Published: 21 February 2019
Last updated: 4 March 2024
In particular, over the past two years he has led Israel “down an ugly road of increased ethno-nationalism”, as the Forward puts it. “From the Nation State bill, which ratifies Jewish supremacy over Israel’s minorities, to the whitewashing of Holocaust revisionists in Poland and Hungary, to the embrace of racist [leaders] of other countries like the Philippines and Brazil, Netanyahu has put all his eggs in the racist, ethno-nationalist basket.”
Now, with the spectre of a genuine electoral rival, Benny Gantz, who may end his decade of power, compounded by the threat of an indictment over corruption, he has played a racist card that trumps all others of the past few years.
Netanyahu has reached a deal with the Jewish Home party to grant it a pair of ministerial posts after the elections in exchange for merging with the extremist Otzma Yehudit party. Poling indicates the merged ticket could win at least four seats, while on its own Otzma Yehudit would not have cleared the electoral threshold.
For those who need reminding, Otzma Yehudit is led by a handful of former followers of the deeply racist Rabbi Meir Kahane, who won a seat in the Knesset 35 years ago through his party Kach, on a platform of revoking citizenship from Arab Israelis and a pledge to “transfer” out of the country those who would not accept this status. He also tried to outlaw sex and marriage between Jews and non-Jews.
Kahane was banned by the Knesset as a racist from seeking re-election four years later. Today Kach and its outgrowth, the Kahana Chai party, are considered terrorist organisations by Israel, Canada, the European Union, Japan and the United States.
The hyprocisy and moral cynicism behind Netanyahu’s manoeuvring is close to sickening. If he retains power and the Kahanists take their seats in the new Knesset, “Israel - which boycotts far-right parliamentary parties in countries such as Austria, Germany and France, - will itself have sunk to the very level it warns against elsewhere,” David Horovitz wrote in the Times of Israel.
Netanyahu’s efforts have been condemned American rabbis, organisations and donors. Robert Wexler, a former Democratic member of Congress and pro-Israel figure, told Haaretz: “This will complicate efforts to advocate for Israel, especially within the Jewish community. What are we supposed to tell our children?”
You would need the wisdom of Solomon to answer that one.
However, if the leaders of Australia’s Jewish community do not need such wisdom to know how to respond. If they value the principles of inclusiveness and acceptance that allow Jews to live and prosper in this country, then their path is clear. They must speak out in unambiguous terms.
The Jewish Independent calls on Australian Jewish leaders of all backgrounds, orthodox and other, religious and secular, male and female, to speak out loud and soon against the Israeli prime minister’s actions.
In an age when political expediency and callousness have begun to make a virtue of bigotry, Netanyahu may have just won the race to the bottom. In his desperation to retain power, he is degrading his nation’s soul and shaming everyone in whose name he acts.
READ MORE
Rabbi James Kennard, Principal of Mount Scopus College, speaks out against the deal
Netanyahu’s despicable push to bring racists into Israel’s political mainstream (Times of Israel)
DAVID HOROVITZ: The PM has persuaded the religious-Zionist Jewish Home to partner with the Kahanists of Otzma Yehudit. It makes cynical political sense for his interests, but what of Israel’s?
'Unthinkable': US Jewish leaders slam Netanyahu for promoting Kahanists (Haaretz)
Leaders say Netanyahu's move will hurt Israel's image and create rift with Jewish Americans, warn that future MKs could be denied entry to US.
Netanyahu promises Jewish Home 2 ministries to join with extremist party (Times of Israel)
PM to give national-religious party 28th spot on Likud’s candidate list in return for election merger with Otzma Yehudit; Gantz’s party: PM ‘lost his dignity and his Zionism’
Netanyahu just Invited Israel’s equivalent of The KKK to join the government (Forward)
BATYA UNGAR-SARGON The Israeli election cycle currently underway has been awash in anti-Arab racism for a while now. But things just got much, much worse
Meir Kahane taught that hate and violence had a place in Jewry. Now Netanyahu wants his followers in government (Jewish Chronicle)
Colin Shindler recounts how Meir Kahane 'exuded authenticity in his militancy' when he visited Britain
