A bloc of three small right-wing parties enabled the left to achieve its fondest dream: retuning to power after many years of wandering in the wilderness, and ousting the despised Benjamin Netanyahu. In so doing, this rightist bloc also brought into the coalition, for the first time in Israel’s history, an Arab-Islamist party. There is more to realization of this longtime dream than just a change of power, a common occurrence in democracies. For Labor, Meretz and the Arabs – and for all of Israel – it is not just a revolution, it is an ongoing earthquake. And it is causing the country to conduct itself increasingly in accordance with the vision of the coalition’s progressive and Arab components, whose world views are antithetical to the Zionist-Jewish ideals of the majority camp, the national camp.
And what did the new right-wing bloc “receive” in return? Mainly the trappings of power – such as the reception Naftali Bennett enjoyed in Bahrain last week. The prime minister can also spearhead government policy (which is not particularly successful) when it comes to combating the pandemic or dealing with Iran, but when it comes to fulfilling his core beliefs, he lacks the qualities of a statesman. He doesn’t have the guts to give his opponents in the coalition an ultimatum: You must let me achieve the minimum of what I promised my voters: authorization of new settlement in Judea and Samaria, establishment of Evyatar (after suitable state lands were found for the outpost and the outgoing attorney general gave his approval for it), annulment of the disengagement law in order to permit the rebuilding of Homesh and application of Israeli law to the Bedouin community. If you do not permit these four things, I am breaking up the government. Netanyahu will return to power and you will return – perhaps for generations – to the political wilderness. As for me, whatever happens, happens.
In his realm of authority, Justice Minister Gideon Sa’ar has also been too feeble in promoting the goals of the national camp. Of the four Supreme Court justices who will be almost certainly be selected in the coming days, two hold views that are very far from those of the conservative camp, and the views of the other two candidates are unknown. Nor has Sa’ar shown initiative in terms of legislation. Shamefully, after 55 years in which Israel has effectively ruled in Judea and Samaria, the existing law there is Jordanian law, which bans Jews from purchasing lands in that part of the homeland – and the government in Jerusalem enforces this racist law. A few days ago, even the High Court of Justice weighed in on this anomaly and, in response to a petition from the Regavim organization, issued an injunction requiring the government to justify what the bench saw as unreasonable discrimination. Even without applying Israeli sovereignty to Judea and Samaria, Sa’ar could initiate legislation to annul the law.
Nor is the minister doing enough to accelerate the (bogged-down) legislation that is intended to safeguard state lands in sovereign Israel from invaders. The same goes for the bill to increase penalties for agricultural crime, which is essentially nationalist crime whose purpose, aside from outright theft, is to keep Jews away from agriculture and to take over their land. And this is just a partial list.
The only one who is at least partially meeting her voters’ expectations is Ayelet Shaked. The so-called citizenship law – assuming it passes its third reading in the Knesset – is an example of the kind of political-ideological achievements her colleagues could also have achieved if they shared some of her persistence and dedication. In terms of ideology, Sa’ar, Bennett and Shaked are all rightists, without question; much more than Netanyahu and many of his cohorts. But when they look at what this trio has achieved for the national camp, their supporters can’t help but be disappointed.
Click the alert icon to follow topics:
"right" - Google News
February 21, 2022 at 10:02AM
https://ift.tt/ISb59vd
When Israel's right wing serves the left - Haaretz
"right" - Google News
https://ift.tt/5cUQd72
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "When Israel's right wing serves the left - Haaretz"
Post a Comment