From The Desk Of The Israel Fellow
Dear IPF Atid Community,
On the eve of every Israeli election, those seeking public support try to make their respective agenda the centerpiece of the season. This year is no exception. However, while most public attention is focused on “Yes Netanyahu vs. No Netanyahu” and the related decision of the Attorney General to indict him on charges of bribery, breach of trust, and more - these elections may also determine the direction of the country in far more significant ways than just the fate of the current prime minister.
Indeed, the very future of the Zionist vision of a secure, democratic Israel with a solid Jewish majority, is at stake.
Two alarming trends have converged to create the most serious threat to the Zionist vision since the 1948 War of Independence. The first has to do with the possible annexation of the West Bank, including its 2.6 million Palestinians. The second involves the legitimization of the most extreme, racist, xenophobic minority and its possible representation in the next Knesset and governing coalition.
Let me explain each of these before suggesting how they converge to reinforce each other:
Alarming Trend I: Annexation
The overwhelming majority of Israelis, and a majority of voters for almost every political party, oppose annexation. I consider this an expression of a very healthy Jewish survival instinct: many Israelis feel an attachment to the Biblical land of our forefathers, but realize that annexation is not just about the real estate. It comes with a “bonus:” millions of Palestinians. Refusing to be a minority - including not even a slim majority - in the only state we have, they soberly reject annexation.
Fully cognizant of this majority position and the logic it is based on, the extremist minority for whom annexation is a life-mission has been quite sophisticated in seeking to make good on its dream. Exploiting the unprecedented positions of power they succeeded in extracting from Netanyahu in return for providing him with a governing majority, they pursued a dual strategy over the past couple of years:
A) Managing to pass legislation and administrative measures designed to prevent the legal system, including the Supreme Court, from ruling annexation illegal (by Israeli and international law) and depriving the annexed Palestinian population of equal rights. This was done piecemeal, with most Israelis unaware of the cumulative effect.
B) Proposing several alternative annexation bills with the following common characteristics: annexing “only” specific portions of the West Bank with very few or no Palestinian residents at all. These choices were designed to allay the public concern of undermining the Jewish majority.
As elections approach, it turns out that this strategy has been working well thus far. Nearly all members of the outgoing Netanyahu coalition, including 28 out of the 29 Likud Knesset members, have publicly committed to enacting one or more of these bills should they win the elections.
What has been concealed from the public - and continues to be revealed in a major study and nationwide campaign by Commanders for Israel’s Security (CIS) - is how a partial, “luxurious” annexation will set in motion a domino effect. According to CIS’s expansive expert network of IDF generals and their Mossad, Shin Bet and police equivalents, this domino effect will inevitably lead to the IDF’s forced recapturing of the entire West Bank, including areas presently governed by the Palestinian Authority. Once this happens, Israel will manage the lives of millions of Palestinians, with devastating consequences to Israel’s security, economy, international standing, social fabric, and Jewish and democratic values.
Alarming Trend II: The Kahanists
The second alarming trend was triggered by Prime Minister Netanyahu’s unprecedented effort to see that even the most extreme, racist, anti-democratic Israeli group finds its way to the next Knesset. This group is known as the Kahanists, coming from the margins of Israeli society and even including convicted terrorists. This effort was explained by Mr. Netanyahu by his concern that without the Kahanists being brought into his right-wing bloc, he might not have the ability to form a right-only majority coalition after April 9’s election.
While legitimizing this most despicable faction is certainly bad enough, the annexationist bloc will only expand and solidify should they make it to the next Knesset.
Why We Need You to Talk Back
With these mutually reinforcing developments in mind, it is imperative that Jews across the globe express themselves on these issues.
Now, as an Israeli and a firm believer in democracy, I will always insist on Israeli decisions to be made exclusively by Israelis. We live here; we risk our lives in defending our country; we pay our taxes here; and we should make all the decisions here. However, in making these decisions, it is essential that we are fully informed of the consequences of the choices we make. Their impact on our brothers and sisters all over the world, and primarily on the most significant Jewish community outside of Israel in North America, must be factored into our decisions. And just to reiterate: we may choose to ignore American Jewish advocacy because that is our right. But being ignorant of our decisions’ impact on Jewish lives elsewhere should be unacceptable.
Allow me to be even more specific. The Israeli government never hesitates to call upon the American Jewish community to raise its voice on all things Israel-related. We benefit from your support for our requests for additional American military, economic, and diplomatic assistance, including to block hostile initiatives when they arise. I know this firsthand from the years I served as the Prime Minister’s Senior Policy Adviser, and nothing has changed since.
This very call provides you and the American Jewish community the right to talk back and explain to the Israeli government and public how decisions made in Jerusalem undermine your ability to support us when we need it. It obligates you to vocalize how racists in the Knesset undermine your efforts to fight racism in the US and block BDS; how depriving annexed Palestinians of equal rights makes it nearly impossible for you to shield Israel from accusations of human rights abuses; and how annexation legislation that would close the door on a negotiated solution makes it impossible to defend Israel’s claim to aspire for peace.
I hope that before Israelis go to the polls, we will not be ignorant on one issue that must be factored in: the impact of our electoral choice on you, and on your ability to support us. This is uniquely important before Election Day, but it must not end there. It is time that these relations move from a one-way monologue to a dialogue among partners, in this most historically-unique joint venture of our Jewish state and global community.
We’re in this together.
Respectfully,
Dr. Nimrod Novik
Israel Fellow, Israel Policy Forum
UPCOMING IPF ATID PROGRAMS:
The Crisis in Gaza: Policy Ideas for Peace
Monday, March 4 | Sixth & I, Washington, DC
Register Here
Briefing & Discussion on New Policy Ideas in Gaza
Monday, March 11 | Somerville Area, Boston
Facebook Event | RSVP Here
#IsraElex19 & Its Impact on Israel's Democracy ft. Liron Lavi
Wednesday, March 13 | Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills, Los Angeles
Facebook Event | RSVP Here
The Israeli Psyche on the Eve of #IsraElex19 with CYJP
Thursday, March 14 | Midtown, New York
Register Here
#IsraElex19 Parlor Meeting & Discussion
Wednesday, March 27 | The Loop, Chicago
Save the Date