Netanyahu agrees to debate, on his terms

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday night reportedly set his terms for a televised political debate before the upcoming elections. He indicated he would only agree to a debate after his scheduled March 3 address to the US Congress, and would only debate Zionist Union leaders Tzipi Livni or Isaac Herzog, Channel 2 reported.

Earlier Wednesday, nine Knesset party leaders confirmed they would participate in a pre-election televised debate.

Herzog, Yesh Atid head Yair Lapid, Meretz chief Zahava Gal-On, Jewish Home chairman Naftali Bennett, Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman, United Arab List head Ayman Odeh, Shas head Aryeh Deri, Yachad party leader Eli Yishai, and Kulanu head Moshe Kahlon, all said they would take part in a debate.

MK Yaakov Litzman, who heads the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party, did not respond to the call for participation sent out by Channel 2.

Televised debates are not a staple of the Israeli pre-election landscape, as they are in the United States. The last major pre-election debate was a televised discussion between Netanyahu and then-prime minister Shimon Peres in 1996, which helped Netanyahu to a narrow victory.

On Tuesday, Channel 2 news sent a WhatsApp message to the heads of the 11 major parties calling on them to participate in a pre-election debate.

“Just before the citizens of Israel are going to cast votes in ballots and determine the fate of the country, we believe that as is customary in other world democracies, a sincere and meaningful discussion should be held and a public debate should be its climax. In such a debate the main issues on the minds of Israelis can be discussed,” the message read.

Channel 2 said it would hold the debate even if not all party heads commit to attending and seemed to indicate it would leave empty chairs to highlight their absence.

The call issued by the TV station came after Herzog on February 5 challenged Netanyahu to debate him in public ahead of the March 17 elections.

In a Facebook video, Herzog suggested Netanyahu may be wary of accepting the challenge.

“So Bibi, you don’t want to debate me? What’s your story? Are you afraid of me? Are your advisers telling you ‘don’t take him on?’” Herzog taunted, using Netanyahu’s nickname.

“I just want to talk, you and me facing all of the people of Israel. After six years, do you have anything new to say, to present? What are your plans? What is your diplomatic and economic plan? Why don’t you speak? You’re good at talking.”

“I invite you to a debate, say when and where. The people of Israel await you,” Herzog concluded.