On the Coalitions Negotiations in Israel

By Yossi Schwartz, Internationalist Socialist League (RCIT Section in Israel / Occupied Palestine), 30 May 2021, http://the-isleague.com

In Israel there is a political storm in a glass of water. It is now more than possible that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be replaced by Yair Lapid, from the Yesh Atid party, who will form a new government headed by the far-right politician Naftali Bennett whose Yamina party has six key seats in parliament. Yamina leaders Naftali Bennett and Ayelet Shaked spoke in favor of forming a unity government with Lapid on Sunday. The other far-right party led by Gideon Moshe Sa’ar of New Hope demands six ministries for its six MK. “New Hope leader Gideon Sa’ar turned down offers from Likud on Sunday morning to rotate as prime minister with Benjamin Netanyahu and then Bennett in a three-man rotation.” (1)

If such a government will be formed, it may still need the outside support of the Islamic party led by Mansour Abbas’ – the United Arab List (Ra’am) that split from the Joined List. Abbas made it clear that he is ready to support Netanyahu or Lapid for the price he asks for. The United Arab List broke with the Joined List at the end of January, as it decided “to leave the Joint List after the other parties refused two ultimatums to vote together against LGBTQ issues, and to be able to have greater freedom to vote with the Right.” (2)

The leading ultra-Orthodox rabbi Chaim Kanievsky had approved a potential government with Abbas’s Ra’am Party, when asked whether the right-wing can join forces with Ra’am. In a speech in January in Hebrew language Abbas spoke about peace and security, partnership, humanity, and tolerance. This speech won applause from both the left and right Zionists. “In his speech he made no reference to Palestine, the Palestinians, the occupation, or discriminatory laws targeting Arab citizens such as the new Kamenitz law or the Jewish Nation–State Law.” (3)

What he demands is a larger budget for the police allegedly to fight violent crime in the Arab community and recognizing three Bedouin communities in the south of the country that are considered illegal.

Let us not make a mistake and think that he is the only Quisling. At the end of April five of the Joint List’s six lawmakers – recommend Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid as prime minister, according to the Kan public broadcaster. (4) The only exception was the Balad party. Later on, “Joint List MK Ahmad Tibi said that his party will not support a government with Yamina’s Naftali Bennett and New Hope’s Gideon Sa’ar in an interview with KAN Reshet Bet.” (5)

On April 8, Hadash – the Stalinist front – said it will not support a government led by Bennett. However, Hadash has not made any new statement in the last few days about a government formed by Lapid and Bennett. If Hadash will be ready to support this government from outside, it is very likely to split.

We still have to see its position. Meanwhile, the so-called left-wing Zionist parties have expressed their willingness to participate in a government led by Bennet.

The fact that the so-called left and liberal Zionists are ready to support a government led by Bennett brings to mind the South African Labor party, a party racist to the core. It is clear that the so-called left Zionist parties – the Labor Zionists and Meretz – believe that such a government will support the Palestinian Authority that is very busy with arresting and torturing young Palestinians who participated in the protests during the Zionist war on Gaza with the demand: “Palestine free from the river to the sea”.

According to Channel 12 news, the agreement of Lapid with Meretz gives the party three ministries. Party leader Nitzan Horowitz is slated to be the health minister, Tamar Zandberg the environmental protection minister and Issawi Frej the regional cooperation minister. In other words, his job will be to coordinate between Israel and the PA against the Palestinians, who see the PA collaboration with Israel as a betrayal of the Palestinian struggle.

Any way you look at it, the outcome will be either a right-wing government led by Bennet whose political position is to the right of Netanyahu or a new round of elections. Even if Lapid will announce that his government will replace Netanyahu it is not sure that it will be actually formed as this coming Saturday is the Palestinian Naksa Day (Arabic: يوم النكسة‎, Yawm an–Naksa, meaning “day of the setback“). This is the annual day of commemoration for the Palestinian people of the displacement that accompanied Israel’s victory in the Six-Day War on 5 June 1967.

The Zionist police that is arresting hundreds of Palestinians citizens of Israel who participated in the protests and in the general strike is ready to use force against the Palestinian protesters and it may force Abbas to withdraw his support as most likely all the Zionist parties will back the police.

Even if such a government will be formed it will not exist for long time as the crisis of the Zionist state is only growing and such a government will be paralyzed and in the next elections round most likely Netanyahu will win again. Let us remember that the politics of Obama and its failure led to Trump victory in the next presidential elections.

Finally, it is important to understand the tumultuous events in Israel’s domestic policy in the context of the recent Gaza War and the new Intifada. The Internationalist Socialist League and our international organization – the Revolutionary Communist International Tendency – have stated that the war ended in a political defeat for the Zionist state and a victory for the Palestinian resistance. (7) The recent events completely confirm our analysis. While Israel’s government is about to fall, Hamas – the leading force of the Palestinian resistance – is stronger and more popular than ever.

Down with the Netanyahu and Bennett governments!

To hell with the Zionist left!

Free all Palestinians heroes who protest the Zionist war with Gaza in Israel and the PA!

Self-defense of the Palestinians on Naksa Day!

Democratic Red Palestine free from the river to the sea!

Footnotes

1) https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/yesh-atid-new-hope-teams-to-meet-669589

2) https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/hadash-balad-taal-announce-joint-run-without-raam-657765

3) https://www.mei.edu/publications/mansour-abbas-islamist-kingmaker-or-good-arab

4) https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/most-joint-list-members-said-set-to-recommend-lapid-as-pm/

5) https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/tibi-lapid-brave-to-say-he-will-support-coalition-with-joint-list-667388

6) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naksa_Day