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| Eisenkot, Trump, and Netanyahu |
But that isn’t the only thing to worry about. There are
several issues, one of which is the disappointing showing for the new Charedi
party, Hatzibur HaChareidi. There were a lot of high hopes among many pundits
who believed that they would receive enough votes to make a difference. Even if
they didn’t get enough votes to secure seats in the Knesset; they would at
least get enough to change their trajectory towards a more conciliatory
approach to army service and educational reform. It was thought that the expected
huge numbers of Charedi voters voting for Hatzibur HaChareidi would effect
serious change in that direction. So that the large numbers of Charedim who
felt this way could be accommodated.
That was more wishful thinking than reality. The poor
showing of about 10,000 votes seemed to show that the Charedi populace doesn’t
want change at all. That they are happy with the status quo of learning
full-time, not getting any kind of secular education, and avoiding the army.
That the hardships and sacrifices the rest of the country has endured—and is
still enduring - don’t seem to faze them that much.
So change will not happen. Israeli Charedim have been
indoctrinated into thinking along these lines. That they are not willing to
serve is bad enough. But that they have become so callous to the suffering of
others while exempting themselves from any possibility of such suffering seems
to be how they wish to live. I see no hope for change or any kind of
reconciliation between Charedim and the rest of the Jewish people in Israel. I
see only greater distance being created between them.
Not at all happy about that. To say the least!
Then there is the election itself, which nobody won. And, it
seems, nobody will be able to form a government. The enmity between the two
camps is so great that a unity government is about as likely as El-Sayed
converting to Judaism and becoming a supporter of Ben-Gvir. This will
perpetuate the hatred between the right and the left.
I see no alternative to yet another election three months
from now, which will likely return the same results. That may mean another
election three months after that. On the other hand, the tens of thousands of
expatriate Israelis who flew back to Israel to vote against Netanyahu are
unlikely to do that again. And the huge Arab turnout that gave them 19 seats in
the Knesset this time is unlikely to be repeated. So it is quite possible that
a coalition could be formed by voters who will gravitate to one side or the
other.
In the meantime, Netanyahu remains prime minister. Which, if
you are a supporter, is a good thing…
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