Israeli Elections and the Rwanda Connection

 


Israel has a new government. Benjamin Netanyahu to return as prime minister of Israel following the election held this week.

As with previous polls, the opportunistic international order is again flashing Netanyahu with the extremist tag. The reason being advanced is that he has coalesced with political parties that can no longer be ignored.

The unpopular political direction that Israel chooses in every election, to a significant extent, has parallels with the path to which President Paul Kagame has opted for Rwanda.

The political parties that Netanyahu sought, are fundamentally no different from their colleagues in other formations. All parties have one interest, which is to safeguard Israel. The people of that country know their lives cannot be determined by political correctness.

Israelis know Israel’s survival cannot be designed by overzealous political analysts from outside their borders. It is Israelis. They are prepared to swallow the bitter pill to forego immediate benefits for the greater good later.

Situation in Israeli is what Rwanda battled in the early 2000s; when Rwanda’s leaders had a stack choice. They had to choose between a path with short-term benefits, leading to irreparable chaos in future, or go it the hard way immediately, with the hope to reap the benefits later.

At the time, some leaders were of the view that since they had won the war, it was time to eat. They wanted everything for themselves. They ran cliques of friends, operating with impunity.

All the while as these leaders enjoyed their newly acquired bravado, the rest of the society wondered what was left for them.

But one person decided to put the breaks on what was going on; President Kagame. He put his own everything on the line, together with other like-minded leaders, countered the forces of destruction.

Kagame read the riot act to everyone; ‘there are three things we need to do – staying together, being accountable and think big’.

The three items appear simply as English words, yet have turned out, a few year later, as the only alternative that can best shape Rwanda’s destiny.

At first everyone, of course, applauded and nodded to Kagame’s vision. The actions of those selfish leaders would soon betray them. The standard was too high, and one by one, they ran away.

What was expected is simple; shape a Rwanda that brings every well-meaning Rwandan to the table, not opportunists with selfish interests. A Rwanda where nobody was above the law. And lastly, a Rwanda that works in unconventional ways by doing the unthinkable because we don’t have the luxuries that other nations enjoy.

This direction appears basic, yet, some couldn’t cope.

They are the reason there is this well-oiled anti Rwanda agenda and powerful genocide denial lobby we see very active today.

Those that are Rwandans, hide behind claim to be seeking democracy, yet want a Rwanda that feeds their egos.

Those that are non-Rwandans, hide behind opportunistic slogans, yet all they want is to keep a Rwanda that is chaotic. What they don’t tell you is that once situation goes to the abyss, they board the next flight out.

It doesn’t mean that today all is rosy in Rwanda. There are still challenges, big challenges, reason why it is called a journey in the first place.

What is demonstrably clear is that the route chosen is a good one. Like in Rwanda, if the Israelis are not diverted, putting Israel first, it could be painful now, but they will be vindicated someday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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