Dateline Jerusalem — Israelis will be voting in one of the most highly contested, important elections in years on Tuesday. Israel’s safety, security, and borders are at stake. This is one of the dirtiest, most corrupt elections in Israeli history, manipulated by the Obama administration, by the Palestinian Authority for their sudden “crackdown” on terrorists for fear that a terror attack will affect the election, by various outside influences, by mendacious political and personal foes of some of the candidates. Important issues include the status of Jerusalem, the status of the “West Bank,” the Jewish State bill, and creation of a Palestinian state.
Moving Fast, Hitting Hard
Just this week the U.S. administration threatened Israel that if the newly elected government cannot reach an agreement with the Palestinians, Mr. Obama intends to present a “solution” to the international community. This may include dividing Jerusalem, a timetable for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the “West Bank,” and return to the 1967 “borders.” To facilitate a puppet-like newly elected Israeli government, Mr. Obama has sent his personal campaign advisors to Israel where they have been actively helping the Zionist Union (Labor/Hatnua, Herzog/Livni) and Yesh Atid (Yair Lapid) oust Likud (Bibi Netanyahu). Although the U.S. made a big fuss about meeting with political candidates so close to an election and refused to meet with Bibi, administration officials met recently with Bibi’s political rival, the Zionist Union’s Isaac Herzog. Just before Shimon Peres’s election against Bibi, Bill Clinton met with Mr. Peres. Double standard?
The U.S. State Dept. has given $250,000 (1 million shekels) in grants to the New Israel Fund and SHATIL, its political lobbying and social activist sector. It has granted Middle East Partnership Initiative more than $600 million in grants to reform unstable Middle East governments such as Algeria, Libya, Lebanon and Yemen. Interesting to note that although Israel is the only democracy and stable government in the Middle East, the Partnership Initiative has included it in its agenda of political reform. The New Israel Fund and SHATIL are also recipients of Middle East Partnership Initiatives grants. The New Israel Fund has financed groups that support the Boycott, Divestment, Sanction movement, groups that work to get Israeli soldiers prosecuted for alleged “war crimes” in defense of Israel, groups that try to destabilize the Israel Defense Forces, and groups that attempt to erase the Jewish identity of the Jewish state. When the New Israel Fund sponsored a conference, Likud (Bibi) and Jewish Home (Naftali Bennett) refused to participate. Therefore, many Israelis complain that the U.S. State Dept. was interfering in Israel’s elections.
One of the most critical issues is whether Israel will unilaterally withdraw from the “West Bank.” A unilateral withdrawal means the Palestinians can say “no” to all negotiations and still get everything they want. Insanity. Ariel Sharon unilaterally withdrew from Gaza and look what happened there. A total security and logistical nightmare. Although the Zionist Union (Labor/Hatnua, Herzog and Tzipi Livni) claim they are willing to pull out of the “West Bank” with some land swaps, they intend to appoint Amos Yadlin as their defense minister if they are elected. Mr. Yadlin is pushing for a unilateral withdrawal! The following political leaders and parties are also willing give up the “West Bank”: extreme left-wing Meretz who votes almost identically to the Arab parties, and Yesh Atid (Yair Lapid) who claims he is centrist but is more like the center of the left wing. However, Yisrael Beiteinu (Avigdor Lieberman) and Kulanu (Moshe Kahlon) are also willing to give up large portions of the “West Bank” but with some land swaps for the larger “settlements.” Kulanu’s Michael Oren is also an advocate for unilateral withdrawal. Although Shas officially is against it, they were easily bought off during the Gaza unilateral withdrawal.
Throughout history the “West Bank” has been Judea and Samaria, but the Arabs renamed it after Jordan attacked Israel and gained control over the area for 19 years (1948-1967). Jordan called it the “West Bank” because it is located on the west bank of the Jordan River. The alleged “settlements” are not settlements. The area always has been part of the land of Israel. Most of Judaism’s holiest sites are there, Rachel’s Tomb and the Cave of Machpelah where our patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and matriarchs Sarah, Rebecca and Leah are buried.
The Only Divider
Currently the only major political parties officially agreeing to divide Jerusalem are Kulanu (Kahlon) and the extreme left wing Meretz. In a recent interview with the Jerusalem Post, Ms. Livni (Zionist Union) stated she has not ruled out the possibility of dividing Jerusalem. Like Neville Chamberlain who trusted Hitler, y’mach shemo, for “peace in our time,” Ms. Livni stated Abbas “was once a terrorist, he isn’t anymore” and she is willing to make “far-reaching concessions” for the sake of peace. It is interesting to note that for over 3,000 years Jerusalem has been an undivided city, the eternal capital of the Jewish people, except for a mere 19 years when Jordan controlled it and denied Jews access to pray at their holy sites such as the Kotel (Western Wall or Wailing Wall). If Mr. Herzog and Ms. Livni are willing to divide Jerusalem, then how can they call themselves Zionist? It is a important for Christians and Jews who support Mr. Obama to realize that most of the Christian and Jewish holy sites (like the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Western Wall) are in East Jerusalem, where Mr. Obama wants the future capital of the Palestinian state. Only after Jerusalem was reunited in 1967 and under Jewish control have all religions been able to worship in Jerusalem. Therefore, the return to 1967 “borders” is unacceptable. Actually they were not borders, but armistice lines.
Israel is a Jewish state, the only one in the world. The Jewish State bill officially declares Israel as a Jewish state and makes Hebrew its official language. Many countries consider themselves Muslim or Christian or Catholic. Almost all parties in this election are in favor of the Jewish State bill. However, Yesh Atid (Lapid) and the Zionist Union (Herzog and Livni) and the expected Joint Arab List and extreme left wing Meretz are against it. What a surprise to discover that Mr. Lapid, Mr. Herzog and Ms. Livni are against having Israel proclaimed a Jewish state. Doesn’t sound like the Zionist Union is very Zionist.
Although I personally like Mr. Bennett (Jewish Home), he and Mr. Yishai (Ha-Am Itanu) and United Torah Judaism (Litzman and Gafni) are too small to get enough votes to do anything to stop a left wing government. Therefore a vote for them is wasted. Many people do not realize that these smaller parties by themselves cannot defeat the Livni/Herzog Zionist Union. Only one party can stop Mr. Herzog and Ms. Livni, and that is Likud (Bibi). A vote for any other centrist or right wing party dilutes the Likud vote and ensures a left wing government willing to divide Jerusalem and unilaterally cede Judea and Samaria. If non-friends of Israel such as Mr. Obama, Abbas (Palestinian Authority) and Hanan Zoabi (female Arab Knesset member accused of supporting terrorism against Israel) are supporting Herzog/Livni, then it should be clear that the real candidate to support if you are a real “Zionist” is Bibi. Bibi has shown he can stand up to Obama and international pressure.
L’hitraot. Shachar
