Proper crisis management

Several months ago, when he was forced to attend a Knesset session following a petition signed by 40 members of the opposition, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stretched out in his chair reading a book in English titled "Crisis Management." Netanyahu, as the author of several books on the war on terror, knows that crisis management, as well as the proper management of negotiations, make up a significant part of any leader's job.

Another test came over the weekend when the Israeli Embassy in Cairo was attacked by an angry mob. "Over that long night, we had to make many tough decisions," Netanyahu said Saturday night.

If we analyze the unprecedented event in Cairo point by point, an encouraging picture emerges: The prime minister quickly arrived at the nerve center to monitor the event, gathered the relevant professionals (the head of the Israeli Security Agency, his military secretary and the Foreign Ministry's security chief), delegated duties to the Foreign and Defense Ministers, consulted with other heads of security agencies (the head of the Mossad and the chief of staff; National Security Adviser Yaakov Amidror was on a diplomatic mission abroad, and thus was not physically present) and made the proper operational decisions. In essence, the prime minister was the commander of the operation.

In the diplomatic arena, Netanyahu acted via two central channels: vis a vis Egypt and vis a vis the Americans. His objective was to speak with a senior Egyptian official who has influence in the field and could step in and save the situation. That man turned out to be the chief of intelligence in the Egyptian General Staff, as army head Field Marshal Mohamed Tantawi was not available. In parallel, Netanyahu spurred U.S President Barack Obama into action. He selected that hammer out of the diplomatic toolbox because pure anarchy was raging in Egypt, and it was clear that every minute counted.

This story could have ended with images of a lynching, with Israeli security guards being thrown from the eighteenth floor of a building in the heart of Cairo. That did not happen. This time, instead of a commission of inquiry, the report will detail cool, clear decisions that saved lives.