The Left's Dilemma in Israel's Upcoming Elections

It would be a natural choice for those on the left in Israel’s upcoming elections to vote for Meretz.1 In fact, there really is a dilemma, especially now with the suspected felon, PM Benjamin Netanyahu, granting legitimacy to Otzma Yehudit 2, a Otzma Yehudit a Kahanist party (Jewish Fascist and a racist party consisting of ghastly thugs) to be part of the new Likud Coalition if they win.

There are other considerations that one has to take into account before one decides to vote for Meretz. The main consideration is to replace Netanyahu and his right to extreme right-wing extremists that are presently ruling the country. Meretz, unfortunately, is on the borderline of having any seats in the new Knesset. According to the latest Israel polls of 21st Feb, Meretz will win 4 Knesset seats, which is the minimum. In future polls, Meretz may even drop below 3.25% and not have any representation at all.

This means that those, who support Meretz (including myself) will have wasted their vote if Meretz does not make it. Wasting a crucial vote against Netanyahu and his Kahanist allies to form the next government would be unfortunate and opens the entry of Otzma Yehudit and its rehabilitation of that fascist Kahanist ideology to become part of the law-making processes in Israel. The alliance between Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid) and Bennie Gantz (Hosen Yisrael) into a single party called Kahol-Lavan (Blue and White) has caused the small parties such as Meretz to fall into the twilight zone with 4 seats each, which may drop even further in future polls of which there will be many before Election Day on April 9th.

If Meretz disappears from the map in future polls then we have no choice but to choose a party that will oppose Netanyahu and his future coalition partners from forming the next government. Voting for a party that has plummeted below 3.25% will only aid Netanyahu and his revolting coalition partners. All that is left for us on the left is to follow the polls very closely before we decide to ditch Meretz, assuming that we wish to support them. I hope that we will not be faced with this dilemma as Meretz is really an important party, whose voice must be heard in the new Knesset.

PM Netanyahu has played it really dirty 3 as he is desperate to win. He has moved towards the fear tactic of rabble-rousing by deceiving the voters with his racist dislike of Israel’s Arab Parties in the Knesset, whom he views as the enemies of Israel and that their main desire is to destroy Israel. He accuses the opposition of wishing to form a coalition with them for that purpose. He may even succeed in this tactic.  The “Generals” who are part of the new party alliance, were IDF chiefs-of-staff that Netanyahu accuses of being leftists that wish to give up Israel’s settlements in the territories to the Palestinians. This is a blatant lie that Netanyahu has stated, but then if King Bibi says it, it becomes truth and the thronging, ignorant masses may, as in March 2015, rally to support him at the last moment.

NETANYAHU SPEAKS AGAINST LAPID-GANTZ PARTY 'THEY WILL RELY ON ARAB PARTIES' This is the gist of his reaction  for those who do not understand Hebrew

Another part of the left’s dilemma is the possibility of the new government being unable to form a ruling coalition. This could happen to the Blue and White Party as well as the Likud and their allies. The result could very well be a grand coalition of both opposing groups at the end of the day. After the elections, there is a clean slate and history does have a habit of repeating itself. It has happened before in Israel’s political history.

Let us examine what Otzmat Yehudit, the Kahanist rehabilitated party, stands for, and seem to be Netanyahu’s sure guarantors:

Otzmat Yehudit hates Arabs and is against mixed marriages of Jews and non-Jews to the extreme. When a mixed marriage does happen the Lehava 4 movement, whose head is Benzie Gopstein, organizes demonstrations that turn violent against the newlyweds. They are composed of thugs that are no credit to any country.

There is Itamar Ben-Gvir, attorney for a long list of Jews suspected of anti-Palestinian terrorism and anti-Arab hate crimes 5, and who prior to the Rabin assassination held up an emblem from the then-prime minister's car, declaring "we got to his car and we'll get to him too."

Baruch Marzel 6, another despicable Kahanist is also a member of this Otzma Yehudit.

In 1994, Kahane disciple Dr Baruch Goldstein, a Brooklyn native who moved to the settlement of Kiryat Arba, murdered 29 Muslim's in Hebron's sacred Cave of the Patriarchs, before he was beaten to death by survivors of the shooting.

They use Israel’s failing democracy in order to destroy what is left of it. They regard it as their democratic right to destroy Israel’s democracy. If they become part of the Israel Government it will be a gift to BDS and will prove to BDS that they (BDS) are correct in their assumption that Israel is on the road to becoming a fascist, apartheid state of the Jews. Elor Azaria, who was given a light sentence for killing a prone Palestinian terrorist, neutralised by the IDF about three years ago appears to have become their hero.

Even AIPAC condemns Netanyahu’s alliance with this thuggish party 7.

Thanks to Netanyahu, who must be held responsible for the rehabilitation of Kahanism and granted it legitimacy so that he can retain power at all costs.

Netanyahu is desperate to retain power because of the indictment waiting in Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit’s office prior to a hearing. So he is using every dirty trick in the Netanyahu Manuel of Deception so as not to lose.

If he wins then one of the first laws that the new coalition will pass is the Israeli version of the French Law that will grant Netanyahu immunity from being prosecuted for his suspected fraud, corruption and defeating the ends of justice crimes. This will give him breathing space for a while and may, Heaven Help Us, result in the Attorney-General closing the cases against him. So the wily Netanyahu has it all planned if he wins the elections with the best defence team in Israel.

There is no question that the Kahane ideology of Otzma Yehudit is fascism (Check this link and notice how relevant it is even today with the latest Bibi tricks) and if this gains legitimacy in Israel because of Netanyahu’s attempt to win and wriggle out of his legal problems then we have cause to be very concerned about Israel”s future.

References:

1. "English | מרצ." https://meretz.org.il/en/english/. Accessed 23 Feb. 2019.
2. "Otzma Yehudit - Wikipedia." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otzma_Yehudit. Accessed 23 Feb. 2019.
3.  "Otzma Yehudit's history of racism and provocation - Ynetnews." 21 Feb. 2019, https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5467651,00.html. Accessed 23 Feb. 2019.
4. "Lehava | The Times of Israel." https://www.timesofisrael.com/topic/lehava/. Accessed 23 Feb. 2019.
5. "Itamar Ben-Gvir - Wikipedia." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itamar_Ben-Gvir. Accessed 23 Feb. 2019.
6. "Baruch Marzel | The Times of Israel." https://www.timesofisrael.com/topic/baruch-marzel/. Accessed 23 Feb. 2019.

1. "AIPAC slams 'racist and reprehensible' extremist party wooed by ...." 22 Feb. 2019, https://www.timesofisrael.com/major-us-jewish-groups-slam-racist-and-reprehensible-extremist-israeli-party/. Accessed 23 Feb. 2019.

Predictions for the April 9th 2019 Israeli Elections

Many of us are addicted to polls, which are fairly accurate. By calling early elections, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is racing his own indictment.1 There is no doubt that the Likud, even with a limping Netanyahu, weighed down by future indictments in three criminal cases ( Case 1000, 2000 and 4000) is destined to receive the most votes. “The voters, I think, understand exactly what we have done for Israel,” Netanyahu told lawmakers from his Likud party on Monday.2

The big question is whether he will be indicted before the elections or not. We should bear in mind that a prime minister suspected of felonies and about to receive an indictment should resign and not put himself up as a candidate for reelection let alone becoming prime minister for a fourth term. Apart from that, Netanyahu is doing all in his power to weaken the law courts, police, attacks the press and of course, the left for his predicament. He views it all as a witchhunt against him by his political opponents. Netanyahu is putting pressure on Attorney General Avichai Mendelblit so that he doesn’t dare to think of deciding to indict him, even subject to a hearing, before the election takes place. There are reports in the press that if Netanyahu is indicted before the elections, he will not resign. The Jerusalem Post has reported that the matter was not even discussed. So who must one believe? The election result will still be the same. The Likud will get the most votes even if Netanyahu is indicted before the elections. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party is expected to receive the most votes in Israel's upcoming election, according to polls published by three main television stations on Tuesday. 3

Thugs even went into the Yarkon Cemetery, Petah Tiqva and vandalized the tombstone of Baruch Mandelblit, the father of the Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit. The thugs were not found. Likud election campaigns are not the most gentlemanly on earth. If their "king" is a suspected felon there are thuggish members, who are capable of carrying out acts against opponents.

Israel’s Electorate is swinging to the right and extreme right. Left-wing is a swear word. Netanyahu and his shenanigans have succeeded in ostracising and demonising the left. They will be viewed as enemies by many Israelis. It is a mindset that is becoming more popular in Israel. This will be his legacy even if he does resign because of his legal problems. The present government is the most divisive, hateful and racist government since Israel’s establishment. If only there was some hope of a change for the better but this will not happen.  Netanyahu is viewed by many Israelis as the best prime minister that Israel has ever had. The cases against Netanyahu 4 will probably not affect the mindset of most Israelis, who have no problem in voting for a corrupt prime minister “who has done a lot for Israel and there is nobody worthy of replacing him” in their view.

Those of us who are left of centre in our ideology have nothing to look forward to after the elections. There will be no change. There is no true left-wing in Israel anymore. They are disunited, fragmented and weak generally. They have no common programme that can attract voters. These splintered left-wing groupings, who view themselves as an alternative to the present coalition have a mammoth task ahead of them in order to remain relevant in Israeli politics. The Zionist Camp views itself as mildly left of centre - God Forbid that they should be viewed as “left” which is close to heresy against the establishment and “favours Israel’s enemies”. The left-wing are walking around with their tails between their legs and have lost pride in their beliefs.

The upcoming general elections are a foregone conclusion. What is not is whether Netanyahu will or will not be indicted before the elections - that is the question. Netanyahu cannot be beaten easily. He will not give up. He changed his battery of defence lawyers as he knows that there is an indictment against him. He has taken on the best criminal lawyers that money can buy.

A recent development is the decision of former Chief-of-Staff of the IDF, Benny Gantz to enter politics and establish a new party called ‘Israel Resilience Party,’ amid reports he will team up with ex-defence minister Moshe Ya’alon. His party manifesto is unclear. However, he is a very popular figure and stands to get a lot of support. It is highly unlikely that he will have much influence on the outcome of the elections

The recent weeks have seen a flurry of developments in a number of criminal investigations involving Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. These developments fueled debates as to whether Netanyahu should continue serving as prime minister while facing criminal charges. Netanyahu has signalled that he has no intention of resigning. He attacked Israeli media and law enforcement for persecuting him and his family and peddling baseless allegations. His critics have argued that it would be unethical and irresponsible for the prime minister to continue running the government and making consequential decisions while juggling multiple criminal proceedings that could lead to a trial, and potentially a jail sentence.5

The government that will be elected will pass a law that prevents the prosecution of a prime minister in office.6 This may be the first weird law that will be passed by the future right-wing government that will be elected.7

References:

1. 26 Dec. 2018, https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2018/12/israel-benjamin-netanyahu-ehud-barak-early-elections-likud.html. Accessed 27 Dec. 2018.
2.  24 Dec. 2018, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-politics/israel-to-hold-early-election-in-april-netanyahu-says-idUSKCN1ON0NP. Accessed 27 Dec. 2018.
3. 26 Dec. 2018, https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/elections/polls-likud-would-win-election-despite-52-of-israelis-not-wanting-netanyahu-as-pm-1.6783579. Accessed 27 Dec. 2018.
4. 25 Dec. 2018, https://www.timesofisrael.com/the-case-against-netanyahu-is-israel-about-to-reelect-a-corrupt-prime-minister/. Accessed 27 Dec. 2018.
5. "Indicting a Sitting Prime Minister: The Israeli Constitutional Framework ...." 2 Mar. 2018, https://www.lawfareblog.com/indicting-sitting-prime-minister-israeli-constitutional-framework. Accessed 27 Dec. 2018.
6. "PM curbs bill that could save him from prosecution: 'There'll be no ...." 23 Oct. 2018, https://www.timesofisrael.com/pm-curbs-bill-that-could-save-him-from-prosecution-therell-be-no-indictment/. Accessed 27 Dec. 2018.
7. Analysis: How Netanyahu Plans to Stay in Power and Beat Criminal Charges By Yossi Verter Dec 27, 2018 11:15 AM

The Dark Ages Dawning on Israel

The Gaza unrest and the fortitude of the people in the south of Israel - kibbutzim, settlements and towns near the border with Gaza have had their full share of rocket and mortar fire from Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

They fired nearly 500 rockets, about 80% was intercepted by the Iron Dome anti-missile system over two days. No doubt, this did save many lives and damage to property. Nevertheless, some missiles did get through causing severe damage to homes, injuries and loss of life. An uncertain cease-fire was declared and it is anybody’s guess as to how long this will hold.

Just after all this, the Minister of Defense, Avigdor Lieberman, resigned nearly bringing down the coalition. The Minister of Education, Naftali Bennett 1 and his side-kick, Minister of Justice, Ayelet Shaked 2, of the extremist right-wing Bayit Hayehudi Party, threatened to resign over Netanyahu’s refusal to give Bennett the Defense portfolio and taking on the Defence portfolio for himself. Eventually, after Netanyahu’s speech, Bennett and Shaked went back on their decision to resign and the issue of early elections was avoided. Mr Bennett, leader of Israel's right-wing Jewish Home party, imagined he had placed a risk-free bet to elevate his status and share the limelight with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 3. The Government Coalition has a majority of one mandate (61 to 59). This will make its governing ability almost untenable.

The whole scenario after the shaky cease-fire was declared was an exercise in childish behaviour within the coalition that proves that many coalition members are there for their own personal interests. If Netanyahu manages to govern with a one mandate majority, theoretically elections will be held in a year’s time. If there is a crisis and the coalition breaks up then it will be sooner. If the latter occurs and there are early elections, it will cost the country billions of shekels and we shall get the same government re-elected with a few minor changes. Many Israelis have moved towards the right and extreme right and it is very unlikely that they will change. Ask any Israeli why he/she fears change, he/she will tell you with great conviction that there is nobody who can replace Netanyahu and he is the only one worth supporting. After all, the economic situation in Israel is very good and this is the bottom line that will determine what government will be elected as well as the security situation.

The opposition to the present government is weak and disunited. They are unable to offer an alternate message that is strong enough to convince Israel’s electorate that Netanyahu has governed for too long and needs to go. Even the various police investigations of Netanyahu over his suspected criminality makes no impact on the Israeli electorate as according to most of them, Netanyahu is the best prime minister Israel has ever had.

The Dark Ages are now dawning on Israel. It begins with the eroding of democracy. Those who are left of centre in their thinking are ostracised by the present government and are viewed as unpatriotic, treacherous and wish to harm Israel. The occupation and the messianic Orthodox Judaism of the Bayit Hayehudi Party and the ultra-Orthodox Parties in collusion with the Netanyahu Coalition are heralding the coming of Israel’s Dark Ages. This is part of the government’s plan to justify its rule that is becoming increasingly autocratic. More anti-democratic bills designed to clamp people’s mouths will be passed into laws. The latest bill is the Cultural Loyalty Bill introduced by Commissar of Culture and Sport, Miri Regev, will undoubtedly gain government support. Freedom of speech, freedom of culture and eventually books that are written that will be interpreted by Commissar Miri as being anti-Israel will eventually be censored or banned. The legal community have come out against this anti-democratic bill. Freedom of culture will be decided upon by the Commissar of Culture, whose duty will be to decide what can be defined as anti-Israel, unpatriotic, seeking the destruction of Israel and supporting terror from the narrowest definition in her agenda. Miri has no idea what culture is as she was never exposed to it. She is one of the initiators of Israel’s dark age. She and the Minister of Justice were working together to even fire the vice-Attorney-General Dina Zilber for opposing this anti-democratic piece of legislation. Dina Zilber is certainly not a pundit for harming Israel. The opposite is true.

Earlier we had the Nation-State Law to ensure the Jewishness of Israel as the Nation-State of the Jewish People. This is another piece of heinous, racist legislation that ought to be expunged from the statute book of Israel. We can expect more disgraceful bills to be enacted before the next election, reigning in a period in Israel that will bring it closer to a dictatorship that can be defined as Israel’s Darkest Age. We must bear in mind that a country that occupies another people cannot be a democracy in the long run. Slowly but surely, the occupying power will slip into a pseudo-fascist regime. Laws ensuring the purity of an occupying nation will protect its status. In Israel’s case, two laws were passed, the Nation-State Law and the Cultural Loyalty Bill (soon to become law). These laws have two principles in common. Both intend to weaken the opposition to the Netanyahu Government by showing who is the boss and to clamp mouths of those who are involved in avant-garde cultural projects that go against Commissar Miri’s agenda.

There is also no true freedom from religion and the excuse that this is a Jewish country. Pluralism in Judaism is not recognized. Reform, Conservative and Reconstructionist Judaism is not recognized nor are their rabbis. The only Judaism recognized is Orthodox and ultra-Orthodox Judaism that ensures that there will never be a separation of Orthodox synagogue and state. They have also succeeded in alienating Diaspora Jewry, especially US Jewry who are mostly non-Orthodox observant. 

As I write this, I feel that Israel’s most brilliant philosopher of the 20th Century, Late Prof.Yeshayahu Leibowitz ז"ל 4 states it very well indeed. It is still relevant today:

”I am talking about the monstrous phenomenon of a regime that is imposed upon a population which is not made up of a single people but of two peoples who are enemies. On top of this national conflict, itself insoluble, there is a social conflict between these two peoples. One works and the other exploits the first. That is why there cannot be a democratic regime in this country, neither can human rights be respected. I insist: they cannot be. It doesn't depend on someone's goodwill. It is the consequence of the objective fact that the State of Israel is, today, a colonial power. Precisely when history, for the second half of the 20th century, has been characterized by world decolonization, the State of Israel and South Africa are the only remaining colonial powers”.
Yeshayahu Leibowitz 5

He continues: “I am not shocked, I am making an observation. If I raise my voice it is because some people still don't know. This is why I shout out loud: Judeo-Nazis do exist!”
Yeshayahu Leibowitz

This will also initiate a period of Netanyahu’s schmoozing with right-wing regimes in Europe that have a history of racism including anti-Semitism. This is a natural development expected within the right-wing regime of the Netanyahu Era.  

See:

1. "The Jewish Home" of Racism and Intolerance
2. Quotes of Yeshayahu Leibowitz  (29 January 1903 – 18 August 1994) was an Israeli public intellectual; professor of biochemistry, organic chemistry, and neurophysiology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem; and a polymath known for his outspoken opinions on Judaism, ethics, religion, and politics.

References:

1.  "Naftali Bennett - Wikipedia." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naftali_Bennett. Accessed 22 Nov. 2018.
2. "Ayelet Shaked - Wikipedia." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayelet_Shaked. Accessed 22 Nov. 2018.
3. 20 Nov. 2018, https://www.thejc.com/comment/comment/naftali-bennett-david-cameron-style-gambler-loses-to-israel-s-smoothest-operator-1.472790. Accessed 22 Nov. 2018.
4. "Yeshayahu Leibowitz - Wikipedia." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yeshayahu_Leibowitz. Accessed 22 Nov. 2018.
5. "Yeshayahu Leibowitz (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)." 29 Mar. 2011, https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/leibowitz-yeshayahu/. Accessed 22 Nov. 2018.

Corruption in High Places

The Knesset in Israel has been plagued with a new Bill up for the third reading - a notorious Recommendation Bill that prevents the general public from knowing about police enquiries into sitting prime ministers suspected of breaking the law as well as weakening the police system and the law courts. If this Bill becomes law it will be another slap in the face of Israel's democracy.

Coalition chair David Bitan leaves his home on his way to be questioned by police on suspicion of corruption, December 6, 2017. (Screen capture: Ynet)

.

The architects of this disgraceful Bill are two of Netanyahu’s loyal supporters or “keepers” - the Two Davids - MKs David Amsalem 1 and David Bitan 2. The former has a shady history with the police and the latter is under investigation by the police for bribery, corruption and money laundering. He was questioned for 14 hours by the police - Lahav 433 3. He will undergo a number of sessions of police enquiries as suspicions of criminal activity against him are high. This resulted in the shelving of this Bill for the present. If MK David Bitan, the Likud Coalition Chairman, is found guilty he will receive a prison sentence. The future of David Bitan in the Knesset is now uncertain.

Husam Jarushi, a reported mobster linked to suspected wrongdoing by Likud MK David Bitan,

It is quite possible that the Two Davids were in a great hurry to get the undemocratic Recommendation Bill passed into law as soon as possible as both of them had personal issues with the police. Amsalem was questioned by the police some years ago but nothing was found, while Bitan must have known that he is soon to be questioned by the police. Both abrasive, bulldozing Davids were keen to pass this law each for their own reasons, using the Netanyahu investigation as an excuse to get the Bill passed into law. Netanyahu decided that the Recommendation Bill should not apply to him and with David Bitan out of the picture with an uncertain political future, left his partner, Amsalem high and dry, this Bill was shelved for the time being.

The present Likud has become a party of arrogant scoundrels involved in all kinds of cartels and scandals directly or indirectly. It is a far cry from the Likud of the Late PM Menachem Begin 4 and the Revisionism 5 of Ze’ev Jabotinsky 6 - who can be viewed as the founding fathers of the Likud ideology. Whether one agrees with the Likud ideology or not, there is no doubt that these founding fathers were true statesmen and had the interests of Israel in their hearts. The present lots of Likud members are far from that mould. They have become self-righteous and arrogant, connected directly or indirectly with all kinds of shady business deals to “make a quick buck” at the expense of the electorate they purport to represent.

In a democracy, this incident including the police investigations of a sitting prime minister and the criminal investigations of his close associate and supporter, David Bitan, would result in recommendations for the government to resign and a call for new elections. Israel being Israel this is not going to happen. Even if elections were called, there would be no change for the better. Israel has moved toward the right and extreme right, even the new Zionist Camp leader, Avi Gabbay, is pandering for votes from the Likud by playing populist right-wing politics.

PM Benjamin Netanyahu does not seem to be phased by the criminal investigations against him and will probably be re-elected as prime minister in the next elections. The old cry “Benjamin Netanyahu is the best Prime Minister Israel has ever had. There is nobody to replace him!” This mantra will undoubtedly be the case in the next Israeli General Elections.

Despite all these misgivings about Israel’s political future under a Likud Government that is becoming increasingly corrupt, we, Citizens of Israel, must draw the necessary conclusions. We must vote against the corrupt Likud and its band of cartel-serving politicians, many of their high ranking MKs are connected with shady financial deals for their own personal enrichment. The corrupt rot has set in the Likud Party. It has been in power too long. A sitting prime minister should not be allowed to be elected for more than two terms. Israel has set the example of what happens when a prime minister holds office beyond that. He ceases to serve the country and views the country as his personal property. Even Israel’s UN Representative, Danny Danon, has criminal suspicions in creating jobs for pals as well as nepotism in allotting these jobs. We cannot allow Israel to become a banana republic resembling ANC ruled South Africa.

THE LIKUD MUST GO!

Refererences:

1. "Dudu Amsalem - Wikipedia." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dudu_Amsalem. Accessed 5 Dec. 2017.
2. "Coalition chair MK David Bitan suspected of receiving bribes, money ...." 3 Dec. 2017, https://www.timesofisrael.com/coalition-chair-mk-david-bitan-suspected-of-receiving-bribes-money-laundering/. Accessed 5 Dec. 2017.
3. "Lahav 433 - Wikipedia." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lahav_433. Accessed 5 Dec. 2017.
4. "Menachem Begin - Wikipedia." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menachem_Begin. Accessed 5 Dec. 2017.
5. Revisionist Zionism - Wikipedia." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revisionist_Zionism. Accessed 5 Dec. 2017.
6. "Ze'ev Jabotinsky - Wikipedia." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ze%27ev_Jabotinsky. Accessed 5 Dec. 2017.

The "Zumarization" of Israel's Democracy

We have been witnessing an erosion of the rule of law in Israel. The present Coalition Government of Israel wishes to pass a law preventing the Police Force from investigating a serving prime minister suspected of breaking the law (in this case, PM Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been summoned under oath about suspected involvement in various cases under police investigation). Netanyahu’s fellow party cronies are up in arms in the Knesset and wish to pass laws preventing the prime minister from being investigated by the police while in office. 

Those pictured below are PM Netanyahu's "keepers" in the Knesset:

Miri Regev- Lack of Culture Minister

Oren Hazan - MK of ill repute

Dudu Amsalem - Likud Party Hack

David Bitan - Boorish Likud Coalition Chairman

The Attorney-General Avichai Mandelblit, has expressed his opposition to this Bill as it weakens the power of the Courts of Law. The corrupt President Jacob Zuma of South Africa, who also has a number of criminal cases pending against him, has a battery of lawyers and spooks surrounding him. Their job is to keep him out of prison.

It appears that Netanyahu has a similar setup in the name of his loyal cabinet ministers, who are the devil’s advocates. Even the Chief of Police has come under criticism on investigations of PM Netanyahu. If this bill is passed into law, it opens the door for felons, with a suspected criminal past, to take a pot shot at becoming the future prime minister of Israel.

Mouths will be clamped and draconian laws will be introduced to place the ruling Government Coalition above the law. This is a definite threat to Israel’s democracy. As it is, the buds of fascism have found fertile ground in Israel’s present government.

Latest reports of further erosion of checks and balances are reports of MK Bezalel Smotrich, of the extreme right-wing Jewish Home Party, introducing a bill to curtail the activity of the State Comptroller. The role of the State Comptroller is to oversee and inspect the executive branch of Israel's governing administration. The Comptroller is elected by the Knesset by way of the secret ballot to one seven-year term, and the Knesset retains the ability to remove or replace him during his tenure. Fortunately, this Bill to limit the State Comptroller's powers was rejected. MK Smotrich, (even though he will deny this, at the end of the day, this is what he desires), is interested in his strong illegal settler agenda in the occupied territories to give them state funding without any State Comptroller “interference” or condemnation.

The present Israeli Government Coalition under Benjamin Netanyahu claims that this is a democracy. Netanyahu views his government as the democratically elected government of Israel which automatically gives them the power to do as they wish. They are the law! The police, law courts, state ombudsman are a challenge to their power and must have their power diminished by law. Bibi Netanyahu has his keepers who are doing all in their power to erode Israel’s institutions of law and order thus allowing potential Likud felons, friends of Netanyahu, to do as they wish. MK David Bitan1 and Dudu Amsalem 2 are Bibi’s protectors and keepers in the Knesset. They are closely followed by Minister of Culture and Sport, Miri Regev, who has no idea what culture really is apart from her idea of so-called Sephardi culture, which in her eyes is not against her party’s agenda 3. She threatens to withhold funds for a cultural activity that she, in her narrow perspective, views as inimical to Israel 4. There is also the pleasure-seeking MK, Oren Hassan 5 with his disgraceful, arrogant outbursts against those who disagree with him. MK Miki Zohar is another example of arrogance and boorishness in the Knesset.

In South Africa under the corrupt criminal, President Jacob Zuma 6 and his ANC shenanigans and crooks, have been embarking on similar measures for many years. Zuma 7 has evaded paying his taxes 8 to the SA treasurer and he simply replaces honest and hardworking employees in SARS (South African Revenue Services) with his own men to ensure that his crooks, tax evading businessmen engaged in smuggling, illegal imports of hard drugs and avoidance of excise duties payment and continuance of money laundering are ensured. Zuma owes the SA Treasury billions of rands in tax. He has succeeded so far in getting away with paying his taxes including those spooks who are serving him and keeping him in power. South Africa, like Israel, is a democracy.

Both countries have free elections. Both countries say that their respective governments or coalitions represent their electorates who voted for them in free elections. This in practice gives them the right to abuse their powers which in Israel’s case has resulted in various files or cases being investigated. Case 1000, Case 2000 and Case 3000 and soon Case 4000 are being investigated by the police. Many of the suspects in these cases are close Netanyahu associates.

President Jacob Zuma of SA

In South Africa, the ruling ANC is corrupt and milking the SA treasury and appointing their rogues in SARS to ensure that influential scum and their illicit businessmen get a cut from the state treasury for protecting Zuma from prosecution.

Is this not an uncanny similarity to what is happening in Israel’s lawmakers today? Is this not a sign of “zumarization" of Israel’s democracy with eroding checks and balances against the abuse of power? In both Israel and South Africa there is a form of state capture -  a type of systemic political corruption in which private interests significantly influence a state's decision-making processes to their own advantage.

1. "Which direction does the strongest man in Israeli politics want to take ...." 4 Oct. 2017, https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.815717. Accessed 19 Nov. 2017.
2. "Israeli MP floats law to protect Netanyahu from criminal inquiries ...." 10 Aug. 2016, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/aug/10/israel-law-protect-benjamin-netanyahu-criminal-inquiries-david-amsalem. Accessed 19 Nov. 2017.
3. "Miri Regev's Culture War - The New York Times." https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/23/magazine/miri-regevs-culture-war.html. Accessed 19 Nov. 2017.
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Recommended Reading: “The President’s Keepers” by Jacques Paauw. There appears to be an uncanny similarity in as far as the defenders of the leaders of the two countries are concerned even though the circumstances are very different. The lowest common denominator is corruption and the defence of the respective leaderships. This is a real eye-opener on the corruption of President Zuma and the ANC