Israel Weekly News Roundup March 19, 2021
5 things you need to know: your weekly Israel news roundup
1. General Elections (due March 23rd), The Last Days:
PM Netanyahu is using the last days of the campaign to hold election rallies all over the country and reach out via live streaming on social media to reach-out to audiences.
Other candidates from all parties are holding public zoom events and on-site meetings with potential voters as last minute efforts ramp up.
All parties are reaching out to the Arab voters, including PM Netanyahu and other party leaders who have previously projected a negative attitude towards the Arab citizens of Israel. PM Netanyahu currently dedicates most of his campaigning to Arab towns.
Public opinion polls shape, to a large extent, the public agenda, but it is unknown how accurate they are. According to the polls, the most fierce debate is held within the right-wing camp, among three players: Likud, led by Netanyahu. New Hope, led by Gideon Sa’ar who deserted Likud, and Naftali Bennet, who leads the right-wing party Yamina.
Four parties currently struggle to pass the threshold of 3.25%: the left-wing pro two state solution Meretz, The National Zionist party on the right, which includes an anti-Arab component, The Islamist party, and Kahol-Lavan (Blue White) which was the promise of the previous round of elections. Votes for parties that do not pass the threshold, are discarded.
The main concern is what the voters turn-out will be, and who will benefit from a low turn-out, which will probably be the case.
2. The Saga of PM Netanyahu’s Plan to Visit the UAE (United Arab Emirates) Before the Elections Continues. After the cancellation of the planned trip to Abu Dhabi last week, Netanyahu made an effort to execute the planned visit on Thursday and create a photo-op with the Crown Prince Mohamed Bin-Zayed to use as part of his political campaign. But the UAE officials did not agree to host Netanyahu for a visit that may look like intervention in the Israeli elections. As a result, the trip was cancelled.
Meanwhile it was published that UAE considers investing $10 billion in Israel in the coming years.
Screenshots of tweets regarding the cancellation of PM Netanyahu's visit to the UAE
3. Yehuda Meshi Zahav Follow-up: as we reported last week, Meshi Zahav, founder of ZAKA emergency response organization, is facing multiple allegations of rape and sexual assault of women, youth, and children. Earlier this week, one of the alleged victims filed a complaint against him at a Jerusalem police station. The mainstream media followed up on the story and reached out to Haredi feminist activists and the founders of “Do Not Keep Silent”, founded by Haredi activists to address sexual violence in the Haredi community. Media stories also uncovered the fact that the initial suspicions of both financial and sexual misconduct were raised previously in 2013, but the police did not follow through with a full investigation against Yehuda Meshi Zahav on the sexual violence allegations. While social media is buzzing with posts claiming that everyone knew and kept silent, senior politicians – including those who applauded Meshi Zahav over the years, are now keeping quiet, or issuing bland statements, noting that they hope that he will prove his innocence.
4. Firearm Violence in Arab Communities Follow-up: dozens of Arab and Jewish civil society groups came together to organize a demonstration against the firearm violence in Arab communities at Rabin Square in Tel Aviv on Thursday evening. Among the speakers were Members of Knesset from the Arab Joint List, Meretz, and Labor, as well as women leaders, members of “Mothers for Life”, representing bereaved families who lost their loved ones to gun violence. Speakers called on law enforcement agencies to bring perpetrators to justice and combat organized crime in Arab communities.
Jewish_Arab anti-violence demonstration, Tel-Aviv, March 18, 2021. Photo credits: Anat Saragusti and Hamutal Gouri
5. Executive Director of the Islamic Arts Museum Steps Down After Cancellation of Auction Deal with Sotheby’s: Nadim Shiban, Executive Director of the museum for the past 7 years, has transformed into one of Jerusalem’s leading arts and culture institutions. In October 2020, we reported on the State of Israel’s objection to a plan to sell 268 items from the museum collection to Sotheby’s, due to financial constraints brought about by the COVID-19 crisis. In an interesting and surprising turn of events, the cancellation fee to Sotheby’s – as well as additional budget to the museum – will be covered by the Al Thani Foundation of Qatar, who will also display a major item of the museum collection in its collection exhibition hall in Paris.
For Further Readings
Elections: Here, here, here, and here
Meshi Zahav: Here, here, here, and here
Anti-Violence Demonstration: Here, and here
Islamic Arts Museum: Here, here, and here
This weekly Israel news roundup is brought to you by Anat Saragusti, journalist and documentary filmmaker, and Hamutal Gouri, consultant and storyteller for social change, edited by Ian Joseph. Please feel free to forward this newsletter to any friends, family or associates who you feel may be interested.
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