The general election to be held in Israel on October 27 is all eyes on the world. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s power is at stake in this election. On one hand, US President Donald Trump is appealing to Israel to re-elect Netanyahu, on the other hand, Netanyahu’s own people seem to be against him. His close aide and current head of the World Jewish Congress, Ronald Lauder, has issued serious warnings about Netanyahu’s re-election as prime minister. He clearly told Israel that if Bibi (Netanyahu) wins, Israel will suffer. He said that he should not elect him as PM again.
Ronald Lauder is considered close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In an interview, billionaire and philanthropist Lauder said, ‘I kept quiet for 20-30 years. What made Israel special compared to other countries was that it was a real democracy. But what we are seeing now looks like a ‘banana republic’ (unstable or corrupt country).
‘Israel will suffer if Bibi becomes PM’
He clearly stated that if Bibi (Netanyahu) is re-elected as Prime Minister, Israel will suffer a great loss. Lauder accused Netanyahu of being a dictator and running everything himself (a one-man show). He said that the Prime Minister is no longer working according to democratic rules. Lauder blamed National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich for tarnishing Israel’s image, and accused Netanyahu of allowing them to do so.
Who would Ronald Lauder choose?
When Lauder was asked in an interview who he would vote for in the election, he said he would not vote because he was so disappointed with the system. However, he also said that if he had to choose one person, he would choose ‘Yashar’ Party leader Gadi Eisenkot. He said that even though he has never met Usenkot, he respects him. He considers the former IDF chief a genuine person who doesn’t talk nonsense. He also mentioned Avigdor Lieberman, leader of the ‘Yisrael Beitenu’ party, whom he respects.
Referring to far-right parties such as ‘Otzma Yehudit’ and ‘Religious Zionism’, he said that if the parties of Ben Gvir and Smotrich play any role in government in the future, the destruction of Israel is certain. Both these parties are expected to get around eight seats each in the elections.
How to turn a close friend into a critic
Lauder said that he and Netanyahu previously had a very good relationship. He said, ‘We were very close. We often talked, laughed and joked, discussed people… sometimes on a weekly basis, sometimes on a daily basis. Whatever was going on, we would talk about it.
Their relationship began in the 1980s, when Netanyahu was Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations. Lauder recalled that when Netanyahu was preparing to enter Israeli politics, he helped introduce him to Republican political strategist Arthur Finkelstein. Later, he also hosted a farewell ceremony for Netanyahu in New York, which was attended by many prominent figures from the city’s political and media worlds. Lauder said their relationship soured when Netanyahu married his third wife, Sara.
Israeli media quoted several people who worked with Lauder as saying that tensions arose between them when Lauder refused to meet some demands for expensive gifts. Some said that in 2004, when Netanyahu’s son Yair had a ‘bar mitzvah’ (a religious ceremony in Judaism), Sara Netanyahu demanded a $25,000 gift from Lauder, which Lauder refused. Several former colleagues who worked with Lauder also told the media that on another occasion, Netanyahu’s wife demanded about $15,000 worth of products from his cosmetic company, which Lauder refused.
According to the media, another major conflict occurred when Lauder was the main shareholder of Israel’s ‘Channel 10’. Former advisers said it was Netanyahu who encouraged Lauder to buy the TV station, but later when he began criticizing the channel, he repeatedly complained about its reporting. When asked what effect ‘Channel 10’ had on their relationship, Lauder replied that it completely destroyed our relationship.
Secret talks with Syria
Lauder spoke at length about his work as a mediator between Israel and Syria in the 1990s. He said at the time Netanyahu had agreed to give up the Golan Heights as part of a peace deal. According to Lauder, in the late 1990s Netanyahu authorized him to conduct secret negotiations with the government of Syrian President Hafez al-Assad. He said that for about 10 to 15 months he traveled frequently to Israel and Syria and sometimes to Lebanon. He helped formulate the 10-point framework, which included then-Prime Minister of Lebanon Rafik Hariri.
Lauder claimed that Assad was ready to sign the final document and that Netanyahu had agreed to its terms, including the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Golan Heights. However, Netanyahu has previously denied that he ever agreed to leave the Golan.
‘Netanyahu deal failed’
Loder said there were only two copies of the proposed final agreement and he still has them both. Expressing regret, he said it was Netanyahu who ultimately failed the deal. He said, ‘He chose politics over peace. He placed his political future above this agreement. This is where he lost my trust. Even after this I met him, but he was not the same. He cheated on me. This is ‘Bibi’ (Netanyahu).
Lauder said Netanyahu said he would sign the agreement only if then-Defense Minister Ariel Sharon signed it first. ‘What he did was very shocking,’ Loder said. I spent months working on this deal, and they say it will only happen if you convince Sharon. I told her, ‘Sharon would never agree to this. Even if it’s the best thing in the world, they won’t want you to take credit for it. Then why don’t you stand up for Israel by signing it yourself? But he was not ready to do so.
Lauder said that after this Netanyahu asked him not to discuss anything publicly about the conversation. Lauder said he has respected this for nearly three decades, but decided to speak out ahead of next week’s Knesset (Israeli parliament) elections. Lauder said that his last conversation with the Prime Minister was two-three years ago.
‘America and Diaspora Jews Lost Support’
Lauder said that Israel is in a very difficult situation today. So difficult that even they themselves do not understand. As the President of the ‘World Jewish Congress’, over the last 20 years, I have been visiting Europe and other countries where Jewish organizations are present and everywhere, I have met the Prime Minister or the President of that country. He continued, ‘The truth is that Israel has lost support not only in Europe and elsewhere, but also among Diaspora Jews. Yes, they are still loyal to Israel, but they don’t feel that Israel is protecting them.
He said he was particularly concerned about deteriorating relations between Israel and the US. Lauder, a longtime Republican donor and well-connected in the party’s top echelons, believes Israel is losing the support of both major US political parties. He said, ‘You’ve lost the support of the Democratic Party, and now you’re losing the support of the Republican Party.’ He blamed this on decisions made by Israel’s leadership, which he considered harmful.
Ronald Lauder sold all his properties in Israel
Lauder said he has sold or donated all his properties in Israel. While earlier he used to spend several weeks there in a year. He said, ‘I have no intention of returning to Israel. Not at all’. He went on to say that there were small fights everywhere, and he had no interest in staying there anymore.
Despite his criticism, Lauder insists that he is deeply connected to Israel. He said, ‘I am still a Zionist, I still love Israel and I will do everything possible for its success’. He made it clear that there was love and care behind his criticism.
He said he was moved to see young people singing for peace during a concert in southern Israel last weekend. He said, ‘We stand at a turning point. If the people of Israel come to their senses in time, there could be a better future here.
