A Message to National Union :
How to Prevent a Palestinian State
Prof. Paul Eidelberg
Back in June 1996, a Gallup poll indicated that 68% of the Israel public said that a law should be passed requiring Knesset ratification of peace agreements, while 25% said such a law is unnecessary .
(Note well: There is no current legal requirement for Knesset ratification . Although virtually all Governments submit treaties to the Knesset, ��approval�� is automatic given the Government��s control of the Knesset majority . )
The poll also asked those who favored a Knesset ratification law whether peace agreements should require a two-thirds majority to pass, or whether a simple majority was enough . 53% of those who favored the law favored a two-thirds majority of the Knesset, while 36% thought a simple majority was sufficient .
I therefore urge the parties comprising National Union to advocate or sponsor a bill to amend Basic Law: The Government, to the effect that any agreement entered into by the Government with a foreign state or entity will require the ratification of two-thirds of a Knesset plenum (80 votes). Such an amendment should prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state.
However, it should be borne in mind that Likud chairman Benjamin Netanyahu is on record as having favored a national referendum on territorial issues. Therefore, even though a large majority of the public now opposes a Palestinians state, National Union should warn the public that a referendum should be opposed, and not only for ideological reasons, but also for two pragmatic reasons:
�� First, Arabs comprise 20 percent of Israel ��s population Since they will vote for a Palestinian state, it will be more difficult for Jews faithful to the Land of Israel to overcome that handicap and register enough votes to defeat the referendum.
�� Second, if a Netanyahu Government institutes a referendum on this issue, it will be able to manipulate the unwary with the help of Israel ��s leftwing-dominated media, which supports a Palestinian state.
By the way, here is another reason why Feiglinites should think twice before voting for the Likud. Unlike National Union, the Likud refused to sign a public advertisement that said NO to a Palestinian state. Of course, Feiglinites rightly prefer Netanyahu to Tzipi Livni and Ehud Barak.
The fact remains, however, that most members of the Likud (23 out of 38) betrayed the nation when they voted for unilateral disengagement from Gaza . Surely Feiglinites do not want to be accused of voting for a party which arguably committed treason.
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A Message to Feiglinites
Prof. Paul Eidelberg
Some sanguinary Feiglinites would have the public believe that by voting Likud, not only will additional supporters of Moshe Feiglin enter the Knesset, but that one or two may receive cabinet portfolios by which to prevent Benjamin Netanyahu from surrendering Judea and Samaria ! Not all Feiglinites are so naive. Nevertheless, most betray woeful ignorance of Israel ��s system of prime ministerial government.
Notice I said ��prime ministerial�� government. Contrary to conventional wisdom, Israel is not a parliamentary democracy so much as a democratically elected autocracy. Israel��s prime minister has more power vis-�j-vis- the Knesset than an American president has vis-�j-vis Congress, if only because Congress can thwart his legislative program and hinder his foreign policy, even when both houses are controlled by the same party as the president.
There are no such institutional checks and balances in Israeli government. If proof is wanted, since Israel rebirth more than sixty years ago, no Labor-led, no Likud-led, and no Kadima-led government has ever been toppled by a Knesset vote of no confidence.
Prime ministers of Israel have enormous power over their cabinet ministers. Ministers know they may lose their portfolios and privileges in the event of an ��untimely�� new election. Since cabinet ministers are the leaders of the parties forming the ruling coalition in the Knesset, a prime minister can readily manipulate the Knesset. This is exactly what Ariel Sharon did in October 2004, when he ��persuaded�� 22 Likud MKs to vote for ��unilateral disengagement,�� which they did contrary to their campaign pledges, but primarily because MKs are not individually accountable to the voters in constituency elections.
Returning to the Feiglinite issue: Let us remember that Sharon dismissed Benny Elon and Avigdor Lieberman from his cabinet because of their opposition to ��unilateral disengagement.�� Elon and Lieberman were party leaders, and could therefore induce others to oppose Sharon . What could two Feiglinite cabinet ministers do�Xnot that any will be appointed�Xbesides resign from a Netanyahu government? BB will have no problem replacing them with Kadima and/or Labor MKs. More realistically, what could they do simply as Likud MKs?
Like Sharon , Netanyahu will design a coalition agreement that will require any Feiglinite to support the government��s policies. And if they fail to do so, they will suffer the consequences, whatever these may be.
In view of these considerations and the utter unreliability of Benjamin Netanyahu�Xwhich I have documented in other articles�Xit seems to me that Feiglinites would be well advised to vote for a party that unambiguously opposes a Palestinian state, foremost among which is the joint list of parties forming National Union.
Feiglinites should bear in mind that National Union will not be limited by any restrictive coalition agreement concocted by Netanyahu. They should also ponder the hundreds of thousands of floating votes, a large percentage of which may be attracted to National Union.
NU advocates political principles and policy positions that appeal to a large part of the public�Xabove all, NO to a Palestinian state. The pubic distrusts Netanyahu on this issue. Countless voters wonder whether Netanyahu can stand up under American pressure. And BB is not famous on such issues as Jewish education and concern for the poor.
Another consideration. National Union includes the Hatikvah Party, hence one of Israel ��s most courageous Knesset Members Professor Ariel Eldad. In contrast to the dismal record of Netanyahu and the Likud Party on ��disengagement�� from Gaza , Eldad will stand four square against a Palestinian state.
Moreover, Eldad, like Uri Banks of Moledet (another NU party), also wants to empower the people by making MKs accountable to the people in constituency elections�Xsomething opposed by Netanyahu.
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