The outgoing government is mercilessly attacking the incoming one, further eroding the standing of right-wing lawmakers in the international media even before they get their ministerial portfolios.
By Ariel Kahana, ISRAEL HAYOM 19.12.22
Otzma Yehudit leader Itamar Ben-Gvir and Religious Zionist Party leader Bezalel Smotrich in the Knesset | Photo: Oren Ben Hakoon
Far from the spotlight, contrary to the prophecies of rage, the intended ministers of the “most right-wing government in the history of the State of Israel,” have launched a diplomatic outreach effort even before taking official office. Orit Strock met with the ambassador of Germany in Israel, Steffan Seibert. The ambassador also met with the incoming minister of finance, Bezalel Smotrich, who also spoke this week with American Jewish legal scholar Professor Alan Dershowitz.
Otzma Yehudit leader Itamar Ben-Gvir appeared for the first time in international media. As part of a Government Press Office conference for journalists from Christian media channels, he said: “I have matured When I was a teenager, I believed that all Arabs should be deported from Israel. Today I realize that there are those who are enemies, and there are those who are loyal to Israel and want to live in security and peace, and what I plan to do will also be in the interest of their security. I am opposed to violence and I oppose the burning of churches, as well as any other action of this kind.” By the way, Ben-Gvir spoke in Hebrew and his statement was translated. This is what is accepted around the world, and this is preferable to a minister with bad English who embarrasses both himself and his listeners.
These encounters are currently nothing more than initial explorations. But contrary to the theories contrived by the Left, according to which the world will boycott the new government, the situation is heading in a totally different direction. The enthusiasm to become familiar with the new players is also due to the fact that they themselves have never held an international position, and also because no one has ever clarified their opinions, not on CNN, or The New York Times; and not even on the Right-leaning Fox News or the Wall Street Journal.
What has been going on for many decades is the smearing of this group of public figures, whose viewpoints and political plans will greatly influence government policy in the coming four years. Their ambitions to change the relationship between the legislative and judicial branches, to majorly promote settlement in Judea and Samaria, to oppose progressive agendas, and to support the study of religion – all challenge the fundamental narratives accepted even in the conservative media.
As a result of the differences in their values – but also because no one has explained the logic behind them in English – moves such as the override clause, approving various outposts in Judea and Samaria, dissolution of the Civil Administration, and the updating of the Ministry of Education’s curriculum – are presented abroad as the end of democracy in Israel. The achievements of the United Torah Judaism political party, and the mention of terms, such as a “halachic state,” only increase this alarm. Even Orthodox leaders in the US do not really understand what is going on in Israel.
New norms
The future opposition plays a significant part in the flare-up. From its temporary position in power, the outgoing government is mercilessly attacking the incoming one. An unwritten rule says that the party that lost power has to show restraint until the new government was sworn in. But Prime Minister Yair Lapid, Defense Minister Benny Gantz, and Justice Minister Gideon Sa’ar – for the sake of the state, of course – are making statements from their chairs as prime minister, defense minister, and justice minister, that are tarnishing Israel’s image around the world.
The international media quotes them. That’s its job. Israel’s ambassador in Paris, Yael German – a senior member of Yesh Atid – announced that she might resign from her position in protest. By making this announcement, German has both shirked her duty to represent Israel in a stately manner and has also directly harmed its standing.
Thus, we have come full circle: Many years of demonization by the world against the Right and the religious parties, have now been joined by the incitement of the opposition and echoed in international media, which in turn feeds the diplomatic world. This has been the mode d’emploi for many years. And what is the response? Other than a handful of interviews with incoming Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – whose personal views are not the same as those of his partners – no one presents the new government in a positive light.
In view of the negative reception, in the two years that are still left for the Biden administration, the Israeli government can take action in one of two primary ways. One, as presented in this column earlier in December, is for Israel to see where it can work together with progressive Democrats. For example, on human rights, improving the lives of the Palestinians, or the concept, which is a very basic statement in the US, that “everyone is equal before God.”
It is also possible to test courageous ideas, such as rethinking US military aid. Instead of huge sums of money, which both give Israel a bad reputation as a country that is milking the US and which are anyway used for procurement within the US, it is possible to trade for a system of cooperation with the same budgetary capacity, but with greater mutual benefit and less Israeli dependence. Such a move would improve Israel’s reputation in the US, allow the US secretary of the treasury to show that she is saving taxpayers’ money, and give Smotrich some brownie points in the White House and in Jewish public opinion.
Israel must prepare for a rough ride
The Biden administration, as described herein, is not currently looking for confrontation with Israel, and it is possible that through matter-of-fact communication between the sides, the two sides will be able to survive the next two years solely through mutual respect. And yet, there is also another, less pleasant consideration, which will be preserved for a time of need, involving unfair pressure from the Biden administration on Israel. In the event that Biden’s close associates take a double standard towards Israel – as they did in December in the case of the young girl from Jenin who was fatally shot after being caught in the crossfire between troops and terrorists – there may be no escape from fighting back.
In such a case, right-wing lawmakers should bring their word to the world as is, without any masquerade and without making excuses. In the event that the US stands heavily over Israel’s head, Israeli spokespeople must be allowed to say, “Don’t preach to us. Not about morality. Not about democracy. Not about human rights. We are a right-wing government that was elected in a democratic election. We have not second guessed the results and we do not claim that the election was stolen, and we do not violently storm the Knesset. Our Supreme Court judges have not limited abortions, and we have not gone out to a war that killed thousands of innocent people, thousands of kilometers from our home. This is a legitimate government that represents a conservative Israeli society. We do not want to follow the path of Western Europe, which for reasons of enlightenment, is tearing apart the fabric of society and disappearing demographically. Also, antisemitic incidents in New York occur once every 16 hours. Jewish students are forced to hide their identity and tens of millions of blacks believe that they are suffering from racism – as long as this is the situation, you have no right to treat us with condescension. Leave us to deal with our problems as we deem fit, and stop worrying about the nature of Israel’s democracy. It will not change.”
Experience shows that on the media battlefield, just like in a real war, the offensive approach is more successful than static defense. This is what happened when then-Prime Minister Menachem Begin made it clear to then-US President Ronald Reagan that “We are not a banana republic.” Or when Netanyahu, in his first stint as prime minister, challenged then-US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright to a face-to-face debate in front of international media. Or when the same Netanyahu preached to Barack Obama in the White House, because he demanded a halt to construction in Jerusalem.
There is no doubt that confrontation is always a last resort, and, of course, it comes with a cost. Our state officials are obligated to try and convince the other side with a smile, both in regard to Jewish issues and general matters. But he who does not shout out loud when he is being beaten brings the next blow upon himself.
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What is clearly needed world-wide is a redefinition of citizenship. The idea that place of birth conveys citizenship dates from the 18th century, when personal moblity was very limited. Since the mid 20th century, cheap and easy transport from place to place, frequent “relocation” of workers, basically change the situation. There is no reason that the Peruvian nation should agree that the baby of, say, Russian tourists should be Peruvian while he will be living with his parents in, say, Mogadishu.
Citizenship is not “natural”, citizenship is a social-legal concept, and should be defined by the needs of the society of each nation. The USA used to demand as a prerquisite for citizenship the passing of an examination in 1) the LANGUAGE of the nation: English, 2)The Laws of the Nation: the Constitution, and 3) a Declaration of Loyalty to the Nation. A natural corollary of this should be: acts of disloyalty and/or serious transgression of the Laws of the nation are sufficient to have the citizenship revoked.
Similarly: there is NO “entitlement” to the national social security or national welfare. The beneficiaries of social security are only those who paid in or their family. Other support of people in need are forms of Charity [national charity is called Welfare] – and these form of support are entirely voluntary with no entitlement.
A “loyal opposition” follows the rules of civil discourse; a “disloyal opposition” follows the rules of insurrection.
Unfortunately, the politicians in the outgoing Israeli government are sore losers following in the footsteps of the uncivil woke left. Sad — and endangering Israel on the world stage.