How Netanyahu took advantage of Peres’ funeral
When eulogizing late President Shimon Peres, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu actually praised his own diplomatic vision and persona.
The eulogy delivered by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the funeral of former President Shimon Peres on Sept. 30 was filled with emotional descriptions of personal, almost familial, moments the two had shared. But on listening again to the prime minister’s words, it’s hard to shake off the feeling that he was perhaps eulogizing Peres — but speaking mostly about himself. More than anything, it was a political speech designed to underscore Netanyahu’s just, chosen path.
The text read by the prime minister at the funeral was a masterpiece — recognizing Peres’ tremendous contribution to the State of Israel, focusing on his record in the defense arena, but completely ignoring his political one. Netanyahu did not mention the 25 years that Peres dedicated to a search for peace with the Palestinians based on division of the land and the Oslo Accord.
