A new neighbor on Balfour Street
Jerusalem residents living near the Prime Minister’s Residence stood divided in their feelings about former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s impending exit from the official residence.
After reaching an agreement with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on Saturday, Netanyahu agreed to leave the residence on Balfour Street by July 10. Netanyahu’s exit from the residence will occur about a month after Bennett assumed office.
Many citizens living in the area expressed continued support for Netanyahu, emphasizing his strength and their unwavering belief in his leadership.
When asked whether Netanyahu’s hold on power had lasted too long, Yael Kol, a shop owner down the street from the residence, said, “I don’t think 12 years is too long, I want 12 more years.”
However, other residents expressed their frustration with the former prime minister: “Absolute power corrupts absolutely,” one resident said. “Netanyahu has done some great things over the years. But I’m disappointed by the way he’s turned over power to the new government. It’s supposed to be a peaceful, democratic transition of power. His actions disappointed me.”
Another resident expressed skepticism: “I don’t believe Netanyahu will leave in two weeks. Until I see him leave I won’t believe it. It’s good that he’s out of office because you can’t believe a word he says. We fight each other in Israel only because of him.”
Regardless, many citizens expressed appreciation for what Netanyahu has done for the country, especially around the coronavirus pandemic.
“It’s time for a new leader but we also need to thank Bibi for what he has done for Israel. Because of him we are able to walk around in the streets while other countries are still suffering. We went back to normal life and I think people forgot that,” Avital Shneller, a local resident, said.
For some in the area, Netanyahu’s departure will provide some respite from the constant protests that the house on Balfour Street attracted.
“It has been hell having Bibi as a neighbor for the last 12 years,” continued
Shneller. “The people who came to protest had no shame - they’re destroying other people’s lives.”
Netanyahu’s residence has been the site of almost nightly protests over many issues but has seen a significant escalation over allegations of corruption.
Bennett is not expected to move to the Balfour residence full-time, choosing instead to stay in Ra’anana in order to allow his children to continue their schooling there. Many understood Bennett’s choice: “I don’t have a problem with him staying in Ra’anana. He shouldn’t have to uproot his children,” one resident said.
However, others described Bennett’s choice as evidence that he is not ready for the job. “He’s a child,” says Michel Naamad, whose shop provided flowers for Netanyahu’s residence. “Even he doesn’t believe he’s the government in Israel, which is why he’s staying home.”
As Netanyahu plans to leave Balfour Street, some residents say he leaves behind an uncertainty which the new government will have to deal with: “The real question is what happens if he moves out and the next day the coalition falls apart?”