Israel General Discussion: Dawn of the Post-Netanyahu Era

[Oryxslayer]

Is the new coalition going to pass a law drafting the Haredim (back in 2013, Lapid and Bennett both campaigned on this pretty hard, and their support for such a law is what originally established their personal friendship; the 2015 government abolished the law and it never went into effect), or is that off the table as too radioactive given the narrowness of their majority (I can imagine this might jeopardize Arab support for them)?

Here's a English list of some of the policies negotiated beforehand, if you want the full picture. However, opposition to "Haredi Privileges" is literally one of the pillars that every coalition member can agree on. The draft law is on the table, but also potentials are: Saturday bussing, the egalitarian Western Wall proposal, civic marriage avoiding the rabbinate's cultural conservatism. These are the types of legislation the Haredi never would allow to move forwards, especially given their electoral policy of giving the any coalition a blank check in exchange for a hands off guarantee to their community. However, the biggest change is not any law. Lieberman sits in the Treasury office and has responsibility over the subsidy programs that allow the Haredi to remain underemployed. His stated plan is to cut subsidies as a stick, and impose the carrot of job training programs upon all public institutions, so as to get more Haredim participating in the wider economy. Unsurprisingly, some Haredi Rabbis called this a declaration of war, and there were videos of prayer sessions asking for a speedy end to the government yesterday.

[Oryxslayer]

Why didn't the other Arab parties join the coalition?

Cause its already unwieldy to maintain eight parties. Also, some list parties are in a position where they ideologically oppose the the government, but would never let it willingly fall given both who is in opposition and how their community is benefitting via Ra'am. Its this sort of dance that could prompt a a realignment of parties within the Arab space, to best take advantage of how power is now potentially accessible. You can't let the Conservative Ra'am be the only Arab party whose willing to enter government and bring money to the communities after all.

[Hnv1]

Is the new coalition going to pass a law drafting the Haredim (back in 2013, Lapid and Bennett both campaigned on this pretty hard, and their support for such a law is what originally established their personal friendship; the 2015 government abolished the law and it never went into effect), or is that off the table as too radioactive given the narrowness of their majority (I can imagine this might jeopardize Arab support for them)?

Yes. But not that draft law. B&W demanded a new laxer draft law in their coalition deal and as Gantz is basically the mouth of the IDF that means the military is fed up with it.

No one is going to draft them, only now they understand it and understand now damaging these attempts are. Haredi would be exempted from service at the age of 21 instead of 26 with a family, so the goal is to integrate them in the work force not draft them.

[(no subject)]

There is a broad national consensus in Israel that there will be no further concessions to the Palestinians unless and until they admit defeat, enter direct negotiations without preconditions, and accept Israel's terms. As far as most Israelis are concerned, this debate is over. That's one of the reasons Netanyahu lost the election. Despite Hamas obliging him with a rocket attack, he was unable to persuade a majority of voters that the election was all about security.

[Oryxslayer]

https://twitter.com/yairlapid/status/1405817668792373249?s=20

Obviously good and a clear example of the differences between this and more Netanyahu. Also note the decision to use English not Hebrew, something that the coalition accounts do whenever the policy could gain traction in western press.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

https://twitter.com/yairlapid/status/1405817668792373249?s=20

Obviously good and a clear example of the differences between this and more Netanyahu. Also note the decision to use English not Hebrew, something that the coalition accounts do whenever the policy could gain traction in western press.

Excellent news.

[SInNYC]

It turned out to be some surplus expiring vaccines, so Palestinians returned it. The deal was that Palestinians take the expiring vaccine and send to Israel the fresh ones they are scheduled to get straight from Pfizer, probably in early fall.

The middle east being the middle east, Palestinians claim that the vaccine expires in June while Israel claims it expires in July.

[(no subject)]

Since Israel is in possession of all land of Mandate Palestine, has the only functional economy in the region, and has vast military superiority, this continuing impasse suits Israel's interests much more than it suits the interests of the Palestinian people. The longer Israel is in possession of Judaea and Samaria, the harder it will be, politically and demographically, to create a Palestinian state on any part of it.
This makes the continuing refusal of the Palestinian leadership to face facts all the more self-defeating. People who consider themselves to be the friends of the Palestinians should tell them that, rather the encouraging them in their delusions.

[Senator-elect Spark]

I wonder how the new Israeli government is going to handle Palestine and the re-settlement issues. They also have to worry about Iran funding all of these groups to threaten them to extinction. The new PM seems pretty conservative and unlikely to make much progress with either issue IMO.

[(no subject)]

Viewed in the longer perspective, the 2000-04 intifada was typical of the self-defeating tactics the Palestinians and their sometime allies in the Arab states, Iran and the former Soviet bloc have followed for over a century. In that time they have rejected every proposed territorial settlement that would have required them to accept the permanent and legitimate existence of a Jewish state in the shared territory of Mandate Palestine. Instead they have repeatedly resorted to wars, riots, intifadas and terrorism. Every time they have done so, they have been defeated. Each defeat has made their situation worse, and has reduced the likelihood of a Palestinian state ever being created.
I can't think of another people who have allowed themselves to be led into repeated disastrous (and completely predictable) defeats by three such catastrophic leaders as Amin al-Husseyni, Yasser Arafat and Mahmoud Abbas. No wonder Abbas is afraid of facing the Palestinian voters at an election.
But the real question here is for my friends in the left. (If you are still reading this, congratulations.) How much longer will self-styled "friends of the Palestinians" go on encouraging the failed tactics of "resistance" and "armed struggle" and echoing the futile rhetoric of "liberating Palestine" "from the river to the sea" ? These tactics and this rhetoric have brought the Palestinians nothing but defeat and disaster for over a century. With Israel now wealthier and more powerful than ever, despite its dysfunctional politics, there's no reason to suppose that these tactics will be any more successful in the future. A genuine friend of the Palestinians would be telling them to come to a settlement with Israel, on whatever terms Israel is willing to offer, while a settlement is still to be had, because that may not be even theoretically possible for much longer.

[NewYorkExpress]

Israeli Government defeated on vote to extend regulation that that would bar Palestinians who marry Israelis from becoming citizens of Israel. 

The new Israeli government suffered its first major setback in the early hours of Tuesday morning when it failed to secure enough votes to extend a regulation that effectively bars Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza married to Israelis from becoming citizens.

The coalition had agreed to amend the law to grant 1,600 Palestinians living in Israel residency visas, while allowing for a six-month extension to find solutions for thousands of other Palestinians living in Israel.

But the law failed to pass in the Knesset with lawmakers voting 59-59 after the opposition Likud Party and its allies voted against extending the ordinance, in a move aimed at hurting the new coalition government, even though in principle the party supports the law. A rogue member of Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's Yamina party also voted against the law.

The Islamist Ra'am party, also known as the United Arab List, which made history by being the first Arab party to join a governing coalition, split its votes with two members voting for the law, and two abstaining, thus denying the coalition a majority.

I have to wonder if this already the end of the road of the coalition, and if new elections are imminent again....

[brucejoel99]

I have to wonder if this already the end of the road of the coalition, and if new elections are imminent again....

Insofar as the coalition's survival is concerned, the only thing that matters right now is the budget.

[patzer]

Since Israel is in possession of all land of Mandate Palestine, has the only functional economy in the region, and has vast military superiority, this continuing impasse suits Israel's interests much more than it suits the interests of the Palestinian people. The longer Israel is in possession of Judaea and Samaria, the harder it will be, politically and demographically, to create a Palestinian state on any part of it.
This makes the continuing refusal of the Palestinian leadership to face facts all the more self-defeating. People who consider themselves to be the friends of the Palestinians should tell them that, rather the encouraging them in their delusions.

I expect the goal of a lot of the Palestinian leadership+people is to slowly but steadily wear down the international support for Israel, and have more chance of winning a future war that way. A lot of Palestinians seriously see the situation as analogous to South Africa, another nuclear state that got defeated.

Demographically- well, there's a reason why the descendants of those who left Israel in 1948 are still considered "refugees" by the Palestinian leadership. They'll want all those descendants of refugees to "return" sometime.

[GALeftist]

Israeli Government defeated on vote to extend regulation that that would bar Palestinians who marry Israelis from becoming citizens of Israel. 

The new Israeli government suffered its first major setback in the early hours of Tuesday morning when it failed to secure enough votes to extend a regulation that effectively bars Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza married to Israelis from becoming citizens.

The coalition had agreed to amend the law to grant 1,600 Palestinians living in Israel residency visas, while allowing for a six-month extension to find solutions for thousands of other Palestinians living in Israel.

But the law failed to pass in the Knesset with lawmakers voting 59-59 after the opposition Likud Party and its allies voted against extending the ordinance, in a move aimed at hurting the new coalition government, even though in principle the party supports the law. A rogue member of Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's Yamina party also voted against the law.

The Islamist Ra'am party, also known as the United Arab List, which made history by being the first Arab party to join a governing coalition, split its votes with two members voting for the law, and two abstaining, thus denying the coalition a majority.

I have to wonder if this already the end of the road of the coalition, and if new elections are imminent again....

Never thought I'd say this, but unintentionally based move from Bibi there

[Hnv1]

Israeli politics for the first in many years are again more coalition and consensus-driven. The drift towards the quasi presidential system of Bibi era ended, and the return to the cabinet system of old is interesting. e.g., the Foreign Office Bibi so much hates is working again after a decade.

The coalition is working well in the different ministries but is finding it hard to pass legislation in the house. They did manage to pass the Extended Norwiegen (meaning all ministers can now resign from the house and be replaced by regular MKs), and the split law (which means 4 defectors of Likud can now leave the party and join the coalition at a later time, I can spot perhaps 3 potential defectors tops though atm).

The crunch time is going to be the budget. I think the coalition will buy the votes of the JL here as they may enjoy winning on occasion, but would rather not see Bibi back in power. Lieberman is actually a sound Chancellor.

[Hnv1]

Herzog is being sworn-in as President today.

People I know who worked with him think he will act as super Foreign Minister, and politically active, as he's trying to build himself for a future run for PM office as the elder statesman. The staff he picked also indicates this.
Herzog will be 67 when he leaves office and could be seen as an experienced and balanced leader by then. I would put my money on him, he's a very sharp fella.

President Navon left office and returned to the knesset, but Peres and Rabin blocked his path within Labour which is a shame as polling showed Labour led by him would have gained over 60 seats in 1984. I think Herzog could well pull it off as the field in 7 years would have mediocre charecters like Yossi Cohen, Aviv Kochavi, Lapid, and some of the Likud stooges.

[NewYorkExpress]

Israeli Supreme Court upholds Nation-State law.

The High Court of Justice upheld the Nation-State Law on Thursday, as the justices voted 10-1 to reject 15 petitions against the law. They had been asked to determine if the law was fit to be a part of Israel’s future constitution, given its content.

In explaining the verdict, the High Court said it was not within its purview to order the law be canceled or be involved in its content as a basic law. Regarding the intent of the law, the court said it is to establish the Jewish character of the state without diminishing its democratic nature.

The law is “another component of Israel’s emerging constitution that is intended to anchor the components of the identity of the state as a Jewish state, without diminishing from the components of the state’s democratic identity that are anchored in the other Basic Laws and constitutional principles that institute the legal system in Israel,” the court said in its opinion.
Justice George Karra, the lone dissenter, said some parts of the law challenge Israel’s democratic nature. The law ignores Arab and Druze citizens of Israel and harms the principle of equality, which is not explicitly established in the law, he wrote in the minority opinion.

[Hnv1]

Israeli Supreme Court upholds Nation-State law.

The High Court of Justice upheld the Nation-State Law on Thursday, as the justices voted 10-1 to reject 15 petitions against the law. They had been asked to determine if the law was fit to be a part of Israel’s future constitution, given its content.

In explaining the verdict, the High Court said it was not within its purview to order the law be canceled or be involved in its content as a basic law. Regarding the intent of the law, the court said it is to establish the Jewish character of the state without diminishing its democratic nature.

The law is “another component of Israel’s emerging constitution that is intended to anchor the components of the identity of the state as a Jewish state, without diminishing from the components of the state’s democratic identity that are anchored in the other Basic Laws and constitutional principles that institute the legal system in Israel,” the court said in its opinion.
Justice George Karra, the lone dissenter, said some parts of the law challenge Israel’s democratic nature. The law ignores Arab and Druze citizens of Israel and harms the principle of equality, which is not explicitly established in the law, he wrote in the minority opinion.

Not a fan of the Jewish (or democracy) but the basic law is all declarative wind with no substantial content. There is nothing new there, only reiteration of the common law of Israel.

Anyhow, it's not a law, it is a part of the constitution, and a liberal court cannot exercise judicial review on it without performing some gross normative contradiction. The court left a small crack for some review only for basic laws that go against the very fabric of Israel as a "both Jewish and Democratic" state.

The decision is 100% right legally (I may dissent on the obiter there)

[NewYorkExpress]

Israeli Supreme Court legalizes same-sex partners having surrogate mothers.

Israel’s Supreme Court on Sunday cleared the way for same-sex couples to have children through surrogate mothers, a move hailed by lawmakers and activists as a victory for LGBTQ rights.

The court ruled in 2020 that a surrogacy law, which had expanded access to single women but excluded gay couples, “disproportionately harmed the right to equality and the right to parenthood” and was unlawful.

It gave the government a year to draw up a new law, but parliament failed to meet the deadline.

The court said Sunday that “since for more than a year the state has done nothing to advance an appropriate amendment to the law, the court ruled that it cannot abide the continued serious damage to human rights caused by the existing surrogacy arrangement.”

The change in the law is to take effect in six months to allow the formation of professional guidelines, it said.

[NewYorkExpress]

Ra'am is threatening to bring down the government.

Spelling fresh trouble for Israel’s new and unprecedentedly diverse government, the Islamist Ra’am party said Sunday that it was halting its parliamentary cooperation with the coalition — denying it a majority, at least temporarily, at a critical time in which the government must muster a Knesset majority to pass the state budget.

Ra’am MK Walid Taha tweeted that the party would no longer take part in Knesset committee meetings nor vote in plenum sessions until further notice.

Taha didn’t specify why Ra’am was taking the step, but various Hebrew media outlets quoted Ra’am sources saying the party wouldn’t allow the coalition to hold talks with the predominantly Arab Joint List opposition party, which could weaken Ra’am.



Unlike Ra’am, the Joint List is not part of the new government, but it can still provide the coalition with support by voting for or abstaining on a given piece of legislation.

The Joint List has been fiercely critical of Ra’am’s decision to become the first Arab party to join an Israeli coalition.


Reports said many coalition parties have been holding talks with the Joint List on potentially supporting the state budget, which must be passed within 100 days of the government’s swearing-in or the government falls. The coalition has a razor-thin majority of 61 lawmakers in the 120-seat Knesset, meaning Ra’am’s revolt denies it a parliamentary majority.

[jaymichaud]

Israeli Government defeated on vote to extend regulation that that would bar Palestinians who marry Israelis from becoming citizens of Israel. 

The new Israeli government suffered its first major setback in the early hours of Tuesday morning when it failed to secure enough votes to extend a regulation that effectively bars Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza married to Israelis from becoming citizens.

The coalition had agreed to amend the law to grant 1,600 Palestinians living in Israel residency visas, while allowing for a six-month extension to find solutions for thousands of other Palestinians living in Israel.

But the law failed to pass in the Knesset with lawmakers voting 59-59 after the opposition Likud Party and its allies voted against extending the ordinance, in a move aimed at hurting the new coalition government, even though in principle the party supports the law. A rogue member of Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's Yamina party also voted against the law.

The Islamist Ra'am party, also known as the United Arab List, which made history by being the first Arab party to join a governing coalition, split its votes with two members voting for the law, and two abstaining, thus denying the coalition a majority.

I have to wonder if this already the end of the road of the coalition, and if new elections are imminent again....

Bring back the Lieberman plan.

[America Needs R'hllor]

Yeah I'm satisfied so far. The government is working together relatively well, even if at times Ra'am causes issues. For the first time in over a decade, we can just grill.

[CumbrianLefty]

Yes, it really can't be overestimated how much right-populists rely on an almost permanent sense of "crisis" to keep their base in line. Of course, this helps explain how the pandemic has often helped not hindered them - despite their often manifest incompetence and corruption.

[Oryxslayer]

Israel to set up a bunch of new covid regulations, including forcing those that choose (rather than unable to) to not get vaccinated to pay for any COVID tests. A lot of the proposed measures seem understandable if we think in terms of carrots (US State style raffles) and sticks (France right now). However I get a feeling this won't be appreciated in the certain sections of Haredi society who are most likely to get bopped by the proverbial stick.

[Velasco]

Sorry for disurbing peace in the Holy Denialist Temple. I wanted to discuss Cuba but...

The dawn of a new era in ethnic cleansing and apartheid (well, not really: business as usual)

https://twitter.com/972mag/status/1419281284715659268?s=19

  On June 1, Israeli settlers attacked the village of Tuba in the occupied West Bank and burned all the hay my family had bought to feed our sheep. Food that was supposed to last a whole year was burned in just two hours. 

Settler violence is only part of the occupation’s colonial strategy to take over our land. The Israeli military demolishes our homes during the day, and the settlers destroy our livelihood during the night.

As I stood there watching the fire, I felt isolated, helpless, and oppressed. While I was relieved that my family was physically safe, we were emotionally devastated. We were terrified. We rushed to stop the fire from spreading to more of the hay, to make sure our children and our sheep were safe, and to try and save what we could (...)   

All hail Mr Natphali Bennett!