World Jewish Congress chief: Netanyahu put politics before Israel

World Jewish Congress President Ronald Lauder, a former close friend of Netanyahu, accused the Israeli prime minister of putting his personal political interests ahead of Israel’s interests. He also revealed that Hafez al-Assad was ready in the late 1990s to sign an agreement involving withdrawal from the Golan Heights.

World Jewish Congress President Ronald Lauder accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of putting his personal political interests ahead of the country’s interests in an extensive interview with Haaretz published days before Israel’s general election scheduled for October 27. Anadolu Agency, citing the interview, reported that Lauder compared Israel to a “banana republic.”

Secret talks with Assad and Hariri

Lauder, who was once one of Netanyahu’s closest friends, revealed that Netanyahu agreed in the late 1990s to secret negotiations with the late Syrian President Hafez al-Assad and the late Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. During the talks, a 10-point draft agreement was prepared that included an Israeli withdrawal from the Golan Heights. He said Assad “was completely ready to sign the agreement,” but “Netanyahu chose politics over peace,” evading responsibility.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (archive)

Warning about extremists

Lauder warned that the entry of the parties of National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich into the next government would mean the “end” of Israel. He said, “The only thing that should never be in the government is extremists.” He also said Israel had lost the Democratic Party in the United States and had begun losing the Republican Party as well.

Lauder said his relationship with the Netanyahu family ended after he rejected requests from Sara Netanyahu for expensive gifts. Lauder, heir to the Estée Lauder cosmetics empire, has led the World Jewish Congress since 2007.