We have the right to know where Israel is going

This Israel has the right to know where it's going, what it will look like, for example, in another 20 years, according to its leader's vision.

Haaretz | By Gideon Levy | 21.04.2011

A word of warning: This article is being written without the slightest cynicism; this call on Benjamin Netanyahu is being written with due sincerity and seriousness. And I'm begging him to tell us and the world what he wants and where he is heading.

We have never had a prime minister of a government that was so right-wing, nationalist and unified, without any stain of liberalism or blot from the left. No one has had such sympathetic backing from the public, which is also right-wing and nationalist, for the most part. The Israeli right does not have any real opposition. So this is the chance of a lifetime for him to say his peace and carry out his ideas.

Whether it's "Bar-Ilan 2" or "Congress 1," Netanyahu mustn't miss the chance. In another month, he will have to stand at the podium in Congress and air his real and full doctrine. Enough of glancing to the left, enough of invalidating the left, enough of intimidating, enough of hearing what will not be. The time has come to say what will be. And enough of trying to curry favor with the Americans; in any case, they're willing captives of Israel and its aggressive lobby. Enough of trying to curry favor with Europe; we don't take them into account anyway. Let's once and for all hear the ideas of the Israeli right, without embellishment.

Ideology is not a matter to be hushed up, as if it were a detective game for kids. It must be presented out front, without obfuscating it and without tricks. Too few people, if any at all, know the direction this government and its chief are taking. This situation is insufferable. If the right has a plan of action, let it show it immediately. Let it carry it out.

As it is, the world, not including America, is sick and tired of Israel's deviousness, so there's very little to lose in the international arena. The domestic arena is super ready for the right's plan to be implemented. That's why Netanyahu has to speak out on May 24 and say what's in his heart, without spin and without gimmicks - the speech of his life.

Let him tell us: We will remain in all the occupied territory. We will continue to build the settlements. Human rights will continue to apply to Israelis alone. We will continue to rule forever with force over millions of Palestinians, when the other Arab nations are fighting for their freedom. The boycott of Hamas and the siege of Gaza will continue to the end of time.

Let him tell us. Let him tell us why we should not officially and legally annex all the territories if the intention is to remain there forever. And if the intention is to leave some of them, why not now, and why not annex right away the Jordan Valley and the "settlement blocs," including Ariel? Because, after all, there's a "consensus" on that. Why wait? After all, he won't have a golden opportunity like this again.

He must also tell us what kind of democracy he wants to bequeath us - with the left, without the left? With Arabs, without Arabs? With "traitors," without "traitors"? Why should he continue to beat around the bush, to do things in such small measures? Why not state the truth and carry it out?

Let Netanyahu stand in Congress and present his vision with pride; he won't have another opportunity like this to carry it out. Enough of the right that is seemingly tagging along after the left, enough of the talk about two-states-blah-blah and negotiations shmegotiations. There is no need for them. As always, in the end the truth will be valued more than frenetic illusions.

And it's high time to start moving. Two years into his government, the time has come for Netanyahu to govern; he owes this to his voters. Not a camouflaged construction freeze and not an annexation wearing a mask, but rather construction and annexation in the light of day and with its head held high.

The Israeli public that cheers every violent action by its government and which is not interested at all in the occupation knows how to admire a determined right-wing prime minister. This Israel has the right to know where it's going, what it will look like, for example, in another 20 years, according to its leader's vision.

I, little old me, didn't vote for Netanyahu and I apparently won't in the future, either, but then again I never expected Netanyahu to put my ideology into practice. He was elected to fulfill his ideology, which I of course view as a disaster - and it is his duty to do so. Hardly anyone will try to stop him, so why is it not happening?