Netanyahu Will Make History

[Agnosticsherbet]

Netanyahu Will Make History
Well, it’s pretty clear now: Benjamin Netanyahu is going to be a major figure in Israeli history — not because he’s heading to become the longest-serving Israeli prime minister, but because he’s heading to be the most impactful. Having won the Israeli elections — in part by declaring that he will never permit a two state-solution between Israelis and Palestinians — it means Netanyahu will be the father of the one-state solution. And the one-state solution means that Israel will become, in time, either a non-Jewish democracy or Jewish non-democracy.

Yes, sir, Bibi is going to make history. And the leader in the world who is most happy that Netanyahu ran on — and won on — a one-state solution is the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Oh, my goodness. They must have been doing high-fives and “Allahu akbars” all night in the ruling circles of Tehran when they saw how low Bibi sank to win. What better way to isolate Israel globally and deflect attention from Iran’s behavior?

The biggest losers in all of this, besides all the Israelis who did not vote for Netanyahu, are American Jews and non-Jews who support Israel. What Bibi did to win this election was move the Likud Party from a center-right party to a far-right one. The additional votes he got were all grabbed from the other far-right parties — not from the center. When the official government of Israel is a far-right party that rejects a two-state solution and employs anti-Arab dog whistles to get elected, it will split the basic unity of the American Jewish community on Israel. How many American Jews want to defend a one-state solution in Washington or on their college campuses? Is Aipac, the Israel lobby, now going to push for a one-state solution on Capitol Hill? How many Democrats and Republicans would endorse that?

Warning: Real trouble ahead.

This sentence bears repeating: "And the one-state solution means that Israel will become, in time, either a non-Jewish democracy or Jewish non-democracy."

[Fred Sanders]

1. This argument won, Bibi is already saying he was just joking. "One state solution" was just a ploy!

[Agnosticsherbet]

3. I don't believe Bibi.

[BillZBubb]

2. The Israeli right's (and a lot of the center's) long game is one state.

Greater Israel with the Palestinians squashed into isolate enclaves on poor land. Their model for the Palestinians is apartheid South Africa.

For them it has always been about a slow ethnic cleansing of desirable West Bank land. What Netanyahu said or didn't say hasn't really changed a thing. He made the mistake conservatives often make of revealing their true, despicable objectives in a campaign.

I don't think there's much trouble ahead, since anyone with any intelligence has long ago understood what Netanyahu is up to. The republicans are all in supporting him. And the Democrats are far to craven to do anything about it.

[Ken Burch]

4. Good analysis...but is "impactful" really a word? n/t.

[aranthus]

5. Doubtful

First, it hasn't been decided that he will be the next Prime Minister. Second, your main point isn't true. A one state solution does not mean that Israel will be either a non-Jewish democracy or a Jewish non-democracy. Even if Israel were to make all of the Arabs living in the West Bank and Gaza citizens of Israel (and that is really unlikely given Hamas), there would still be a Jewish majority. The only thing that would destroy a Jewish majority would be implementing right of return, and that isn't necessary for a one state solution, and it isn't going to happen.

[Scootaloo]

6. Let's break it down...

First, it hasn't been decided that he will be the next Prime Minister.

Who died and made you CNN? No, he's going to keep his seat. He'll offer hair another twenty minutes in front of a camera, and his coalition will be off the ground.

Second, your main point isn't true. A one state solution does not mean that Israel will be either a non-Jewish democracy or a Jewish non-democracy.

Is an interesting prelude to your obvious desire for it to be a jewish non-democracy.

Even if Israel were to make all of the Arabs living in the West Bank and Gaza citizens of Israel (and that is really unlikely given Hamas)

Well, that's really what "one state" means, aranthus. Are you perhaps confused, and think that it means that israel gets all the territory and the Palestinians... what? Remain stateless nobodies within those borders?

there would still be a Jewish majority.

Actually by the numbers it would be pretty much even. There are 6.1 million Jews in Israel. There are 1.68 million Arabs in Israel. Add in the 4.4 million from the West bank, Jerusalem, and Gaza, and you've got 6.08 million. Should we consider the Arab population of Golan while we're at it, since Israel seems certain that that's part of Israel?

And what of it? Do you believe the white majority in the US deserves privileged status over the nonwhites here? 'Cause you seem to be making that case for jews in a prospective "one state" Israel.

The only thing that would destroy a Jewish majority would be implementing right of return

See the above numbers.

and that isn't necessary for a one state solution, and it isn't going to happen.

Who says? All sorts of things can happen in a democracy, after all.

[android fan]

7. Facts....

Yes, Bibi will keep his seat, but it does not mean that he has reached the required number of seats in a coalition YET.

The kingmaker? Moshe Kahlon's Kulanu.

Without Kulanu, Bibi can't reach the magic number, and Kahlon hates Bibi. Will NEVER make a coalition.

so we just wait 39 days until Bibi is forced to call for another set of elections.

[aranthus]

8. I thought the second highest vote getter gets a shot at it.

If Bibi can't form a coalition then wouldn't Herzog have a chance to cobble one together?

[Scootaloo]

10. Well first, I'm dubious of your claim

that Kahlon would NEVER make a coalition with Netanyahu. I remember the same statement being made about Yesh Atid's Hair. But that prediction was made by someone who expected a kadima landslide, sooooo.

next, Kahlon is a hardliner on the issue of Palestine. As are pretty much all the names on the "Zionist Union" list. So jumping over there to form a coalition (which will, as we expect, exclude the Arab lit and Meretz) will not actually change anything, as far as the issue of Israel and Palestine is considered. The tempo might slow a bit. A bit. But the beatings will continue.

[geek tragedy]

9. Palestinian/Arab birth rate exceeds that of Jews, so eventually they will surpass

the number of Jews.

Moreover, once they get the right to vote, well then the right of return becomes fair game in the new parliament. And if you think "Jews only" is going to be the rule going forward for diaspora going home when Arabs are 49-51% of the vote in parliament, good luck with that.

Meretz will be kingmakers then.