New age for Israeli-American relationship with Gilad Erdan

By HEN MAZZIG

Published: MAY 18, 2020 22:11

CAN GILAD ERDAN be in two places at once? (photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST) — CAN GILAD ERDAN be in two places at once?

(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)

Former national security and strategic affairs minister Gilad Erdan was appointed this week as the next Israeli ambassador to the UN and later to be the ambassador to the USA at large.

I believe there is no one in the current Israeli government better suited for this challenging position.

Erdan has handled several challenging crises in Israel. He was in charge of overseeing the anti-Boycott Divestment and Sanctions operations in his capacity as strategic affairs minister. As a consultant for the ministry back in 2017, I was exposed to its operations under his leadership. Erdan is a clever leader; he is zealous and vigilant, yet is flexible enough to adjust rapidly to new and diverse challenges.

When he first assumed the role of the communications minister in 2013, Erdan dedicated much of his time to mastering the new ministry and the communications market that he was about to enter. Officials from the Communications Ministry back then said he was focused, invested, and passionate about designing reforms that would support and help our citizens financially.

To promote these necessary changes, he had to persevere against large corporations in Israel, and could not blink in that fight. He didn’t blink. His work combating the nationally-funded media network and promoting competition among TV cable providers will help save the Israeli public millions of shekels.

Among his other achievements, Erdan implemented several important Israeli policies including: banning Israeli MKs that were convicted of criminal offenses from the Knesset, revoking the license of any driver who was involved in a deadly accident, limiting bank interest rates that harmed customers, and encouraging recycling in companies, among other groundbreaking legislation.

Erdan is entering at a divisive time in the USA, with a Jewish community that is in many ways polarized on Israel, an American president who doesn’t enjoy much support within the Jewish community, and a pandemic that has disproportionately harmed Jewish Americans. Not to mention that according to the ADL, 2019 recorded the most antisemitic incidents on record.

These circumstances will require Erdan to be observant and sharp, but also resourceful as he adapts to the unique rules of the largest Jewish community outside of Israel.

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With his vast experience, Erdan could be the bridge that Israel needs at this point in history between us and our greatest ally.

He will face challenges, no doubt. The UN will not be sympathetic to him; he will face the opposition of small, yet vocal minority American Jews and some Democrats who are anti-Zionists. But it is crucial that Erdan is able to represent the Israeli public and many of Israel’s interests, which are in the interest of the global Jewish community as well.

Erdan can do it by being true to his values and maintaining his approach to every position he has taken in his political record: Be resourceful yet firm, learn the community, meet all of its leaders (not only the ones who would rush to greet him), as well as discover this political climate and how Jews operate within it. This must inform his work, and it will enable him to reach his potential as the ambassador both Israel and America need right now.

The author is an Israeli writer, speaker and activist. He is a senior fellow at the Tel Aviv Institute (TLVi.org). Follow him on Twitter @HenMazzig.