How Netanyahu courted success
More than just nationalism led to outcome of Israeli election
It’s a mystery to many: Benjamin Netanyahu’s campaign gained steam when he ruled out the creation of a Palestinian state, and he seems determined to continue settling occupied land with Jews.
So why would Israelis again back policies that promise friction of all kinds? Here are some issues that help explain the outcome of Tuesday’s vote, in which Netanyahu’s Likud Party won 30 seats in the 120- seat parliament, and parties apparently willing to back him won another 37 for a possible majority:
THE WEST BANK IS VALUABLE
From a Palestinian perspective, the West Bank and Gaza Strip combined are just about a fifth of historic Palestine — the bare minimum that is acceptable from their perspective to formally accept the existence of Israel.
But what Israelis see is a pre1967 border that is basically just a cease- fire line from the 1948- 49 war that established the country. The strategic highland looms over Israeli cities, visible on a clear day from the outskirts of Tel Aviv and surrounding Jerusalem on three sides. They fear that if their army clears out it will be replaced by forces like Hamas.
PEACE SEEMS UNLIKELY
On several occasions Israeli governments have offered Palestinians statehood on close to all of the West Bank and Gaza. A quarter- century’s worth of futile negotiations appears to stem from Israel’s refusal to accept a return of Palestinian refugees and their descendants, who potentially number in the millions, and from the tremendous difficulty of sharing the holy city, Jerusalem.
THE TRIBAL FACTOR
Israel’s fractured politics leave little room for manoeuvre. More than a third of the new parliament will be occupied by parties that target certain groups and have a nearguaranteed vote that has little to do with the Palestinian issue: Israeli Arabs, Russian immigrants, traditionally inclined Sephardic Jews and different shades of religious Jews.
KING BIBI
Netanyahu, known popularly as Bibi, is a brilliant campaigner who not only does and says what it takes to get elected but seems comfortable doing so. In the final week of the campaign he realized that the perception of victory, in Israel’s fragmented political space, would depend more on his party than his bloc. So he tacked to the right, taking votes from his nationalist ally, the Jewish Home.
On Tuesday, that meant issuing dire warnings that Israeli Arab citizens were streaming to the polls, which shocked many Israelis and brought charges of racism.