Election Thoughts Part 3

Three more days. A sobering time for Am Yisrael. This election is not just any election, this election decides the future of our Land...not forever, as I am still hoping God will have the last Say!!...but at least for the near future. There are many important issues such as the economy and education but the main concern must be our Land. In that context, the position of the potential leaders vis a vis Iran is also crucial.

Briefly, the parties and their "platforms" regarding Eretz Yisrael and Iran, with some comments in blue.

Kadima - (Tzipi Livni) 2 state solution regardless of the reality of any of the dynamics or the players (or lack there of). It supports the unilateral giving up all of Judea and the Shomron, the Golan and dividing Jerusalem and giving half to the PLO for a state. Land give away, appeasement, dependency on Europe. Regarding Iran, follows advice of America and Europe and does nothing. [It needs to be said again that this country is sick and tired of how it's leaders have abused the electorate's wishes and put the country in peril, over and over. Kadima shouldn't be anywhere in the picture as far as garnering seats, yet oddly enough, it remains a viable party. It's hard to understand why it stays as high as it does in the polls...if it really does. It is not too far fetched to wonder if the polls are skewed by the media in their bias for Kadima.]

Likud - (Bibi Netanyahu) Supports a 2 state solution eventually, if ever viable... but not now - only if and when the Arabs who want it are ready, responsible and able. Bibi proposes first trying to strengthen the economy of the palestinian Arabs to see if that moves them towards a future statehood. [In all fairness I don't think he is talking about "giving" them money...but some other method (let's hope so anyway!!) ] If a state is ever viable, it would not include any part of Jerusalem or the Golan, they will remain in Israel's hands forever. In terms of Judea and the Shomron, Bibi has stated that he would not retake Shechem (Nablus), Jenin and the Arab part of Hevron, but would encourage and enable Jewish settlement to expand and increase in the rest of Judea and the Shomron. Illegal outposts all throughout Israel need to come under Israel's laws, including all the illegal arab outposts. (which number in the hundreds if not thousands) Netanyahu would work with the Yesha (Judea & Shomron) leaders for the recognition of many of the Jewish outposts and those not able to come under legal status would be moved or dismantled. Regarding Iran, Bibi feels this is a very top priority and will not allow Iran to become nuclear, even if Israel needs to go it alone to insure that. He understands that Hamas and Hezbollah are Iranian proxies at our door, and is clear that we must destroy Hamas completely, not play a game of cat and mouse. Bibi is also adamant about returning Jewish and Zionist history and values in our education - something removed from the curriculum by Kadima and Labor and other left wing governments. [Needless to say, I don't agree with a 2-State solution, and I would like to see the cities of Shechem and others returned to us. I want to see all Jewish settlements and outposts remain and expand. The idea of helping the economy has never worked... BUT this approach is the only one of the three larger parties which stops the talk of unilateral giveaway, which addresses the illegal arab outposts, which is clear about the Golan and Jerusalem, is clear about Iran and Hamas and is clear about returning Zionist education to our schools. As I said earlier, at this point we need to STOP the appeasement and dismantling of settlements, we can deal with the other issues like Shechem and the rest down the line.]

Yisrael Beteinu (Avigdor Lieberman) Yisrael Beteinu (Israel is our Home) supposedly stands on a secular right wing platform but it isn't totally clear that it is such. Today, Lieberman has made headlines (and garnered votes) by speaking out against the 5th column of Israeli Arabs who have turned against the State. He is advocating an oath of allegiance to Israel and anyone not willing to take it cannot vote or cannot run for office (and perhaps not have citizenship? unclear). In the past he has advocated moving out the borders of Israel (meaning?) and relocating Arabs outside of that in a Palestinian State. He is very strong on Iran, which is also helping him in the polls. The Russian born Lieberman has attracted many from the Russian community and the platform includes civil marriage and other secular issues of importance to various non-religious communities. [It is clear that Israelis are sick of appeasement and want someone to be strong against the rising violence of Israeli Arabs. What is not clear from Lieberman's history, is where he truly stands with regard to a full two state solution and whether or not he really will do what he blusters. In the past he has advocated dividing Jerusalem, was agreeable to Barak's failed (thanks G-d) agreement with Arafat giving away 90% of Judea and the Shomron, so he is not trusted by the national camp - more on this later)

Labor (Ehud Barak) To tell you the truth, what does? Labor stand for? Beats me. Giving away and appeasement etc etc..and never bringing military incursions to victory...never finishing the job. Oy vey.

Ichud Leumi (Yaakov "Ketzelah" Katz) This national camp party, a revitalized National Union is actually the combination of four national camp factions: Moledet, the party started by the late (assassinated) Rechavam Ze'evi (represented by Uri Bank), Hatikva (Arieh Eldad), Uri Ariel who came from Jewish Home Mafdal (although Bayit Yehudi Mafdal still exists, now headed by Dr. Daniel Hershkovitz), and Yisrael Shelanu - the party of Rabbi Volpo and Baruch Marzel, but represented here by Dr.Michael Ben-Ari. There have been several splits and mergers and splits again within these smaller national camp parties - this is the current configuration. Ichud Leumi's platform is very clear: no to a Palestinian State, no to uprooting settlements, no to giving away Eretz Yisrael, no to appeasement; yes to expanding the settlements, yes to developing the Galilee, the Golan and the Negev with Jewish settlement, yes to Jewish education. Jerusalem must remain the undivided capitol of the Jewish nation and the Temple Mount open to everyone, especially allowing Jewish prayer. Regarding Iran and it's proxies, a military solution may be the only realistic answer. [As much as I agree with most, if not all, points in the platform of Ichud Leumi, I am concerned enough about several issues not to cast my vote for this party. ]

Let me discuss three issues, some of them pertinent to my vote for Likud, others simply something I wish to address because of the information we receive in the media or in our circles:

1) Lieberman's meteoric rise in the polls. At the beginning of the election period, Bibi Netanyahu had a very comfortable lead over all the other parties. He had drawn in some very good national camp people to Likud, people like Boogie Ayalon, and Benny Begin, and was showing very well in the polls, expected by all to be the next PM. Suddenly, Avigdor Lieberman is the talk of the town and has sky-rocketed in the pre-election polls, so much so that Bibi's assurance of victory is now tenuous and fragile.

It is very possible that on Tuesday, Likud and Kadima will be tied, or God forbid, Kadima actually win. Usually the head of the winning party goes to the President of Israel (Shimon Peres) and is appointed to try to put together a coalition. Should the two parties tie however, the next runner up is given the honor to suggest to the President who should form the coaltion. Some feel if Lieberman wins the third spot, he will in fact suggest that Kadima once again form the coalition.

Even though people are voting for Lieberman because they think he is a "change" and "hard line", the truth is that his history has shown him to be another political opportunist; thus it is hard to tell what would transpire should the situation occur where he was the one to recommend the party to form the coalition.

The small parties of the national camp have said that they are here to support Netanyahu and keep him to the "right" and to a national agenda, but if Bibi doesn't get in, it is a moot point. While it is very possible Bibi will reach out to the the independent parties and bring them into the coaltion as he has said he will do, most assuredly Kadima or Yisrael Beteinu will not.

The six or seven seats that might go to Ichud Leumi and HaBayit HaYehudi could make the difference between Bibi's victory or not. Therefore I feel it is imperative to keep my vote in the centrist national camp of Likud and do everything I can to assure Likud and Bibi Netanyahu of victory.

2) I want to address briefly the issue of Moshe Feiglin in the Likud and the fall- out from the fiasco of the Likud primary. If you recall, Moshe Feiglin won enough votes to place him #20 on the Likud list...a pretty nice achievement. Bibi, who is definitely not a Feiglin fan, did some gerryrigging to shoot Feiglin down to spot 36, where he can't realistically get a Knesset seat..and actually much to my relief. Nonetheless, it seemed stupid on Bibi's part, and perhaps bad judgement, as he simply brought more attention to Feiglin. Some, if not many, Feiglin supporters are now saying Bibi's decline in the polls is poetic justice for what he did to Feiglin. My answer to that is this: Moshe Feiglin's agenda was never a Likud one, yet ever since he joined Likud, and most dramatically after he won the 20th spot, Feiglin said over and over, he was going to "take over the party"...he was going to transform it to a different party." He says he is returning it to its' roots, but his agenda and the Likud roots are not the same. It seems to me that what Feiglin did and advocated was much worse and along with some other Feiglin issues, it was actually an unfortunate but necessary move on Bibi's part, to protect the broad "Am" ("all the" people) base of Likud .

Which brings me to point three:

3) Ichud Leumi is supposed to be a national camp embracing both secular and religious factions. Indeed, one of the top slots belongs to a strong secular leader - Arieyh Eldad, for whom I have great respect. Nonetheless the party comes across as a religious party, and even though they would deny that characterization if questioned, it is not apparent in their language and statements that they are anything other. This is something they need to think about and address if they desire to reach a broader population. There are thousands of Israelis who want to vote more Zionistically, but will not do so with a religious party. They are secular but fiercely loyal to the State. Ichud Leumi would do well to understand that dynamic if they want to expand their following.

There are some other issues I have with Ichud Leumi, some of it not unique to this party, but things I find myself taking issue with in general within the national camp. They are issues significant for me, but not something I am prepared to publicize at the moment. At some point down the road I am sure I will address those issues, but for now, we have enough to chew on.

Tuesday...a Day of Days ahead. Wish us well and that we act with wisdom in the voting booth. I will update other news as well as we move towards Tuesday.