Israel: Sharon and Netanyahu --- Compare and Contrast

An article by The Jerusalem Post's Gil Hoffman questions Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's desire for peace and accuses him of being a student of the "Sharon school of thought".

It is a curious accusation. Netanyahu was critical of former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's 2004 Engagement Plan. He not only vetoed the Gaza pull-out plan in the Israeli Parliament, the Knesset, but also submitted his resignation prior to the approval of the plan by the Parliament.

Recent events, however, have forced a reassessment. Sharon's spokesman Ra'anan Gissin has no doubts. He states that Netanyahu, like Sharon, moved to the center of the political map after becoming prime minister, formed a national-unity government, and is expected to approve a prisoner exchange with the Palestinians. He continues:

Those who claimed to be Sharon's successor failed because the tsunami waves that came after his disappearance were too much for them. The tragedy is that his fiercest critics such as Netanyahu turned out to be his real successors. Netanyahu hasn't formed a Kadima [Party], but he has realigned his own party in the Center to allow himself to make the decisions he has to make regarding the fate of the Palestinians.

Other Sharon advisers, however, have snubbed Netanyahu and do not put the two leaders in the same category. For instance, former Sharon strategist Lior Chorev says:

Netanyahu is now facing the same poison from extremist elements in his party that Sharon did from him, but without the leadership and courage that Sharon had.

The question is whether Netanyahu has the courage to understand that leadership has a price and will 'walk the walk' and not just 'talk the talk.' Bibi hasn't proven yet that he will do what he says. We are waiting to see if he will be a leader or a slave of his Likud.

Sharon's legislative adviser Oren Magnezy sees eye-to-eye with Chorev:

We will only see if [Netanyahu] has really changed if he takes on the settlers and his political base. When I believe he has made the leap into compromise, he will have to apologize to Sharon, but I don't think he has made that leap yet.