The Political Scene Becomes More and More Polarized and Heated as We Near Election Day: Israel will hold its fifth election in three years on November 1st. It will be held after the Jewish holidays are over and the political campaigns have reached their final phase. Public opinion polls still indicate a balance between the blocs. Each party tries to differentiate itself from the other. Support for the extreme right-wing party The Religious Zionism party keeps growing, while on the other hand this party alienates many voters who consider them too extreme, almost fascists.
The head of the Religious Zionism party revealed that he intends to initiate a radical reform in the judicial and legal system, strengthen its ties to the political parties, and also intends to cancel the criminal offense of fraud and breach of trust. This is one of the offenses that Netanyahu is indicted for. This breaking news received a lot of attention in the public debate.
In another incident, Netanyahu refused to go on stage at a public event until Itamar Ben-Gvir left the area. Ben Gvir is one of the most controversial disputed members of Knesset from the Religious Zionism party, who was convicted of a terrorist offense some years ago, and is considered to be one of the most right-wing extremists in the political arena. On the other hand, Ben Gvir attracts many young voters and he is gaining increased support in the public opinion polls. His strength is based on people who could vote for Likud (Netanyahu’s party) or the Ultra Orthodox parties. If Netanyahu will get a majority it will be based also on the Religious Zionism party which will present extreme demands to give Netanyahu the majority he needs.
The Religious Zionism party was recently created under pressure from Netanyahu who brokered a deal between Itamar Ben Gvir from the Jewish Power party and Bezalel Smotrich from the National Union party. The new party created from the merger is titled Religious Zionism.
Another Week of Unrest in the West Bank: senior sources notified the Ha’aretz media outlet that the past week has seen a decrease in Palestinian aggression, yet a disconcerting increase in settler violence against Palestinians. Earlier this week, the IDF accused settlers of attacking soldiers near Nablus. In what Chief of Staff Kochavi labeled “shameful unlawful behavior”, dozens of Jewish settlers threw stones at Palestinian vehicles and pepper sprayed IDF soldiers who arrived to disperse them. A commander of a parachute battalion and another soldier were injured in a clash with settlers at a West Bank Junction.
Earlier on the same day, a group of Jewish settlers attacked Palestinian farmers and Jewish peace activists during the olive harvest. Two women activists were injured after the settlers attacked them with a knife and wooden bats. One of them, a 70-year-old Israeli-Jewish activist was taken to the hospital in moderate condition. The attack on IDF soldiers made headlines and was met with criticism by politicians from the left and right of the political spectrum. The attack on the women peace activists was documented by human rights activists present at the scene, yet was described by some media outlets alerts as a “violent clash” between settlers and the activists who came to assist the Palestinian farmers.
The Palestinian gunman from the Shuafat refugee camp, Udai Tamimi, who killed the woman soldier at a checkpoint last week, was shot dead by security guards at the entrance to an illegal Jewish outpost near Jerusalem. Footage from the security camera documenting the gunfire exchange between the Palestinian gunman and the guards was widely circulated in media and social media outlets.
Eleven People in Malaysia Were Accused of Involvement in the Kidnapping of a Palestinian Member of Hamas: The eleven people allegedly work for the Mossad. The story broke in Malaysia this week, about an event that happened last month. According to the Malaysian press the Mossad people kidnapped a Palestinian in the country to investigate him regarding new attack software that enables breaking into cellular phones. If they are convicted they can face capital punishment. Israeli officials declined to comment on the news.
Australia Reverses Its Recognition of West Jerusalem: Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Penny Wong, announced earlier this week that her government is reversing its recognition of West Jerusalem. In her statement, Wong said: “Today the Government has reaffirmed Australia’s previous and longstanding position that Jerusalem is a final status issue that should be resolved as part of any peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian people. This reverses the Morrison Government’s recognition of West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Australia’s embassy has always been, and remains, in Tel Aviv. Australia is committed to a two-state solution in which Israel and a future Palestinian state coexist, in peace and security, within internationally recognized borders”. Wong later said that the timing of the announcement, during the Jewish high holiday of Sukkot, was “regrettable”. The announcement was met with fierce criticism by PM Lapid, who called the reversal “wretched” and one made for ‘shortsighted political considerations’
The Foreign Ministry political director summoned Ambassador Paul Griffiths, for discussions and said that the reversal of the recognition by the Morrison government will encourage extremists and could undermine stability.
After the Drone Attacks by Russia in Ukraine, There is Growing Demand For Israel to Supply Ukraine With the Iron Dome Missile Protective System: Israel declined to send its successful missile protection system, Iron Dome to Ukraine, despite the fact that the Ukrainians are almost begging for it. Iron Dome is considered to be a very effective system that can identify missiles and destroy them before they hit their targets. Israel tries to stay as impartial as possible in the war between Russia and Ukraine. Israel doesn’t want to provoke Putin. Russia controls Syria, and Israel has a non-written agreement with Russia that enables Israel to act against Iranian targets in Syria. Israel is afraid that if it supplies sophisticated military systems to Ukraine, Russia’s response will be in Syria and this will harm Israeli defense interests.
In addition, Israel is wary of Russia taking revenge against the Russian Jewish community.
For Further Reading:
Elections: Here, here, here, here,
West Bank: Here, here, here, here, here