Israel Update for November 2010

New Law Stirs Controversy

Meanwhile the Israeli Knesset passed legislation on November 22 that would possibly render any negotiated final status peace accord null and void. The new law stipulates that any future land withdrawals must either be approved by a large 'super majority' of Knesset members, or be taken to the voters in a national referendum. The controversial Israeli law states that if at least 80 Knesset members do not sanction any negotiated withdrawal plan, a national referendum vote must be held.

The withdrawal legislation was supported by 65 Knesset members, including many who are part of the ruling coalition led by Netanyahu's Likud party. Just over one fourth of the parliament members, 33, voted against the bill, including most members of the opposition Kadima party headed by former Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni. The PM publicly supported the proposal, stating it will assure that any future peace accord with the PA and/or Syria will have broad public support. He insisted that the new legislation will not hinder efforts to reach sustainable peace treaties with the Palestinians and Syria.

Chief PA peace negotiator Saeb Erekat blasted the Knesset vote, maintaining that "With the passage of this bill, the Israeli leadership, yet again, is making a mockery of international law." He insisted that "Ending the occupation of our land is not and cannot be dependent on any sort of referendum." Ironically, PA President Abbas has pledged to hold a similar referendum vote amongst his Palestinian people, which is widely seen as an attempt to deflect expected fierce Hamas opposition to any compromise peace accord.

In Damascus, Syrian leaders also rejected the referendum law, saying Israeli government officials must pull out of the Golan Heights whether the general public supports such a move or not. Opinion polls consistently reveal that a substantial majority of Israeli voters oppose any future evacuation of the strategic plateau, which rises above the vital Sea of Galilee and the upper Galilee panhandle and is home to thousands of Israelis. A majority also oppose any land transfers inside Jerusalem's wide municipal boundaries. Most also want to keep control over three large settlement blocks near Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Although home to over 300,000 Israelis, the area in question comprises only 4.5% of the total land that the Palestinians want to incorporate into any future state.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak strongly opposed the approved legislation, saying the new law "raises questions about the government's desire and ability to lead the peace process." In a speech before pensioners later the same week, he said he wants to see right wing parties, such as Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu party, replaced in the coalition government by Kadima. Barak noted that "There is a certain contradiction between the structure of the government and the chances of deepening the peace negotiations." The Labor party leader added that "We joined the government so it would go in that direction, and we are going that way, but still not reaching the destination. If it turns out that this government in its current configuration cannot move forward in a diplomatic process, it will be necessary to weigh expanding it and creating a national unity government." Opinion surveys reflect widespread public support for such a government. Still everyone realizes that PM Netanyahu and Tzipi Livni are deep personal rivals who are likely to frequently clash if her centrist party joins the coalition.

Meanwhile PA officials renounced an Israeli cabinet decision which authorized spending over $23 million dollars to make improvements to the hallowed Western Wall plaza in Jerusalem's walled Old City. The five year plan includes upgrading the plaza's physical infrastructure, improving transport to and from the area, and preserving archaeological findings located there. The plaza is the most visited public site in Israel, hosting eight million people last year, a majority of them religious Israeli Jews. It is also the site of several annual state ceremonies, many bar mitzvahs and other private religious celebrations, and visits by student groups and IDF units.

PM Netanyahu's office released a statement noting that the Western Wall "is the Jewish people's most important heritage site." This view is obviously not shared by PA leaders who often echo the late Yasser Arafat in denying any ancient Jewish link to the Temple Mount. The PA Information Ministry reacted to the November 21 cabinet decision by releasing what it claimed was a "study" about "the Al-Buraq Wall." That Arabic name for the Western Wall comes from the Islamic teaching that the wall was the place where Muhammad tied up his flying horse Al Baruq after a nighttime supernatural ride from Arabia to Jerusalem's Old City.

The acrimonious PA statement asserted that the Western Wall plaza is exclusively Islamic Trust property that is supposedly actually owned by an Algerian-Moroccan Muslim family. The Western Wall itself belongs entirely to Muslims, added the statement, and is "an integral part" of the Islamic shrines on the Temple Mount. The PA alleged that "the Zionist occupation falsely and unjustly claims that it owns this wall," maintaining falsely that Jews had never used the site for worship until the Balfour Declaration was issued in 1917. "No one has the right to agree with the occupation state's racist and oppressive measures against history and holy sites...or to give up one stone of the Al-Buraq Wall or other religious sites," said the belligerent statement. Ownership of the wall was behind the 1929 Arab riots which left dozens of Jews dead in Jerusalem, Jaffa, Hebron and other locations. A commission was established in London to investigate the matter, concluding that the wall should be shared by the two faiths.

Fresh Threats From The North

American congress members who had withheld 200 million dollars in designated financial aid to the Lebanese Army because of the border clash with the IDF last August released the money during November. This came soon after Secretary of State Clinton issued a strong warning to the Shiite Hizbullah movement that it would suffer severe consequences if it attempts to overthrow the current Lebanese government, of which it is a coalition partner. This came soon after a senior IDF intelligence officer stated that heavily armed Hizbullah militiamen could probably take over the entire country within four hours of launching a coup against the government headed by Saad Hariri. Syrian forces would probably then enter Lebanon to reinforce the move, backed by Iran.

Hillary Clinton's warning came as indications grew that a special UN tribunal report on the 2005 assassination of the late Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, Saad's father, was carried out by Hizbullah. She told the Lebanese An Nahar newspaper that Hizbullah leaders "should know that if the goal of violence is to stop the tribunal, it won't work." Her statement came after senior Hizbullah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah maintained his militiamen are ready to "cut off the hand" of anyone that attempts to arrest any Hizbullah officials or militiamen in connection with the upcoming UN report. He added bellicosely that, "Those who think the resistance will not defend itself and its dignity against any accusation are mistaken." He also boasted that his forces are ready and eager for a military showdown with Israel.

Other statements threatening military action against Israel were issued during the month by the leaders of Turkey, Iran and Syria. During a visit to Beirut, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Israel of committing war crimes in Lebanon and warned that his country "will not remain silent" if fighting breaks out between Israel and Lebanese forces. Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem told the Moscow News media outlet that "there is no doubt that closing the horizons to peace may lead to a possible war." In Tehran, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad issued new vows to destroy Israel as Egypt and Saudi Arabia held major military maneuvers in the north of Egypt in preparation for a possible regional war with Iran. This came as Israeli army leaders warned that the Jewish state has been sliding into the same precarious military situation that was revealed during the treacherous 1973 Yom Kippur War, which Israel was initially losing.

Meanwhile many Israelis were focused on the continuing dearth of rainfall plaguing the small country and its regional neighbors for over half a decade. This November was the driest on record since 1968. Israeli meteorologists say indications are growing that the coming winter may see the least rainfall ever in modern times. Several desalination plants are being built which will help alleviate the water shortage, but not until 2013.

As noted earlier, the lack of rain prompted religious leaders in the country to call for special prayers and fasting. One of Israel's chief rabbis stated that it is the blatant sins of the Israeli people, especially moral sins, which are causing God to withhold rain from the Promised Land, as occurred in the time of Jeremiah when the weeping prophet prayed that the Holy One of Israel would forgive the gross sins of His covenant people: For Your Name's sake spurn us not, disgrace not the throne of Your glory. Remember Your covenant with us and break it not" (Jeremiah 14:21).