Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Israeli Politics - Nothing Changes

Newspaper article from HaMODIAH, September 3, 2009, titled,
"Settler Leaders: Netanyahu Gov't 'Humiliating' Us"
I was cleaning out the upstairs den (yes, I'm sure you're all shocked) when I came upon this article, "Settler Leaders: Netanyahu Gov't 'Humiliating' Us".
The leaders of Judea and Samaria were upset, because Prime Minister Netanyahu had promised them building and growth for the communities of Yesha, before the previous elections. But as soon as he was elected, BOING, suddenly everything was frozen
We know there has been no building in Efrat for ten years, but this article was talking about Maaleh Adumim's  E-1 (does that sound familiar?) and Ariel. Even former Gush Etzion Mayor Shaul Goldstein exclaimed that "Gush Etzion is totally frozen." And Bel El Mayor Moshe Rosenbaum claimed that his community was up against a "sealed wall."
Well, it's more than three years since that article. Nothing has changed.
This article could have been written this week (except that Davidi Perl is the new mayor of Gush Etzion.)
Again, the Prime Minister has promised the Jews of Judea and Samaria that they will build - three hundred units here, two hundred there, three thousand total. That sounds great, doesn't it.
I'll believe it all when I see those buildings built and filled with Jewish families.
Until then, it's all just politics.
Right Wing Government - Cough Cough
Another political note: I was sitting together with a bunch of friends who were acting as giddy as school girls (while they were far from girls in age or gender), as they spoke about the next government, which would be a strong partnership of the right.
"Bayit HaYehudi is the natural partner of Likud. They should ask for this ministerial position...and that. When we're in the government, this will be different, and we'll take care of that." Everyone glowed in the warmth of coalition dreams.
Wet-blanketly, I told them, "The Prime Minister will go for every other party in the government before he even thinks of including Bayit HaYehudi, if he even thinks of such a thing. I doubt it."
They pish-toshed my words, and absolutely turned around to continue their joint-dreams.
I said that every time I hear a Bayit HaYehudi person say, "When we're in the government, we'll...", I have to laugh.
Look, I hope I'm wrong. But even yesterday's newspapers carried Netanyahu's olive branch to left-wing parties to join his coalition. I didn't hear him calling out to Naftali Bennet or Aryeh Eldad.
So, Bibi is promising Yesha thousands of new homes one day, and inviting the left to join in on the next. In addition, he reminded the country three days ago that after the elections, he is ready to return to the negotiating table with the Palestinian Authority.
Good luck to the right wing parties, and I hope I'm wrong about my gut-feeling that they'll be outside the coalition of what right-wingers had hoped would be a right-wing government.
Good luck to future housing buyers. I hope I'm wrong that they'll be waiting quite a long time for those promised apartments in Judea and Samaria.
Sometimes I am wrong. I hope this is the time. But, we've all got to admit it. Nothing changes in Israeli politics. The same dirty tricks are repeated all the time. Let's just not act surprised.

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