The Upcoming Israeli Election Winds

The upcoming elections 1 in Israel are a boring, predictable phenomenon. The majority of Israel’s Jewish Electorate are moving towards the right. The Benny Gantz 2 phenomenon is a distraction that PM “Bibi” Netanyahu does not like. He is determined to label him as “left” and a danger to Israel. Miri Regev, Commissar of Culture, is Bibi’s echo. This boorish, loud-mouthed, woman reiterates all Bibi’s prejudices and lies with gusto. She is also a racist that received a high place on the Likud list for the Knesset. She follows the Stalinist belief that if you tell a lie often enough it becomes the truth. Any cultural project that does not meet her approval does not get subsidized by the state.

The Ministry of Culture and Sport appears to be Miri Regev’s private property. She travels around campaigning in her mobile caravan expressing her pet hates for the “leftists” and those, who she views as haters of Israel, which includes in her view, Benny Gantz and others. This, of course, brings her lots of votes from the ignorant racists that are the grassroots of the Likud Party. After the “silent” Benny Gantz gave his speech, the polls 3 in favour of his new party, Hosen L’ Yisrael, soared but still remains 8 seats below the Likud Party. There is no chance of this party winning the elections as the situation remains at present.

Netanyahu is great at rabble-rousing the crowd with inaccuracies and punch lines that bring his party great numbers of votes. He labels his opponents as left to the extreme left even if this is not true. He is doing this with newbie Benny Gantz, who seems to pose a threat. If King Bibi says that Gantz is going to sell out Israel and has President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority’s apparent approval. This will be Bibi’s tactic aimed at the ignorant masses to believe him and will come to the polls “in droves” to vote for the Likud and its shenanigans. “If King Bibi says then King Bibi knows and we must not question his credibility”. Those who do are viewed as potential traitors to Israel and must be treated with contempt.  The result is that the ignorant, apathetic voters will rally round to support the Likud and Company at the end of the day despite what the polls say. Bibi’s magic is his talent at misleading the voter with untruthful slogans that are racist and appeal to the Islamophobic mindset of the ignorant of which there is no shortage. We saw this after the 2015 General Elections when King Bibi stated that ”the Arabs are coming in droves to vote”. The effect was like magic and the sheep came out of the fold to vote en masse after flooding the parks with barbecue grills of shishlik, kebabs and steaks on Election Day (which is a public holiday). “God Forbid! The Arabs are a threat” was their winning slogan.

There is no reason to believe that the upcoming elections will be any different. The Likud just had their primaries for their Knesset list. Many of the same poor quality of Homo sapiens, whose fear tactics are so obvious, was re-elected and received much support. It is enough to view the Likud members in their masses voting for these rabble-rousing racists, who were responsible for the passing of the racist Nation-State Law in the Knesset.

Netanyahu has a legal headache waiting for him - depending of course on the indictment prior to a hearing of Bibi’s suspected illegal corruption follies in Case 1000, 2000 and 4000 that Attorney-General Mandelblit intends to issue before the elections.  He, of course, is innocent as newly driven snow. He is sweating and floundering around like a paranoic, cornered rat subject to a witch-hunt. He is on the path of destroying Israel’s democracy, making friends with strange, right-wing despotic leaders in Brazil, Hungary, Chad, Poland, Italy and Philippines - maybe I have left out other friendly despots in the world - no shortage of those these days. Of course, President Trump is also on that list of devoted friends. Netanyahu blames the left, the police, the courts, the media and the attorney-general for his legal problems.

The upcoming elections, with all the blurb going around and polls on an almost daily basis all pointing to another victory for the Likud with the scum-like behaviour of its cabinet ministers and its MKs, many of whom have been re-elected on the Likud list after the recent primaries. This is far from Israel of its founding fathers and the Declaration of Independence being eroded by the racist Nation-State Law 4 to ensure Israel’s apartheid-like character with the non-Jewish Israeli citizen as second class.

If the Likud forms the next Coalition Government after the elections, and Netanyahu, despite his indictment becomes prime minister once again, new bills will be discussed resembling the French Parliamentary Immunity Law that will make it impossible to summon Netanyahu to court on the grounds of suspicion of him breaking the law and allowing him to mark time without him being accountable for his suspected illegal activities while he remains in office.

If this scenario does occur after the elections it will erode Israel’s battered democracy even further. The chances of a right-wing Likud Coalition after the elections is very high.

References:

1. "2019 Israeli legislative election - Wikipedia." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_Israeli_legislative_election. Accessed 7 Feb. 2019.
2. "Benny Gantz - Wikipedia." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benny_Gantz. Accessed 7 Feb. 2019.
3. "Israel Election 2019-Haaretz.com." https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/elections. Accessed 7 Feb. 2019.
4. "Final text of Jewish nation-state law, approved by ... - The Times of Israel." 19 Jul. 2018, https://www.timesofisrael.com/final-text-of-jewish-nation-state-bill-set-to-become-law/. Accessed 7 Feb. 2019.

Commissar of Culture and Sport on a Witch Hunt

Another stab in the back of Israel’s culture by the Commissar of Culture and Sport, Miri Regev 1.  She has been working on the Minister of Finance, Moshe Kahlon, who has the power to withhold budgets for cultural projects.

Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon (Kulanu) and Culture Minister Riri Regev (Likud) presented an amendment to the current Culture and Art Law bill that would prevent extremists who oppose the State of Israel from receiving government funding for cultural projects 2 Miri Regev does not possess this power. Kahlon succumbed to Regev’s wishes and has given her all the support she needs to curtail cultural projects deemed, in her whims and fancies, not to conform to her agenda.

Culture and Sports Minister Miri Regev, attends a Culture, Sports and Education Committee meeting at the Knesset, on July 2, 2018. (Hadas Parush/Flash90)

The Association for Civil Rights in Israel said: "Instead of threatening the cultural world with draconian laws and budget cuts, whose sole aim is political spin, Minister Regev is invited to buy tickets to these films and in this way lend her support for local cinema." 3

She is a racist megalomaniac and an intolerant paragon of Israel’s culture. She views herself as the patriotic censor and watchdog of culture. God forbid, a talented artist, playwright or actor steps out of Regev’s “patriotic” line, the project will be penalized by having state funds withheld. These artists will be accused of “contravening the principles of the State” or the Cultural and Arts Law to be amended in October 2018  that would give the culture minister the authority to retroactively suspend funding for cultural activities that “contravene the principles of the state,” similar to the authority already granted to the finance minister 4.

The principles are such that it will be interpreted according to Regev’s agenda:

1. Denying the existence of the State of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state;
2. Incitement to racism, violence and terrorism;
3. Supporting an armed struggle or an act of terrorism, an enemy state or a terrorist organization, against the State of Israel;
4. Marking Independence Day or the day of the establishment of the state as a day of mourning;
5. An act of vandalism or desecration that violates the honour of the flag of the state or its emblem.

If according to Commissar Regev’s view, any of these principles are contravened, the die is cast - no funding.

We are now being told what we may view as art and culture and what we may not. Our freedom to judge is being usurped. It is Commissar Miri who has the final say. If we do not agree with Miri's taste in culture and do not wish censorship of culture to be imposed, we are a danger to the State of Israel and who knows what the next step will be apart from defunding cultural activities that she deems anti-Israel.

Commissar Miri promotes artists, whose origins are from North Africa. Most of them adore her as she promotes them and makes no bones about their superiority over western culture of which she herself is ignorant. Israel's people is a kaleidoscope of cultures, but her preference is Moroccan Jewish culture as she wishes to live up to her parents' standards in the culture, which is what her parents expect of her. Those, who are not from her origins are viewed as inferior. It is a throw back from the times in Israel's history when Jews from North Africahad been viewed as as inferior. It is the extension of a historical inferiority complex from those early days in Israel's history.This is not very inclusive of all Israel’s people 5.

In practice, any of these principles will be sufficient to withhold funds. Commissar Regev is no democrat. Democracy in her view is her right to clamp mouths of political opponents and to suppress cultural activity that does not conform to her agenda that is part of the Netanyahu Coalition Government. Cultural activity in Israel will not be free but be controlled according to her agenda. If a cultural activity is satirical and delivers a message criticising the government even in a subtle way, it will be deemed treasonable and Commissar Miri’s principles will be applied with great hubris and fanfare accompanying calls to her faithful supporters. Those, who do not tow her line or that of her party are ostracised and viewed as traitors, who wish to destroy Israel and sell Israel to the Palestinians. This has become so ingrained in the right-wing Israeli electorate mind through paranoiac Netanyahu tactics that those, who are left of centre, are fearful of violence against them.

It is indeed a sad day as Israel’s once vibrant democracy is now going through very turbulent times. There are danger signals of the beginnings of Israel becoming a theocracy and that is in itself a further danger to democracy. Israel’s present leadership are waltzing with right-wing regimes such as Hungary, whose leader Viktor Orban, is an anti-Semite and had recently received red carpet treatment on a state visit to Israel. The upcoming general elections will not even be a surprise as the right-wing under Netanyahu will form the next coalition and thus be given the green light to move towards fascism. Commissar Miri Regev 6 will be waiting in the shadows to receive a very senior ministerial portfolio that will give her even more power. Much depends of course on whether PM Netanyahu will be indicted before that.

References:

1. "Miri Regev - Wikipedia." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miri_Regev. Accessed 21 Sep. 2018.
2. 21 Sep. 2018, https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Kahlon-throws-support-behind-new-Regev-loyalty-bill-567637. Accessed 21 Sep. 2018.
3. 17 Sep. 2018, https://www.haaretz.com/life/.premium-regev-pushes-to-nix-funds-for-haifa-festival-over-film-that-undermine-values-1.6489212. Accessed 21 Sep. 2018.
4.  "Israel's nationalistic 'loyalty in culture' bill passes the legal test - Israel ...." 25 Feb. 2016, https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-culture-loyalty-bill-gets-ags-qualified-okay-1.5409115. Accessed 21 Sep. 2018.
5. "Meet Miri Regev, Israel's Trump in high heels - Israel News - Haaretz ...." https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/trump-in-high-heels-meet-miri-regev-the-big-mouth-of-the-israeli-right-1.5435158. Accessed 21 Sep. 2018.
6. "Miri Regev - The Atlantic." https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2016/10/israel-culture-regev-netanyahu-palestine/501245/. Accessed 21 Sep. 2018.

Israel's Independence 70th Day Celebrations

Declaration of Independence

Israel has only one day annually that is celebrated without any religious constraints or “mitzvot”. This is a day that secular and religious Israelis celebrate as well as those who identify with Israel and its people. 

Israeli Arab Citizens do not celebrate. There are no flags or symbols of celebration in their villages. It is a great pity that the two peoples - Jewish and Arab Israeli citizens are divided in their respective narratives causing the Israeli Arab sector not to celebrate Israel’s independence. Here in Israel, we have failed to achieve a common loyalty in Israel for all its citizens - Jew and Arab alike. It could have been achieved but Israel has failed to be the state of all its citizens for a number of reasons. The most striking, perhaps, is the non-inclusive character of Israel’s Jewish majority. An example of this is the non-inclusive wording of Israel’s National Anthem “Hatikva” - The Hope.

The wording of Hatikva could be modified to include Israel’s non-Jewish minority symbols of culture without changing the wording of Jewish desires and hopes. This could go a long way in promoting a common patriotism that is all-inclusive. This could also be done through education from an early age as well as encouraging the establishment of integrated Jewish-Arab schools, where education in unity among all Israel’s peoples could be achieved.

Culture Minister Miri Regev unveils the logo for Israel's 70th-anniversary celebrations, during a press conference on January 15, 2018. (Hadas Parush/Flash90)

Israel’s 70 years of independence should be a nation-wide non-political affair that is inclusive of all Israeli citizens. The person in charge of all the festivities and ceremonial protocols this year is the divisive and controversial Minister of Culture and Sport, Miri Regev. She is turning the 70th Independence Day celebration into a “Likudiada” political affair with her own agenda taking preference. She is punting so hard for PM Netanyahu’s survival in the midst of all criminal investigations against him by the police.  

Regev’s invitation of the President of Honduras, Juan Orlando Hernández, to light the annual torch, is a disgrace in itself apart from going against protocol, in order for PM Netanyahu to be also one of the participants as well as being given an opportunity to make a speech rather than the Speaker of the Knesset, Yuli Edelstein, as is the annual Independence Day tradition. President Hernandez is suspected of corruption as well as being an abuser of human rights. However, Hernandez is a strong supporter of Israel and has pledged to move the Honduras Embassy to Jerusalem. 

Hatikva - Israel's National Anthem

 Hernandez declined the invitation because of opposition in Israel. We must remember that Regev’s idea of democracy is her right to do what she wishes as her party is the majority party in power and this means that those who oppose her and her party are leftists and traitors to Israel. After all, Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East as Israel’s rulers and its pundits claim. Others in Regev’s view are an obstacle to her agenda and are deserving of condemnation. She has megalomaniac tendencies that are divisive, racist and a total disregard for those who do not share her worldview and agenda. She is no democrat and does not even know the meaning of democracy. In fact, she makes no bones about her Moroccan roots at every opportunity that she regards as all-embracing and superior to other cultures that form Israel’s character. The whole 70th Independence ceremony became a storm in a teacup. Eventually, a compromise was made that satisfied the Likud and its shenanigans.

It is a great pity that this year’s Independence Day celebrations will have a right-wing political slant to it which will, unfortunately, spoil its non-political nature.

The Present Israeli Government is an affront to Human Rights

The present Netanyahu Government is filled with right-wing sycophants that are racist, divisive as well as some being potential felons under police investigation.

Some are even suspected of felonies such as PM Netanyahu (Case 1000, 2000) and MK David Bitan 1 (both under police investigation) and a few on the “waiting list” (Minister of Welfare and Social Services, Chaim Katz 2 as an example) as well as being surrounded by a plethora of extra-parliamentary tycoons, businessmen and even lawyers David Shimron, (Netanyahu’s cousin) 3, and Yitzchak Molcho 4 are suspected of involvement in an illegal submarine deal (Case 3000).

(L-R) Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's personal lawyer David Shimron, his former diplomatic envoy Yitzhak Molcho, his former bureau chief David Sharan, former deputy national security adviser Avriel Bar-Yosef and former commander of the Israeli Navy Eliezer Marom (Flash90)

Even in culture, the foul-mouthed, screaming Netanyahu sycophant, Miri Regev, Minister of Culture and Sport 5 is punting and funding what she views as culture and threatens to withhold state funding of cultural projects that do not conform to her Moroccan ancestry and Likud agenda. She doesn't know what culture is, especially western culture. This definitely does threaten Israel's once-vibrant democracy. Having grown up in apartheid South Africa, I remember the censorship or banning of cultural projects that did not conform to white government agendas outright.

Surely there is a certain feeling of déjà vu! Israel is a very different Israel to what it was 40 plus years ago. It is becoming less tolerant of those, who are different (non-Jews). The treatment of refugees is appalling. We have forgotten that we were once refugees as well. The settlements in the occupied territories are viewed as holy creations, including the settlers, most of whom are embedded with an extremist religious Zionist ideology. They appear above the law. Many of the settler offspring and their ilk are involved in the destruction of Palestinian property and go unpunished.

The present government is passing laws weakening the law courts and the police force in order to protect the potential felons in their midst. They pander to the ultra-Orthodox coalition partner religious coercion by passing laws such as the Minimarket Law making it illegal to open businesses on Shabbat.

There is also the Darfur in South Sudan and Eritrean refugee issue. The treatment of refugees from South Sudan and Eritrea is appalling and cruel.These refugees are being deported with some pocket money to countries in Africa where their lives are endangered. This is done because of the fear of Israel’s Jewish citizens being assimilated. It is as if Israel is deporting them to their deaths. Does this not remind us of a very evil power in Germany from 1933 to 1945? Nazi Germany had death camps to exterminate Jews that were not deported. In Israel, those who cooperate with the deportation authorities to send the refugees to their fate are also guilty of being accessories to murder. The Minister of the Interior, Arye Deri, is responsible for signing the orders of the expulsion of asylum seekers from Israel. He, himself, is an ex-convict as well as Shas Party chairman and his wife are under investigation for money laundering, fraud, breach of trust and tax offences. He views himself as a “Shomer Mitzvot” 6 (שומר מצוות) and part of that is “purity” of the Jewish People in his view.

Interior Minister Aryeh Deri (l) and his wife Yaffa seen leaving their home in Jerusalem, on May 29, 2017. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

This is an unforgivable tragedy. Israel has lost its Jewish heart and soul. The deportation of refugees (the racist right-wing regime refers to them as “infiltrators”) is cruel and heartless. We have lost our humanity preserving it for Jews only. Many of us had family who suffered the devastation and cruelties of the Nazi Holocaust and has forgotten what it is to be a refugee. These people are no threat to Israel’s security and if the government could allow a budget for their rehabilitation and absorption into Israel and its workforce this problem would be solved. Instead of the massive monthly salaries - 5000 shekels or $1452.82 - increase for Israel’s boorish cabinet ministers this money could be used for rehab and absorption.

Inspectors, who are responsible for sniffing out refugees for deportation are just “carrying out orders”. Sounds familiar? Many offspring of these refugees were born in Israel, speak Hebrew and are Israeli no less than the “Chosen People”. Israel is a signatory to Geneva Convention to the receiving of refugees - now they are squirming. They are no threat to Israel’s security. Israel is squandering lots of money today to give their boorish cabinet ministers a 5000 shekel raise in their monthly salary as well as the monies that go to sectarian ultra-Orthodox yeshiva projects for maintaining their putrid coalition. There is money to absorb these refugees and turn them into productive citizens by allowing them to work as well as being sent to other parts of Israel and not crowding them in south Tel Aviv under disgraceful living conditions as well as not being allowed to work legally.

The Holocaust survivors, handicapped, aged and the inadequate health system are under subsidized by the state. The government gave themselves an exorbitant rise in monthly salary, as mentioned earlier in this article, that they do not deserve.

The Netanyahu dynasty is ruling Israel. Yair Netanyahu, Bibi’s son has bodyguards and a luxury car at his disposal even when he frequents strip clubs of ill repute for his urges at the taxpayers' expense 7 as if we do not pay enough taxes already.

While I never agreed with Likud ideology, the previous generation of Likud members such as Late PM Menachem Begin, his mentor Ze'ev Jabotinsky and their associates (they would turn in their graves if they knew what had become of their Revisionist ideology), who cared more for Israel than the present lot of shenanigans that care for their Knesset seats and making a quick buck. They also get their support from many Israelis, who are racist.

References:

1. "Coalition chair MK David Bitan suspected of ... - The Times of Israel." 3 Dec. 2017, https://www.timesofisrael.com/coalition-chair-mk-david-bitan-suspected-of-receiving-bribes-money-laundering/. Accessed 19 Jan. 2018.
2. "Haim Katz - Wikipedia." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haim_Katz. Accessed 15 Jan. 2018.
3. "Legal Affairs: Who is Netanyahu's right-hand man, David Shimron ...." 20 Jul. 2017, http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Legal-Affairs-Who-is-Netanyahus-right-hand-man-David-Shimron-anyway-500274. Accessed 19 Jan. 2018.
4. "David Shimron | The Times of Israel." https://www.timesofisrael.com/topic/david-shimron/. Accessed 19 Jan. 2018.
5. "Miri Regev's Culture War - The New York Times." 20 Oct. 2016, https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/23/magazine/miri-regevs-culture-war.html. Accessed 19 Jan. 2018.
6. "Mitzvah - Wikipedia." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitzvah. Accessed 19 Jan. 2018.
7. https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/the-full-transcript-of-yair-netanyahu-s-wild-tel-aviv-night-1.5730342

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.
4.  "Slammed by Israeli Minister of Culture Miri Regev, 'Foxtrot' wins award ...." 9 Sep. 2017, http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Culture/Israeli-film-Foxtrot-wins-silver-lion-award-at-the-Venice-film-festival-504628. Accessed 19 Nov. 2017.
5. "Meet Oren Hazan, Israel's most scandalous lawmaker | The Times of ...." 27 Nov. 2015, https://www.timesofisrael.com/meet-oren-hazan-israels-most-scandalous-lawmaker/. Accessed 19 Nov. 2017.
6. "Jacob Zuma - Wikipedia." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_Zuma. Accessed 19 Nov. 2017.
7. "State Capture: Jacob Zuma, the Guptas, and corruption in South Africa ...." https://qz.com/825789/state-capture-jacob-zuma-the-guptas-and-corruption-in-south-africa/. Accessed 19 Nov. 2017.
8. "President jacob zuma - EWN." http://ewn.co.za/Topic/President-Jacob-Zuma. Accessed 19 Nov. 2017.

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