Deviating from the election norm

February 8, 2009 - 5:03 PM by Harry

KnessetElections are just a couple days away and the nation seems, well, uninspired. It’s quite frustrating actually. It seems like everyone I talk to is annoyed and sick and tired of the same old faces and the same old parties. I don’t think I’ve heard anyone speak enthusiastically this election or about the party they support. The prevalent attitude I’ve been hearing is that nothing is going to change so I’m just going to vote for [name party affiliation here]. Some might argue that the problem is with the system (true) and that it does not allow for any real representation or accountability (double true). So where does this leave us? Depressed? Slightly. Disappointed? Absolutely. I’m still not sure what to do. I fall fairly flat in the center – so naturally Kadima should be an option for me, right? Wrong. I won’t vote for a party with the ilk of Tzachi Hanegbi in a leadership position. He was indicted a couple of years ago for political appointments while serving as minister of the environment between 2001 and 2003 and has pretty much acted like a thug his entire life.

Kadima Shadima I say. Everyone I know is voting for Kadima because “they don’t really have a choice.” Thing is, there is a choice. And for me that choice is integrity. Kadima is in essence a national unity government running on the same ticket. They may have filled their initially filled their ranks with star academics and new faces (where are they now?) but the fact remains that sleazy politicians like Hanegbi and Ronnie Bar-On are still in the top spots. That’s not anything I can believe in.

Bottom line is that Kadima is just more of the same – self-interested politicians who represent nobody but themselves.

Everyone always promises reform but no one delivers. Since 1991, Knesset members have voted to raise their salaries by 90%. And two years ago NIS 10 million was allocated to the expense accounts of Parliamentary aides. An increase of NIS 10,000 a month per aide, that’s almost double their salaries. Reform…right.

This is an election about national security and nothing more. That’s what people are voting for and I guess everything else falls to the wayside.

Tags: , , , • Category: Israeliness, Politics 

Comments

6 Comments on Deviating from the election norm

  1. David-Joe on Sun, Feb 8th 2009 5:40 PM

    2. Why? It is because Israelis are realizing that they have lost the will to ensure security.

    How?
    The latest defense campaign against the Arabs in Gaza was supposed to stop the rockets. It has failed. The Hamas rockets continue to fly.

    Operation Cast Lead [who though this name uyp? A child?] was supposed to undermine Hamas government in Gaza. It failed.

    The Campaign iinto Gaza was supposd to force Hamas to release Schalit. It failed.

    Israelis constantly heard how “compassionate” the forces were – and one pilot, even aborted his mission because he may have had to harm enemy civilians. He should have been court martialled not agreed with.

    And Iran? Israelis are quickly arriving at the conclusion that nothng is likely to be done if Ntanyahu is not elected. And even then, we all know that he is an arrogant leader who pretends that he is a “king” and what he says is not what he does, often.

    Further, the illusion that Israel is a normal country in a normal situation may be sinking in and Israelis these days do not like that. They are not the Israelis of the past that understood and held the principles of Zionism high.

    The Israelis of today are interested in Athenian comfort, do not mind corruption that much, and are actually doubting themselves.
    I talk to young Israelis I meet in NYC – and there are many – and politically and idealogically they have no view of Israel’s RIGHT.

    Israel no longer projects the image of being the strong and determined nation that woe betide anyone that attacks.

    Israel these days projects the image of a beleagured, confused nation. A nation caught between trying to apply the Christian ethic of “turning the other cheek” and while trying to be either Europe or America – at different times – and the rest simply doing nothing.

    Israel needs to reassess itself and understand the seriousness and danger that it is in. For if Iran gains the nuclear weapon it seeks, then the third State of Israel, in the Land of Israel, will be under an existential threat and of you think the national mood is depressed now – then just wait until then.

    Israel today, is a nation that both Ben Gurion and Begin and definitelty Jabotinsky, would be so very sad over.

  2. Steven on Sun, Feb 8th 2009 7:22 PM

    3. There should be some way to put accountability to the electorate into the system. Maybe on the back of the ballot paper should be the whole list, and you get the opportunity to cross one name off and put a check on one name that you really like, so that the electors get to determine where on the list a particular politician falls. the parties might prefer this, as Kadima supporters might be happier voting for the party if they could, say, push Hanagbi down into the 119th spot, or raise Yael Naim up into 2nd spot.

  3. Nicky on Sun, Feb 8th 2009 7:25 PM

    4. Strangely enough, the only real excitement I’ve heard from anyone about any political party has been about the Green party. National security is vital obviously, but so is climate change, and we can’t afford to be complacent.
    I haven’t decided how I’m voting yet – tactically or from the heart…

  4. David Doron on Sun, Feb 8th 2009 8:08 PM

    5. Please check the site of the new Green Movement – Meimad (tym.or.il)

    I have been voting since the late 60s, and this is the first time that I’ve met candidates that have real integrity, like Rabi Malkior, prof. Alon Tal, Eran Ben – Yemini and Iris Han. They all have an impressive record of doing for the education, health, environment and the welfare of the people here, in Israel.

  5. David Doron on Sun, Feb 8th 2009 8:11 PM

    6. The website of the green movement is tym.org.il. Sorry again for the mistake.

  6. Harry on Mon, Feb 9th 2009 11:41 AM

    7. Nicky, you must be referring to the Green Movement and not the Greens. The greens are hacks and the Green Movement/Meimad are an honest bunch that seem to have gained a lot of momentum these past few days. It seems like everyone in the Israeli Hebrew blogosphere is either supporting them of Hadash (commies!).

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