MK Tzipi Hotovely (Likud) sees Israel’s new 94-seat super-majority government as an opportunity to enact Religious Zionist values
By Gabe Kahn, INN
MK Tzipi Hotovely (Likud) waded into the fray over Tuesday’s surprise coalition deal saying it would only serve to strengthen the Likud.
The deal “brings Kadima into the coalition with zero political power while maximizing the power of the Likud,” Hotovely said, noting Kadima was only given the chair of a handful of Knesset committees in the deal.
“We now have a good opportunity to hone several key positions of the right wing,” she added.
Hotovely also indicated that nationalist ministers and lawmakers intend to pursue a legislative override of a Supreme Court ruling that five homes in Beit El’s Ulpana neighborhood must be destroyed.
“We have to produce a law not only to legalize the Ulpana neighborhood, but all of those places where there is a problem,” she said.
She also praised the coalition deal as a means to fufill a major tenet of Religious Zionism by replacing the Tal Law.
“Military service is the cornerstone of religious Zionism,” Hotovely said. “We believe that service in the army is a divine commandment, not just a necessary duty of the state.”
Hotovely also dismissed concerns that bringing Shaul Mofaz into the Cabinet posed a threat to the Likud’s belief in Greater Israel, despite his having said he would give 100% of Judea and Samaria to the Palestinian Authority.
“I do not think there is a citizen in Israel who believes Mofaz,” she said. “We must remember that this government has never made any formal political concessions in this regard.
“Yes, there was the construction freeze, but we must remember that this Prime Minister opposes unilateral withdrawal and we do not see a danger to our communities in Judea and Samaria.
“I have no doubt that Kadima will find its end, one way or another, despite the deal it made today,” she added.
To talkbackers: I tried to find a realistic media analysis of the unity coalition announcement – in vain. Until I read the above talkbacks. Thanks.
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To Yamit – I have also had the impression for a long time that the government’s apparent aggressiveness against Iran has been posturing to garner popular support at home.
The US government is against a strike, and the Israeli government can’t even make a minor political or administrative move without first consulting with the White House or the State Department.
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One exception to the generally mild and hopeful media reaction to the PM’s announcement of a unity government was from Prof Paul Eidelberg. He provided some necessary historical context:
“Conspiracy? Cowardice? What is going on in Israel?”
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/11616
“The writer suggests what may be up Netanyahu’s sleeve in his choice of a coalition partner – and the process by which the courts might aid his plans, through an analysis of a 2003 interview with Knesset Speaker MK Reuven Rivlin.”
Paul Eidelberg writes about the leftist coup d’etat effected by the Knesset and the Judiciary in March of 1992.
“Israeli secularists know how to count. They know that time favors the religious parties because of the high birthrate of the religious community. They know that this demographic development spells the end of the secular foundations of Israel’s present (and ill-designed) system of governance.”
“This putsch (in 1992) was ignored not only by the ordinary Israeli, but even by Israel’s political science community. Why no reaction to a revolution that virtually disempowered the people of this country and made the cherished ideas and values of the Jewish heritage a plaything of Israel’s ‘courtocracy’?”
“Now, under these undemocratic and illicit circumstances (the 1992 Basic Laws that gave the Supreme Court extensive powers), Benjamin Netanyahu can more readily be expected to fulfill Sharon’s perfidious legacy.”
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November 2011:
PM Netanyahu opposes judicial reform:
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/150113
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Writing about that fateful 1992 Knesset vote on “The Jewish State” (page 48), author Yoram Hazony says that the two Basic Laws passed by 32 to 21 votes and 23 to 0 votes respectively – out of 120 Knesset members.
The rest of the MKs were complicit by their absence. And all of them by their subsequent silence.
@ BlandOatmeal:
Hey, everyone. It’s not all bad news today. Check this out:
@ yamit82:
Yamit, I agree completely with your analysis. Avigdor Lieberman certainly seems like the odd man out: his power these past few years has been because he was a counterweight to Shas. With Shas completely neutered now, Avigdor has become expendable. I don’t see any photo ops of Bibi shaking Lieberman’s hand. I see pages of photos of Netanyahu and Mofaz, one or two of Netanyahu and Abbas, several of Lieberman with others, and only one of Barak, all by himself. Barak is utterly dependent on Bibi, Bibi and Mofaz have a co-dependent relationship, and what about Lieberman? I dare say, Bibi sees him as a loose canon.
Well… How about that for trustworthiness? How easy is for the fellow to mislead everyone. Masterful. Ever wonder on what other things he has and will deceive and betray? Nothing and nobody is safe my friends. Well, take that back! Iran is safe.
Also safe are his plans for a Nobel over the destroyed lives of more “victims of peace”.
I say! Based on what we all observe the fellow certainly can be trusted to defend Jewish National Heritage and Jews in general. WHAT!?
I hear murmurs of ‘Smoch halai’… Slang Hebrew phonetic for “trust me”…
If his personal lack of scruples was not enough, the fact that his political generals are all marked as having led previous sensational defeats and or betrayals is reassuring also.
But lets give him some credit, BB does post pictures of Jabotinsky and Hertzl as a backdrop. CUTE!
About them generals.
Barak is a famous transvestite but he is even more famous for is run from Tzehilim. He run from a scene of horror caused by an accident during maneuvers. Abandoned some 14 badly wounded soldiers.
Barak still has to account for having sent a tank patrol into a trap in Sultan Yakub, Lebanon. Several soldiers are still missing on that one.
Barak also run from Lebanon betraying the SLA and facilitating Hezbollah expansion to the border. At that time Barak was under the influence of the lovely “women in black”…
Gantz, a solid commander? Please! He abandoned to bleed to death a soldier in Kever Yoseph. Otherwise I cannot find much of his military prowess.
Mofaz… Chupa par excellence. Sought refuge with Sharon preparing for the “disengagement”.
Ya’alon, still looking for a command he will never get.
And some more sauce on top. Lately the ever so fascinating cross assaults between Barak, Ashkenazi et all involving accusations of bribery, conspiracy.
I mean. We got it made in the shade people.
I trust BB, don’t ya!
Is Iran safe? Will Migron be gone? Will the Bet El suburb be destroyed?
Does anyone know where are the 10000 US operatives that landed here months ago?
What a leadership!
Yamit82,
Its what you’d expect from a Sayeret Matkal veteran… initiative and surprise. BB may be many things but when its comes to power, he’s already two to three steps ahead of every other politician in Israel. They play checkers while he checkmates them. What he intends to do with all the power is a good guess but I’d say its self-preservation. BB is following the old rule: keep your friends closer and your enemies closer.
@ yamit82:Hotovely was never an ideological right winger, ever since her adolescent appearances face Tommy Lapid on tv…
Why is Hotovely always allowing herself to be in the position of a liar to protect her boss, who is one of the biggest liars?
She behaves more and more like a poodle, always licking her bb-master’s feet.
Zig-Zag-Yahoo has actually SAVED HIS FRIENDS in Kadima…
She WISHES to be as powerful as Mofaz, Bar-On, Dichter & C.
Either she is just the pretty girl who makes the old boys look acceptable, or she just has no idea what she is talking about!
Only the Likud can…screw the Land of Israel Faithful time after time!
With all due respect to Hotovely — and I do, and always have had much respect for her — this is no time to discourage Mofaz by saying that he has zero political influence. It does not bode well for a peaceful co-existance at a time when the most important issue in this new unity party, is unity.
Leadership starts at the head, and everything is in Bibi’s hands to move things in the RIGHT direction. This is not meant as a pun.
@ yamit82:
I know the feeling, Yam.
Comment to Bland in moderation?
@ BlandOatmeal:
Three years ago I had hopes that Hotoveli would live up to her billing as an ideological right winger. She is either stupid or bought. She may be the only Israeli who still believes BB. BB would only need Kadima to share the blame if an attack proves unsuccessful and there is blowback. Collective responsibility.
There is no reason to build up any of BB’s future opponents inside the coalition. BB has lied to every political partner and personal aids. In one way or another he has betrayed them all. They all desert him after a time.
I don’t think BB will attack Iran. If it was possible by now I think it’s too late to be effective.I do think he is using the threat internally to keep his crew and most of the opposition in line. All decisions are made only between BB and Barak the rest are fig leafs. They might let Mofaz into that small club making it a troika. We now have a military junta ruling us. Each one were failures once they reached each in turn the highest levels either in military or political positions.
BB till now has crossed every one of his own red lines. He has called for a two state solution, which is an act of treason. He embraced Yasir Arafat, which is an act of Jewish self hatred. And he turned hundreds of outright murderers of Jews free in a deal to release a kidnaped soldier. . . an act which was immoral and despicable. Barak was worse in all of his military and political positions. Mofaz is noteworthy for Leaving Gaza and Gush Katif as DM and leaving Lebanon betraying our allies were his contributions and legacy as CGS.
I have it on good authority that BB is planning to support and implement the Fayaad Plan and if there is no partner like Sharon and Olmert a one sided evacuation of most of the settlements up to the wall.
You heard it from me first: Watch for Lieberman to quit the coalition and become Leader of the Opposition. Attack BB from the right and attempt to unify the right wing parties in and out of the Knesset. He might be indicted to stop him so it will be an interesting move. If I know Avigdor he will take a lot of politicians and others with him including BB.
From the latest DEBKA:
This is essentially a deal between three men: Netanyahu, Mofaz and Barak. They are the heads; Likud is the tail. Hotovely is exercising wishful thinking, if she believes the National Religious bloc will come out of this with any clout. The ones running the show for the forseeable future (lasting YEARS) are the so-called “Center”, which one posting on Israpundit has noted is to the Left of even Yitzchak Rabin.
That’s the downside of the coalition, from a religious point of view. The upside is that the Three Musketeers have an opportunity to, once and for all, restructure the Israeli political system to end the stranglehold upon it by the High Court, Shas and the Arabs. I personally would rather see a united Israel, than an eternally bickering, ineffective “Right Wing” Israel.