PM cancels interviews, then complains media ignores his achievements

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday canceled a series of media appearances scheduled ahead of the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah, citing scheduling difficulties, but then quickly posted a clip on Facebook complaining that the press doesn’t sufficiently report on his government’s achievements.

Israeli leaders traditionally grant interviews ahead of the Jewish New Year, which is considered a time for reflection and introspection. This week, Netanyahu’s spokespeople promised several news outlets interviews. But several hours later, his aides notified the various outlets that the interviews had been canceled until further notice.

“These interviews had to be rescheduled for logistic reasons. The prime minister today had meetings with his Lithuanian counterpart and the president of the European Commission, Donald Tusk. These were important meetings,” a senior Israeli official said Tuesday afternoon. The prime minister is also scheduled to take off for London Wednesday, the official added.

“We often have to move things around in the prime minister’s schedule. This is not the first time and won’t be the last time we have to reschedule interviews.”

Yet the poor timing didn’t end there.

Hours after calling off the interviews, Netanyahu posted a two-and-half minute Hebrew clip to his official Facebook profile, listing eight ostensible accomplishments that, he complained, don’t get enough coverage. They include security, natural gas — and Iran.

“We’re doing a lot for the state. I know you don’t hear about it in the media, but in the last elections I received a clear mandate to lead the State of Israel according to my way, and that’s precisely what I’m doing, in many areas,” Netanyahu says in the clip.

Keeping Israelis safe and secure was the first topic he cited. “Whoever tries to hurt us — we hurt him,” the prime minister said. Secondly, the current governments keeps the country’s borders safe by building fences. It lowers taxes and stimulates the economy, he continues. Furthermore, the government guarantees that natural gas will be extracted from the Mediterranean, bringing billions of shekels to benefit education and welfare.

Another ostensibly under-reported achievement is the improvement of the country’s infrastructure, he says with trains and roads connecting the Negev and the Galilee with the country’s center.

Netanyahu also hailed a “revolution” that led to the reduction of students per classroom.

Last but not least, Netanyahu mentioned Iran.

“There’s no way around it,” he said. “We’re telling the American public a clear message: Israel is the United States’ friend, and Iran is America’s enemy,” Netanyahu says. “A huge majority of the American public and the US Congress agrees with us. Expressing this simple truth will help us tackle the great challenges coming up — not just in the coming year, but in the coming decade.”

Critics argue that the nuclear deal the world struck with Tehran, effectively turned the Islamic Republic into a legitimate nuclear threshold power, representing the biggest failure of Netanyahu’s political career. His effort to convince enough US lawmakers to thwart the deal has failed as well.

“There are many other things, but this you won’t hear in the media,” he concludes. “For this you have to come to our Facebook page.”

By Tuesday evening, the clip had been watched 115,000 times and garnered nearly 10,000 likes.

Netanyahu last gave Israeli media interviews in a blitz in the days leading up to the March 17 elections.