Israel General Discussion: Annus Horribilis

[Gass3268]

Mass sick-out of doctors tomorrow

https://twitter.com/jerusalem_post/status/1640096068284084224?s=46&t=cnaSCfv...

[LabourJersey]

This sounds like Israel will have a general strike that's basically unprecedented in scope in modern Western history? Am I off base in this regard?

[Comrade Funk]

This sounds like Israel will have a general strike that's basically unprecedented in scope in modern Western history? Am I off base in this regard?

May 68

[KaiserDave]

Cheers and greetings to the Israeli people! Netenyahu and his cabinet of criminals and terrorist lovers must go.

[LabourJersey]

This sounds like Israel will have a general strike that's basically unprecedented in scope in modern Western history? Am I off base in this regard?

May 68

Great point, forgot about 1968.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Mass sick-out of doctors tomorrow

https://twitter.com/jerusalem_post/status/1640096068284084224?s=46&t=cnaSCfv...

"Doctors give diagnosis to Bibi government: 'sick' they say, needs to drop proposed judicial reforms to become healthy"

[Mike88]

The most surprising thing is that even with all of the protests, divisions and the complete trainwreck management of the approval of this bill, Netanyahu would probably still win a snap election, according to polls.

Of course, in an election period everything would, probably, be different but it speaks volumes that, currently, the Opposition is just not capable to form an alternative to Bibi Netanyahu.

[LabourJersey]

The most surprising thing is that even with all of the protests, divisions and the complete trainwreck management of the approval of this bill, Netanyahu would probably still win a snap election, according to polls.

Of course, in an election period everything would, probably, be different but it speaks volumes that, currently, the Opposition is just not capable to form an alternative to Bibi Netanyahu.

At the risk of being blunt, why the heck is that [still] the case?

These past few months seem to have strained the fabric of Israeli society to a breaking point. Has Israel moved so far to the right that an anti-Bibi bloc is that difficult to form?

[Logical]

The most surprising thing is that even with all of the protests, divisions and the complete trainwreck management of the approval of this bill, Netanyahu would probably still win a snap election, according to polls.

Of course, in an election period everything would, probably, be different but it speaks volumes that, currently, the Opposition is just not capable to form an alternative to Bibi Netanyahu.

Literally not true, all you have to do is check Wiki.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_next_Israeli_legislative_election

[Mike88]

The most surprising thing is that even with all of the protests, divisions and the complete trainwreck management of the approval of this bill, Netanyahu would probably still win a snap election, according to polls.

Of course, in an election period everything would, probably, be different but it speaks volumes that, currently, the Opposition is just not capable to form an alternative to Bibi Netanyahu.

Literally not true, all you have to do is check Wiki.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opinion_polling_for_the_next_Israeli_legislative_election

I checked Logical. Likud still has an edge in seats over Yesh Atid, albeit one poll puts YA one seat ahead of Likud. But, even if the sum of the rightwing parties is, in general, bellow the majority threshold, an Opposition alternative, between YA, National Unity, Labor, Meretz, YB and the Arabs parties, would be very difficult to reach. Just look at the example of the previous government. For a strong alternative, one the main opposition parties, probably Yesh Atid, has to surge ahead of Likud by a lot.

[Darthpi – Anti-Florida Activist]

I really hope this whole mess causes some Isrealis to re-evaluate the choices that have led their country to this crisis, and how the continued military occupation of the West Bank only makes an Israeli democratic collapse more likely.

Not saying I expect changes in views overnight, it's understandable that many will want to deal with the Netanyahu crisis first, but the chronic problems will need to be addressed at some point to prevent another move toward authoritarianism in the future.

[No War, but the War on Christmas]

תרד עם הדיקטטור! תרד עם בי בי!

Well this escalated fast since I posted that NYT article, all I'm gonna say is that I fully stand with Israeli civil society and Israeli civilians who are protesting the hijacking of their country by religious extremists and bigots. BiBi must go!

[Vosem]

The most surprising thing is that even with all of the protests, divisions and the complete trainwreck management of the approval of this bill, Netanyahu would probably still win a snap election, according to polls.

Of course, in an election period everything would, probably, be different but it speaks volumes that, currently, the Opposition is just not capable to form an alternative to Bibi Netanyahu.

Netanyahu is down in the polls at the moment, although not by very much and it is indeed the case that if there were a snap election right now he would still be competitive.

Part of what has happened over the past few years is that there has been a great deal of educational polarization, with much of the more upper-class wing of Netanyahu supporters (including New Hope within Likud itself) having set itself against him; this likely contributes to media depictions where it seems like Netanyahu does not have supporters.

(But, that said, the possibility of a renewed Netanyahu victory is very much in spite of the reforms being broadly unpopular, with 29% of Likud voters opposing the reforms (source in Hebrew), and in fact only half being committed supporters.)

If you add up all the Likud MKs who have voiced a desire to halt the process and add them to the opposition, there is now a Knesset majority in favor of halting the process. It looks like there are 5: Gallant (currently Defense Minister), Chikli (currently Social Equality Minister -- incidentally, this guy was the dissident who brought down the Bennett government by crossing over to Bibi, attempting to re-rat), Dichter (currently Agriculture Minister), Edelstein (long ago and far away, a Soviet dissident sent to the literal gulag for committed Zionism), and Bitan (who had been widely believed to be a fat and useless hack). But it looks unclear as to whether the dissident Likud MKs are coordinating with each other, or whether they can be bought back by Netanyahu -- reporting on Gallant's being fired from the position of Defense Minister has him possibly being replaced by Dichter. Also, Bitan -- himself getting investigated for corruption charges -- would be a most unusual dissident, though the others are pretty logical ones.

[America Needs R'hllor]

Pretty sure no head of government anywhere would accept one of his ministers calling into question a key government policy publicly.

Important context is that this is the defense minister warning about the security consequences of advancing the legislation. He's merely conveying what high command is telling him. The PM refused to convene the cabinet to hear them out, so Gallant had to talk.

[America Needs R'hllor]

More news from this morning:
- Histadrut chairman and big business expected to announce a strike *together* until the legislation is halted.
- Netanyahu expected to halt the legislation, unclear if full stop or freezing.
- RZ says government "can't halt the legislation".

Expecting RZ to be replaced by Gantz in the government personally.

[Hnv1]

What a night. We're nearly there

[Silent Hunter]

Any freeze will in practice be a full stop.

[Storr]

https://twitter.com/NTarnopolsky/status/1640249993763213313?s=20

[America Needs R'hllor]

General strike starting from now. Big labor and big capital cooperating.

[Hnv1]

It's over. Either Bibi forfeits or he'll be ousted by force.

A last pocket in Likud and Otzma are threatening Bibi and par the course he's chickensh**t

[America Needs R'hllor]

It's over. Either Bibi forfeits or he'll be ousted by force.

My expectation is Gantz replacing RZ in the coalition. You think I'm too pessimistic?

[OSR stands with Israel]

Looking at the reform I don’t get what the massive opposition is given that it would still result in less say by politicians on who gets to be on the judicial branch than here in the US where every judicial appointment is made by the president and then has to be approved by the senate .

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

General strike starting from now. Big labor and big capital cooperating.

That alone says whole novels.

Looking at the reform I don’t get what the massive opposition is given that it would still result in less say by politicians on who gets to be on the judicial branch than here in the US where every judicial appointment is made by the president and then has to be approved by the senate .

The thing is that the American system of judicial appointments would be, and indeed is, seen as ludicrously corrupt and cavalier in many other countries.

[OSR stands with Israel]

General strike starting from now. Big labor and big capital cooperating.

That alone says whole novels.

Looking at the reform I don’t get what the massive opposition is given that it would still result in less say by politicians on who gets to be on the judicial branch than here in the US where every judicial appointment is made by the president and then has to be approved by the senate .

The thing is that the American system of judicial appointments would be, and indeed is, seen as ludicrously corrupt and cavalier in many other countries.

Well this proposal still only indirectly gives the government more power over judicial appointments but wouldn't give them full power over it like it does here in the US. The fact is that just as the executive and legislative branch need to have a check on its powers, so does the judicial branch.

[Hnv1]

Looking at the reform I don’t get what the massive opposition is given that it would still result in less say by politicians on who gets to be on the judicial branch than here in the US where every judicial appointment is made by the president and then has to be approved by the senate .

Mmmm. like. you. know. maybe. the. US. legal. system. is. like. really. really. bad?

It's a slippery slope to that abysmal abomination you yanks call a justice system, we're not willing to accept even a minor politicization of the judicial branch.