Thursday, May 28, 2009

REPORT FROM ISRAEL

Herbert Zweibon

My wife and I were in Israel from mid-April to mid-May on our semi-annual monthly visit. In that time I was able to oversee the creation of AFSI’s new website in Hebrew, entitled Maspik Vedai—“Enough, already!” While Outpost has long been distributed in Israel and we have had a chapter there chaired by William Mehlman (whose trenchant articles are familiar to readers of Outpost), this is the first time we have a program of outreach in Hebrew.
Through Maspik Vedai we hope to mobilize Israelis at the grassroots to demand better from their government. The website, which is highly professional and beautifully designed by former Member of the Knesset Michael Kleiner’s staff, focuses on the need to combat corruption in government, broadly understood. It includes not just what the public means by corruption—elected officials with hands in the till—but an intertwined political corruption, where individuals are “bribed,” by means other than money, for political purposes and where institutions—Israel’s Supreme Court is a good example—seize power that belongs to other branches of government.

While non-Hebrew speakers will not be able to use most of the website, which offers news, relevant articles, lists of suggested reading material and videos, there is one segment I strongly recommend to everyone. Go to the site, www.maspikvedai.co.il, scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the second link from the left (“kittei itonot” or press clippings) and then click on the picture of the projector. You will see video of a parade of Israeli politicians on the Knesset floor, explaining why they are voting for the Gaza “disengagement,” with English translations at the bottom of the screen. That includes Benjamin Netanyahu saying “Let there be no mistake, I will support the disengagement plan” and then actually voting for it. (He has since tried to rewrite history to cast himself as someone who always warned against and opposed the plan.) The Likud’s Yuval Steinitz (then head of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee!) says “I think this plan is trustworthy—it has a good chance of improving our geo-strategic position.” The Likud’s Meir Shitreet scoffs: “Some argue that there will be a threat to Negev communities. I have never heard such a ridiculous claim.” Shaul Mofaz, who as Defense Minister and former chief of staff should have known better, says: “I am convinced the process is necessary and correct. It will give more security to citizens.”

How wrong they all were. In any rational country that replaced rather than recycled failed politicians, these men would all be in private life now, embarrassed to be seen in public. Instead they continue in leadership roles. As for their victims, I visited Nitzanim where land has finally been allocated for 800 families who have been without permanent housing since they were evicted by the Sharon government from their homes in Gush Katif. Despite the government promises of restitution at the time, I was informed by their spokesman Dror Vanunu that residents will have to pay for their housing without government help.

I made my regular trip to Hebron where Beit Hashalom (see the December 2008 Outpost for the full background) remains empty as a result of a court order evicting the families who lived there. I was told the legal cost of fighting the government’s efforts to prevent the community’s use of the building were high.

Finally I met with Minister of Infrastructure Uzi Landau, Minister for Strategic Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister Moshe Yaalon and Arieh Eldad, Member of the Knesset for the National Union (which is not in the government coalition). They all felt that there were countervailing pressures (to those exerted by Obama and Labor, from within the coalition) exercised by elements in the Likud that might stiffen Prime Minister Netanyahu’s spine. That Netanyahu did not cave in his meeting with Obama suggests they are right.

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