In the clamorous chorus reverberating around us, rising to ever more piercing tones as the date of parliamentary election [slated for Jan. 22] is drawing near, another voice – more judicious, more courteous and more concerned — may be heard above the clamor. It is the voice of Stanley Fischer, the governor of the Bank of Israel.
As known, Fischer is not running for a seat in the Knesset [the Israeli parliament] nor has he any intention of vying for the much coveted post of the finance minister. As a matter of fact, it isn’t at all sure whether he will stay in office the full term of his second tenure as Bank of Israel governor, which is to end sometime in 2015. What, then, induced Fischer to voice his opinion, clearly and sharply, on the issues on top of the agenda [of Israeli society] as he has recently done, on three different occasions?