2013 19:11208809
Shook hands with him. [23 words]DmitryAug 5, 2013 18:46208807
Danon/McChrystal analogy limited [402 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
John in Michigan, USAAug 5, 2013 18:24208806
1Criticism In Israeli Politics [58 words]ZSIAug 6, 2013 05:38208806
Danny Danon, the leader [109 words]Linda KorrowAug 5, 2013 18:13208805
Netanyahu proposes to release 104 killers [62 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
SteveAug 5, 2013 18:05208804
Danny Dannon [143 words]DR YOSSI BEN-DAKAug 5, 2013 17:29208802
1Danny Danon [97 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
MartyAug 5, 2013 17:03208801
DANON AFTER NETANYAHU ? [157 words]JACQUES HADIDAAug 5, 2013 16:53208798
More grovelling from Israel [57 words]Bob PrichardAug 5, 2013 16:47208797
1time for Israel to grow a pair [87 words]lippyAug 6, 2013 10:09208797

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