What now, Bibi? — Early election takeaways

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

http://972mag.com/what-now-bibi-early-election-takeaways/104539/

Netanyahu was able to surge in the last few days, following a desperate – and at times, racist –campaign that warned right-wing voters of a “left-wing government backed by the Arabs.” On election day, he published a Facebook status declaring that “Arabs are heading to the polls in masses” and called for his supporters to rush and save the Right from losing power. This was a prime minister warning that his own citizens are voting. But in Netanyahu’s rhetoric, Palestinians were never really citizens anyway, even those who have Israeli identity cards; he sees himself as the leader of the Jewish people, not of Israelis.
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The big question is – to what end? Netanyahu may have won a major victory – he destroyed the opposition on the right and he will once again lead a big party – but he ran a nasty campaign that alienated major parts of the public. He put himself in a diplomatic corner on Iran and committed to never permit the creation of a Palestinian state. What now, Bibi?

In the final days of the campaign, Netanyahu said twice that there will be no Palestinian state – not on his watch. But what alternative Bibi is offering? In two years, Israel will mark 50 years of military control over the lives of millions of Palestinians. The international community is more vocal in its demands for change, and the Palestinian Authority is more desperate than ever. Netanyahu won’t be able to blame the PA for the failure of the ever-lasting peace process when he himself declares that no matter what the Palestinians do, they will never gain their independence, nor will they become full citizens of Israel.

There is symbolic significance to the fact that Netanyahu openly campaigned on his opposition to Palestinian statehood. It means that he is backed by a majority of Israeli voters, and an absolute majority of the Jewish vote. There needs to be, and I think there will be, a debate on the implications of this decision by the Jewish public. For years we have been hearing that Israel will either end the occupation or cease to be a democracy. Could it be that the Jewish public has made its choice?

[Dawson Leery]

1. The Lester Maddox of the middle east

has isolated Israel in the international community (Since the voters decided to not decisively remove him, this condition is well deserved).

[sabbat hunter]

2. I am hoping that

Yesh Lapid and Moshe Kahlon refuse to join Bibi in a coalition. If they refuse, Bibi won't be able to cobble together a coalition, even if he gets all the far right wing parties, along with UTJ and Shas to join up.

[aranthus]

20. Ditto.

There's been a lot of breast beating about how the election shows up Israel to be such an awful state, but the reality is that the Center and Left have a governing majority, and the Right doesn't. Not unless they can buy out the Center. I'm holding out hope that Bibi won't be able to do that.

[geek tragedy]

3. From the US perspective, the first step is disengaging from

the Isrseli/Palestinian talks.

No more talks. No more flights from John Kerry to Israel. No more European leaders asking them to give the process more time.

Time to wash our hands of the failed, and now dead, 'peace process' and eventually Israel, whose future as an apartheid state is now set in stone.

And, yes, Israeli Jews have chosen apartheid, quite clearly so.

This is who they are.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

4. I'm not sure how the hasbaraists will be able to wish this away.

It is pretty damming that Bibi the baby-killer has so much support. Some Israelis have chosen apartheid, but they may not realize the damage they have caused themselves on the world stage.

European sanctions and missed UN vetos by the USA may be next.

[geek tragedy]

5. US will probably still veto.

Hopefully the behind the scenes support and lobbying on behalf of the apartheid regime will end, though.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

6. I would like to imagine that the USA misses one veto to send a message.

The Western world now has the next move. Bibi has made his position clear, and there is no more room for negotiations. From the Israeli side it is now clear that they never intended for legitimate negotiations.

BDS.

[android fan]

10. The Israelis enjoy your so-called "BDS" effort...

I hear that the exports are on the rise.....

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

16. In time. In time.

[geek tragedy]

17. That was when Israel was pretending it didn't intend to continue the occupation forever nt

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

18. I hear that you don't hear so well.

http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Poverty-in-Israel-worsening-deepening-385373

Poverty in Israel is deepening and people are finding it increasingly difficult to escape the poverty cycle, according to the Alternative Poverty Report the Latet NGO published on Monday.

Some 2,546,000 poor people live in the country, or 31.6 percent of the population, including 1,613,000 adults (29.8% of the total), and 932,000 children (35.1% of the total), according to the findings.

What are exports, imagined or otherwise, when your country is fucked?


Oh, but don't worry about BDS. It's on its way: thanks to the right wing bigot Bibi.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

9. I would like to suggest that the Israeli Palestine group should be renamed.

Seeing how Benyamin Netanyahu now openly embraces apartheid, proclaiming that there will never be a Palestinian state and his announcing plans to go hog-wild with settlement building, that there is no further need to call this group Israel / Palestine.

It actually seems more fitting, given the reality on the ground in Eretz Israel, that there will be no Palestine.


So why continue with the ruse? The moniker "Israel / Apartheid group" is actually more befitting the news that comes out of that country now and for he foreseeable future.


In all seriousness,

RDO

[geek tragedy]

13. Joint list will have zero power as a result.

The virulent racist parties are enough to form a majority.

Zionist Union will soon dissipate, having proven to be a complete and utter failure, and will be a footnote in history, nothing more.

Israel has renounced any and all negotiations for granting the people of the West Bank self-determination.

And spare us the bullshit about equal rights. Jews receive many benefits that Arabs don't receive through quasi-public agencies, not to mention the rampant discrimination and racism that characterizes Israeli society.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

19. I'm curious whether the EU will do its job or have to be dragged kicking and screaming to do so?

[Scootaloo]

15. That you conflate the two terms shows you're being disingenuous at best

[BillZBubb]

7. A sad day for Israel.

Now the world knows exactly what they are.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

8. Yes. The good Israelis must be very sad that their country now openly embraces apartheid.

[cilla4progress]

11. This meme should spread:

Israel is an apartheid state under Netanyahu

[BlueCaliDem]

14. It is. It is. I weep for Israel and the hope that she once was. Right-wingers have taken

over and the majority of Israelis have - now openly and unashamedly - embraced apartheid by voting for this warmonger and racist.