Lapid & Bennett's 'New' Politics Really Very Old

Since the last elections in Israel, just about half a year ago, it has become very popular to talk about the "new" politics.  Yair Lapid and Naftali Bennett are considered its representatives. What is this "new" politics?

A generous definition might suggest that it is about relatively young, new politicians with a lot of charisma. The two parties that these men brought in hold 31 seats in the Knesset, more than 25% of the legislature. Overall, approximately 50% of the new MKs are new -- a massive turnover by any standard.  Voter particiapation was slightly up from the last elections. Sounds good.

But what is lacking, and what are the results so far? Both parties have been fuzzy, at best, in setting out their agenda. Their ideology is remarkable fluid: Lapid spoke out and criticized the outgoing government for raising expenditures on the settlements by more than 30%, but now says he is in favor of their continued expansion.  Bennett appealed to an audience of the moderate religious and non-religious right-wingers, but has now announced the creation of a new department within the Ministry for Religious Services that will deal with "Jewish identity" and by all reports is intended to be a proselytizing force for the Orthodox. Its head, appointed by Bennett, was probably the most extreme army rabbi ever appointed and was responsible over the last ten years for the transformation of the army into a battleground for religious coercion and women's exclusion, two areas formerly antithetical to the IDF.

What’s Wrong with BDS

This is from my article in the Palestine-Israel Journal, almost exactly one year ago in the spring of 2012, "What’s Wrong with BDS?":

... I would support any effective nonviolent strategy that will end the occupation of the West Bank and lead to the establishment of a viable Palestinian state in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, with mutually agreed-upon land swaps — what is known as a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders — which I believe is in the genuine interest of both the Israeli and the Palestinian peoples.

If BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions), clearly a nonviolent tactic, could produce such a result, I would support it. ... To my mind, the primary problem with BDS is that it won’t work. It will not produce the desired result of ending the occupation.

I can understand those Palestinians and their international supporters who, out of frustration with the current situation, the breakdown in negotiations between the Israeli government and the PLO leadership, the weakening of the Israeli left and peace movement and the realization that violence has not worked, are looking at BDS as a possible solution.

There are a number of reasons why I believe BDS can’t do it:

Theo Bikel Salutes Harold Shapiro's Life of Service

Theo Bikel (seated) with Harold Shapiro & Zehava Galon (Oct. '12)

The board chair of Partners for Progressive Israel, Theodore Bikel (the internationally-acclaimed folk singer and actor) sent in these remarks that were read at our event in New York last month (April 2) celebrating Harold Shapiro’s 85 years of life and service.  On May 19, Harold was reelected as president of Partners, succeeding Dina Charnin. 

...  One might argue that in this time when Israel is facing the mundane business of governing amidst harrowing concerns about security, talking of Zionist ideals and dreams is no more than an exercise in nostalgia.

Yet speak of the dream we must ...

We on the left are no less imbued with the transcendent importance of Israel’s birth and existence. To us a world without Israel is an unthinkable world. While there are often sharp disagreements we

Documentary Film Featuring Fayyad & J Street

I am sending this out because there is little time left if you want to see "STATE 194" at the Village East Cinema, on 12th St. & 2nd Ave. (Manhattan). It is playing through Wednesday. It played to an empty house; I don't know why there were so few people there.  Anyone who has been consumed with the Arab-Israel conflict would be interested. 

It was made by Danny Setton, an experienced Israeli film maker, who had unprecedented access to the highest circles of the Palestinian leadership as he chronicles Prime Minister Salam Fayaad creating the institutions of a Palestinian State.  And then he documents Abbas going to the UN.  The film ends with the reality that nobody knows where the peace process is going.  Perhaps it is dead.  

This is a worthwhile film, told in a calm precise tone.  You see young, secular Palestinians, a female blogger, communicating with a male blogger in Gaza.  The Palestinians come out looking good; they are like many Palestinians I have known over the decades: educated, sincere, rational.  Salaam Fayyad, who I've met on several occasions, is the hero --- authentic, unassuming, getting down to business.  I was quite impressed with him when our Symposium group first met him.  Also, Jeremy Ben-Ami, the president of J St., is interviewed several times and is excellent.

A Worthy Project on Kickstarter

        Well, I did it, I made my first contribution to a worthy project at Kickstarter!   There are three days to go -- and a little over $3,000 has been raised towards the $4,500 goal, to enable Michael Rogosin to complete the documentary on his father Lionel Rogosin's film "Arab-Israeli Dialogue", the first filmed dialogue between an Israeli, Amos Kenan and a Palestinian, poet Rashid Hussein, made back in 1974.

        If you look at Michael's trailer for the project, you will see that I participated in the new documentary, together with Amos' daughter Shlomzion.       

         Michael gave a showing of the original film from 1974 to a few Palestinians and Israelis in the Palestine-Israel Journal (PIJ) office, and filmed our responses to the film, which will feature as a part of the new documentary.

          Here's the link to the project: A Modern Arab-Israeli Dialogue.

Another View of Hawking Controversy

Graphic from Workers' Liberty website

The Alliance for Workers' Liberty is a small Marxist group, based in London, England, with "Third Camp" anti-Stalinist politics.  Unusual for what most of us would regard as a left-wing fringe, it is not reflexively anti-Israel.  It disseminates ideas through its Workers' Liberty website.  The following provides a well-reasoned perspective on the Stephen Hawking "boycott" controversy, summarized on its website front page as "Stephen Hawking may be right not to attend an Israeli government junket, but an academic boycott of Israel is wrong."  Here's the piece in full:  

Hawking and the boycott

by Martin Thomas

Urgent Call to Save Palestinian Village

This is from Rabbis for Human Rights: Letters Urgently Needed to Save Susya Dear Friends and Supporters, This is not just another annual "Shavuot Thoughts," but a request that you  take action to help save Susya... . First of all, let me start by saying "Thank you" The combined efforts of RHR and our coalition partners led to some 2,500 letters being sent to Ministers Lapid and Livni, asking them not to send to the Knesset legislation that will lead to the forced transfer of up to 40,000 Negev Bedouin, and the theft of much of their land.

Support for Stephen Hawking's Decision

Sheizaf (rt.) at Partners' Israel Symposium last Oct.

As a result of Stephen Hawking's decision not to attend the President's Conference in Israel there are those who claim this shows that the BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) movement is winning. Most recently, the Boston Globe had an editorial basically in support of Hawking's action, but more as an act of non-violent protest than a boycott action.

A couple of days ago, I posted Carlo Strenger's open letter of complaint to Hawking, published in Ha'Aretz.  Here's a well thought-out response to Strenger by Noam Sheizaf, a good piece. 

There's also this in the same venue by Larry Derfner, who calls his article "A Zionist Defense of Hawking."