The closest thing Israel has to a presidential debate

Israel’s leading candidates in the Jan. 22 Knesset election submitted themselves to a grilling on Saturday night, courtesy of Dana Weiss from Israeli Channel 2’s version of Meet the Press.

Weiss put six candidates on the hot seat one after the other – right-wing Likud Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, center-left Labor Chairwoman Shelly Yachimovich, center-left Hatnua Chairwoman Tzipi Livni, centrist Yesh Atid Chairman Yair Lapid, haredi Sephardic Shas Chairman Eli Yishai and far-right Jewish Home Chairman Naftali Bennett.

(Here’s a quick overview of Israel’s political parties and where they stand.)

In typical Israeli fashion, Weiss argued with the candidates as much as she interviewed them. She pushed Netanyahu on his falling poll numbers, whom he’d choose for his coalition and President Obama’s reported remark that “Israel doesn’t know what its own best interests are.” She challenged Yachimovich for ignoring Israel’s diplomatic challenges, Livni on her mixed record in the Knesset, Lapid on his inexperience, Bennett on the extremist members of his Knesset list and Yishai on whether haredim should take part in Israel’s mandatory conscription.

Weiss also let the candidates ask each other some questions via video, leading – among other things – to Bennett calling Livni a liar.

Some highlights from the closest thing Israel has to a presidential debate:

Netanyahu on Obama’s comment:

Israeli citizens know, on their own, to vote for who will represent their own interests… It’s very easy to give in… What’s the problem? We can go back to indefensible borders, divide Jerusalem, get Hamas 400 meters from my house. It’s very easy. They’ll applaud for us, just like they applauded for the parties that retreated from Gaza. We got applause and then we got missiles raining on us.

Yachimovich on the peace process:

My commitment to peace and the diplomatic process is deep. If I get the chance to form the government, I will start negotiating to advance a diplomatic process on the day after.

Lapid on career politicians – “not necessarily Livni:”

In Israel, if someone’s failed again and again and again it’s called experience. Our current political leadership has failed to manage our lives. Every Israeli citizen knows that. What does this mean, that new people should never enter Israeli politics?

The interviews’ best moment? When, as the haredi Yishai departed the studio, the modern Orthodox Bennett came in and shook Weiss’s hand. Weiss to Yishai: “See, he shakes my hand and you can’t.”