from Mint Press News
This is Why Israel's Mass Protest Movement Will Never Lead to Change
Though seldom reported in the US, thousands are taking to the streets every
week in Israel demanding that Netanyahu step down, but carefully crafted
coalition agreements and the political reality in the country promise to
keep him in the PM's seat for the foreseeable future.
by Miko Peled
October 26th, 2020
By Miko Peled
Since November of 2019, Israelis have been protesting to demand the
resignation of indicted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Since the
spring of 2020, these protests have escalated to the point where thousands
of Israelis take to the streets every week to demand his resignation.
However, Netanyahu, who has been in power for over a decade, will not budge.
Democracy?
A system where a politician can remain in power even after losing an
election can hardly be called democratic. In Israel, however, this has
happened several times in the past decade. Prime Minister Netanyahu lost the
elections numerous times and through underhanded backroom horse-trading, was
able to create coalitions that kept him in power.
During the last election, he created an upset that was probably the most
impressive of them all. It was clear that the opposition block headed by
former IDF chief General Benny Gantz had a solid majority. Yet even then,
Netanyahu was able to get Gantz to capitulate at the last minute and allow
him to lead the government with Ganz working for him as defense minister.
With No End in Sight, Israel's Election Soap Opera Rages On
As Netanyahu faces corruption charges and Arabs become a predictable
scapegoat, the political soap opera in Israel is just getting started.
MintPress News | Miko Peled | Nov 22, 2019
Since those fateful elections and the humiliating capitulation of retired
IDF general Gantz, who, by the way, promised voters he would never serve in
a government led by Netanyahu, Israelis have taken to the streets.
Netanyahu's indictment, paired with the huge impact of the coronavirus and
the Israeli government's inability to control the spread of the disease, has
brought about civil unrest the likes of which Israel has never seen.
However, even though thousands are taking to the streets week after week,
there has been little reporting on the protests in the United States and no
impact on Netanyahu, who is protected by coalition agreements and a
political reality that promises to keep him in the PM's seat.
Protests throughout the country
The popular movement's focal point has been a protest encampment across from
the prime minister's Jerusalem residence on Balfour Street. Israeli
newspaper Haaretz reports that protesters have taken to the streets
throughout the country. In one case, about 200 anti-Netanyahu protesters
marched for eight days from the city of Kiryat Tivon in the north to the
protest camp, "receiving upwards of 100 police tickets for violating public
health along the way."
Protesters march during a protest against Netanyahu in Tel Aviv, Oct. 6,
2020, during a nationwide lockdown. Ariel Schalit | AP
The government has tried to use emergency regulations to limit the protests,
and the Israeli police have been using heavy-handed tactics against them to
no avail. There are reports of arrests, tear gas, and even stun grenades
being used against the protesters, who nevertheless violate the regulations
and continue to march without permits.
Anti-Netanyahu demonstrators holding posters emblazoned with the slogans,
"Crime Minister," "Bibi Go!" and "We are the Hope" stand on one side of the
street as pro-Netanyahu groups, far smaller, but louder and more prone to
violence, stand on the other. Pro-Netanyahu groups are often heard shouting
"traitors" and "You are not Jewish" to their counterparts on the other side
of the street.
Violence directed at the Ultra-Orthodox
Hatred of Ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities, not to be confused with
orthodox Zionist groups who practice an entirely different brand of Judaism,
is commonplace among Israelis. Not unlike their counterparts in the U.S.,
they are more vulnerable to the coronavirus and have been hit hard by the
disease. In many cases, they have been accused of not following safety
guidelines.
Ultra-Orthodox Jews, by and large, reject the State of Israel and
understandably distrust state institutions. Israel has been persecuting them
from its very foundation, and the enmity between the government and
Ultra-Orthodox communities has a long and violent history.
Enter COVID-19. The Ultra-Orthodox community rejects the internet,
television, and any other form of communication that is not from within the
community. Many still refuse to speak Hebrew and use only Yiddish.
Socializing is a crucial part of their life, be it during study, prayer,
family gatherings, or large community gatherings like weddings or other
festivities.
The Zionist Underpinnings of Israel's Violent Crackdown on Haredi Jews
The government of Israel has long sought to forcibly secularize Haredi Jews,
making them particularly vulnerable to the coronavirus.
MintPress News | Miko Peled | Apr 13
The state, which for decades has been interfering with their chosen way of
life in an attempt to secularize them and turn them into Zionist soldiers,
now sends riot police into their homes, synagogues, and community
gatherings, once again trying to deny them the right to gather, worship and
celebrate. No effort has been made to reach out and provide them with the
information they need to remain safe and clashes between the two sides are
quite simply horrifying.
Protests have been erupting from within these communities and police are
using all forms of brutality, including brutal beatings, tear gas, and water
cannons to quell them. Protesters have even been run over by police
vehicles. As expected, the Israeli government's success in reducing the
virus's spread within this community has been dismal.
No budget
As hard as it may be to believe, and even though Israel has held three
elections in less than two years, there is already talk of new elections.
The Israeli daily Maariv reports that Netanyahu is now blocking efforts to
pass a budget, leaving government agencies with no idea what their budgets
will be for 2021. Members of Netanyahu's own coalition are rightfully
nervous and demanding a budget for 2020-2021 be released. Netanyahu, on the
other hand, is in no rush. He is stalling for as long as he can and prefers
not to commit to a budget but instead to appropriate funds to his cronies
based on their support. Furthermore, chaos is good for Netanyahu, and there
are speculations that he wants to hold new elections soon and blame it on
his partners in the coalition government.
Israel Mass protests
A torn poster depicting Netanyahu lies at the bottom of a fountain during a
protest in Tel Aviv, Oct. 8, 2020. Ariel Schalit | AP
The lack of ability to function by Israeli government institutions was
already apparent before COVID-19. Now, government agencies are functioning
even less, with health care and education in a state of collapse. Add to
that the lack of financial stability, or even a financial plan, and,
according to Maariv, Netanyahu has a good case to call for new elections.
If there is one thing that Netanyahu knows he can rely on, it is the support
of the "Right Block." This "Block" is made of West Bank settlers, "National
Religious" parties, and other neofascists. They have a right-wing agenda and
can rely on Netanyahu to respond to their every whim and wish. The Block
openly calls for pushing Palestinians out of Palestine, destroying the Holy
Sanctuary, and building a temple to replace the Al-Aqsa Mosque. It is an
agenda that Netanyahu is happy to pursue. Indeed, one of his cabinet
ministers, Rafi Peretz, Minister of Jerusalem Affairs, is part of the
movement to build the "Third Temple."
Netanyahu Rubs Noses with Israel's Far Right
Thanks to a mad rush to the right within Israel's political parties,
Netanyahu is now in an alliance with the most right-wing group on Israel's
political map.
MintPress News | Miko Peled | Feb 25, 2019
Perhaps it is needless to mention, but none of the Right Block's supporters
participate in the anti-Netanyahu protests. In fact, there is at least one
group that consistently shows up to disrupt the demonstrations and engage in
violence. This group, called "La Familia," originated as fans of the
Beitar-Jerusalem soccer team. Beitar has a reputation for cultivating
violent right-wing gangs, and quite naturally, they are Netanyahu
supporters.
It all leads to nothing
While mass movements may, from time to time, lead to real change, it is
unlikely that will be the case in Israel. As in the United States where
anti-Trump and anti-fascist protests lead to little immediate political
change, the Israeli political system has created a protected zone in which
Netanyahu's place is secure.
Furthermore, demands (if one can call them that) made by anti-Netanyahu
groups for him to resign are weak and have little political backing. Unlike
the clear agenda set forth by neofascist Zionists and the religious-Zionist
settlers, the so-called Israeli "center-left" has no clear agenda, no real
principles, and no ability to bring about change. They are weak politically
and lack the ability to outsmart the man who has shown time and time again
that he is the greatest horse trader in the business, Benjamin Netanyahu.
