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AUSTRALIA/ISRAEL REVIEW VOLUME 46 No. 1 JANUARY 2021 AUSTRALIA/ISRAEL & JEWISH AFFAIRS COUNCIL IRRECONCILABLE DIFFERENCES Israel likely heading for yet another election just as the Biden administration takes over in Washington UNRWA’S TURNING POINT? MARRAKECH UNFORGETTABLE COLD PEACE, EXPRESS LESSONS WARM PEACE A unique opportunity to reform Israel’s historic nor- Innovative new How the UAE normalisa- the controversial UN agency for malisation deal with Holocaust education tion differs from Israel’s Palestinian refugees ....................... PAGE 30 Morocco ........PAGE 20 programs in longstanding peace with Australia ........PAGE 25 Egypt .................PAGE 6 NAME OF SECTION WITH COMPLIMENTS AND BEST WISHES FROM GANDEL GROUP CHADSTONE SHOPPING CENTRE 1341 DANDENONG ROAD CHADSTONE VIC 3148 TEL: (03) 8564 1222 FAX: (03) 8564 1333 With Compliments from P O BOX 400 SOUTH MELBOURNE, 3205, AUSTRALIA TELEPHONE: (03) 9695 8700 2 AIR – January 2021 AUSTRALIA/ISRAEL VOLUME 46 No. 1 REVIEW JANUARY 2021 EDITOR’S NOTE NAME OF SECTION his month’s AIR edition focuses on Israel’s apparent drift toward new elections – the ON THE COVER Tfourth in two years – just as the Biden administration takes office in the US. Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Amotz Asa-El explains the events that look very likely to lead to Israeli voters going Netanyahu (R) and alternate-PM back to the polls in March, while Israeli pundit Haviv Rettig Gur looks at recent devel- and Defence Minister Benny opments that may make long-serving Israeli PM Binyamin Netanyahu more vulnerable Gantz attend the weekly cabinet this time around. In addition, American columnist Jonathan Tobin argues the upcoming meeting in Jerusalem on June inauguration of Joe Biden makes a new Israeli poll sensible, while, in the editorial, Colin 21, 2020. (AFP Photo) Rubenstein further explores the link between the election and Jerusalem’s relations with Washington. Finally, top Israeli security analyst Jacob Nagel discusses how Israel and the Biden administration can coordinate their policies on Iran. Also featured this month is Raphael Ahren on the historical roots of Israel’s recently announced normalisation breakthrough with Morocco, plus Ron Schleifer and Yehuda Brochin on opportunities to reform the long problematic UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). And don’t miss Sharyn Mittelman exploring some unique Holocaust education initiatives in Australia, Jeremy Jones’ dive into antisemitism trends in this country, and Allon Lee’s review of an odd novel focussed on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Please let us know what you think of any aspect of this edition at [email protected]. Tzvi Fleischer CONTENTS FEATURE STORIES REGULAR COLUMNS IRRECONCILABLE FROM THE EDITORIAL CHAIRMAN DIFFERENCES COLIN RUBENSTEIN ....................................................................... PAGE 4 ................................................. PAGE 5 BY AMOTZ ASA-EL WORD FOR WORD Jury-rigged from the start, it SCRIBBLINGS held together for a scant seven months. Only created last TZVI FLEISCHER ............................................................................ PAGE 6 May, Israel’s 35th government seems to have reached the DECONSTRUCTION ZONE end of its journey ..........................................................PAGE 12 BEN COHEN .................................................................................... PAGE 7 NETANYAHU FACING AN UPHILL STRUGGLE ASIA WATCH BY HAVIV RETTIG GUR ................................................................. PAGE 14 MICHAEL SHANNON ...................................................................... PAGE 8 THE CASE FOR ISRAELI ELECTIONS AIR NEW ZEALAND BY JONATHAN TOBIN ................................................................... PAGE 16 MIRIAM BELL ................................................................................ PAGE 9 BIDEN, ISRAEL AND IRAN BEHIND THE NEWS .............................................. PAGE 10 BY JACOB NAGEL ........................................................................ PAGE 17 STRANGER THAN FICTION ........................ PAGE 11 A PEACE RESONANT WITH HISTORY The Israel-Morocco normalisation deal NOTED AND QUOTED ..................................... PAGE 35 BY RAPHAEL AHREN .................................................................... PAGE 20 IN PARLIAMENT ...................................................... PAGE 36 ASSASSINATION IMPLICATIONS BY MEDIA MICROSCOPE ARDAVAN KHOSHNOOD .......................................................... PAGE 21 ALLON LEE ................................................................................... PAGE 39 YET MORE EXTREMIST VOICES EXPOSED THE LAST WORD BY RAN PORAT ............................................................................. PAGE 23 JEREMY JONES ........................................................................... PAGE 40 LESSONS THAT MUST NOT BE FORGOTTEN BY SHARYN MITTELMAN ............................................................. PAGE 25 HOW TO USE OUR INTERACTIVE EDITION BIBLIO FILE: A NOVEL APPROACH • Tap/click to return to the Contents page BY ALLON LEE ............................................................................. PAGE 28 • All listed articles link to their page. ESSAY: UNRWA’S MOMENT OF TRUTH • Best viewed in your desktop browser or the Books (iOS) or A chance for urgently needed reforms equivalent e-book reader app in portrait mode. BY RON SCHLEIFER & YEHUDA BROCHIN .................................... PAGE 30 3 AIR – January 2021 Australia/Israel Review A journal of analysis and opinion published by the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC) Editorial Chairman EDITORIAL Dr COLIN RUBENSTEIN AM Editor-in-Chief Dr TZVI FLEISCHER Senior Contributing Editor ISRAELI DEMOCRACY AND JEREMY JONES AM Staff Writers ALLON LEE, JAMIE HYAMS, AHRON THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION SHAPIRO, SHARYN MITTELMAN, NAOMI LEVIN, OVED LOBEL, JUDY MAYNARD Publishing Manager arring a hasty, last-minute reprieve of some kind, as of this writing, Israel’s Knesset MICHAEL SHANNON Correspondents Bis expected to dissolve itself before the new year, setting the stage for an unprec- ISRAEL: AMOTZ ASA-EL edented fourth election in two years, probably in mid-March. EUROPE: DOUGLAS DAVIS NEW ZEALAND: MIRIAM BELL After no viable governing coalition emerged from the elections in April and Septem- National Editorial Board ber of 2019, the third, in March 2020, was held against the backdrop of the coronavirus KEITH BEVILLE, RABBI RALPH GENENDE OAM, GARY HERZ, MIRIAM pandemic. It resulted in the shaky compromise of the current national emergency govern- LASKY, STEVE LIEBLICH, RABBI JOHN ment led by the Likud and the Blue and White parties. LEVI AM, Hon. HOWARD NATHAN AM, IAN WALLER SC At the time, AIJAC argued this unity government was necessary given the looming pandemic and other challenges. But we also warned that the contrived arrangements put AIJAC in place to make it possible would be extremely complex and difficult to manage, requir- National Chairman MARK LEIBLER AC ing both considerable good will and political skill. Unfortunately, not enough of these NSW Chairman vital commodities were forthcoming, and the unity arrangement never really led to a fully PAUL RUBENSTEIN Executive Director functioning and coherent government. Dr COLIN RUBENSTEIN AM As the prime minister chosen to lead first in an 18-month rotational arrangement, Director of International & Community Affairs responsibility for the Government’s failures must begin with Binyamin Netanyahu, even if JEREMY JONES AM his erstwhile partners from Blue and White are also not blameless. Netanyahu appreciates Senior Policy Analysts AHRON SHAPIRO, JAMIE HYAMS, ALLON that his failure to pass a budget is, by law, an automatic trigger for new elections. Given LEE, NAOMI LEVIN, SHARYN MITTELMAN the unprecedented national challenges Israel faces in the spheres of health, the economy Policy Analysts OVED LOBEL, JUDY MAYNARD and defence, many in Israel consider the refusal to pass such a budget highly questionable. Associate Director of Public Affairs Netanyahu has undeniable achievements in office, including his leadership in forging JOEL BURNIE National Media & Public Affairs peace and normalisation agreements with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and, Officer most recently, Morocco and Bhutan. However, these accomplishments have been marred ARIEL ZOHAR Multimedia Designer to some extent by his failure to bring the impending deals to the attention of Defence AREK DYBEL Minister Benny Gantz and Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi of Blue and White. Events Coordinator HELEN BRUSTMAN OAM Israel’s seemingly endless political stalemate has of course been extremely frustrating, Administration but a fourth election could nonetheless be what the country needs at this time. There are MELBOURNE: ROSEMARY SANDLER, RENA LANGBERG some hopeful signs emerging that, after this round, there may be a different outcome that SYDNEY: LOUISE DE MESQUITA could lead to some sorely needed stability and policy productivity (see pp. 12-14). Israel Liaison PETER ADLER One key reason a new stable government in Jerusalem is urgently needed is in order Founding Chairmen to establish effective ties with the incoming Biden administration about to assume office in ISADOR MAGID AM (OBM) ROBERT ZABLUD (OBM) the US. HEAD OFFICE The current division of key ministries between Blue and White and Likud, and the Level 1, 22 Albert Road, South Melbourne, VIC 3205, Australia chronic