Lapid, Bennett Performances Disappoint on Israeli Economy
On this Jewish time of “assessments” for the New Year, many are reconsidering the performance of Finance MInister Yair Lapid and Minister of Economy and Trade Naftali Bennett.
Naftali Bennett, the chairman of the HaBayit HaYehudi Party who also is the economy and trade minister, regularly slept on the couch in his Jerusalem office on extra-busy work days at the beginning of his term; he lives in the city of Ra’anana, an hour and a half drive from the capital.
Bennett, 41, a veteran of an elite army unit, wanted to demonstrate a military standard of sacrifice and commitment to the job. He wanted to show that he works around the clock, does not waste his time driving home and does not sleep at a hotel in Jerusalem as his job allows him. People with whom he shared this information found it difficult to see the logic behind the senior minister sleeping at night in his office. They did not understand how this contributes to his or his ministry’s functioning well. After all, Bennett has a driver and a comfortable and accessorized official car, and he could work during his commute home.
The chairman of Yesh Atid, Finance Minister Yair Lapid, insists on driving himself in his car, even if his workday ends late at night. He works hard and sleeps little, as can be expected of a finance minister in a country in financial crisis. Only now has he finished passing the state budget. Lapid apparently sees a personal driver as a status symbol and wants his choice to broadcast simplicity, accessibility and informality. But after an exhausting day at work, the finance minister can do himself and us a favor and get home safely and perhaps even steal a nap.
Lapid and Bennett, the models of the new and spunky politics, are caught up in the image that brought them impressive results in the election, and refuse to part from it. The result is that as time passes and the work increases, the two national security cabinet members’ lovely gestures seem childish and unserious.
