Schlaglicht Israel Nr. 23/18 Aktuelles aus israelischen Tageszeitungen 16.-31. Dezember Die Themen dieser Ausgabe 1. Vorgezogene Neuwahlen im April ................................................................................................................................... 1 2. Trump will US-Truppen aus Syrien abziehen ................................................................................................................ 4 3. Trauer um Amos Oz ......................................................................................................................................................... 6 4. Medienquerschnitt ............................................................................................................................................................ 8 1. Vorgezogene Neuwahlen im April Habayit Hayehudi und wollen versuchen, In Israel soll bereits am 9. April ein neues mit der „Neuen Rechten“ religiöse und Parlament gewählt werden. Bislang lehnte weltliche Wähler für sich zu gewinnen. Ministerpräsident Benjamin Netanyahu, dessen Regierung schon einige Zeit in der By calling early elections, Netanyahu is taking Krise steckte, Neuwahlen ab. Netanyahu the gamble of his life sagte bei einer Sitzung seiner Likud-Partei, (…) The supreme and only priority that has dictated er erhoffe sich von den Neuwahlen "ein Netanyahu’s steps from that evening until now is his klares Mandat für unsere Regierung, ihren complicated legal situation. (…) A bribery indictment Weg fortzusetzen“. Ausführlich umriss er in one or two cases and is unavoidable. He is going die Erfolge seiner bisherigen Regierungs- to a lightning election, by Israeli standards, with a zeit im politischen, wirtschaftlichen und campaign season of 106 days, in the hope that the militärischen Bereich, darunter die Ent- attorney general’s decision won’t be publicized dur- scheidung des US-Präsidenten Donald ing the course of the campaign. The possibility that Trump vor einem Jahr, Jerusalem als he won’t be reelected, and that he will eventually be Hauptstadt Israels anzuerkennen. Noch treated by the justice system like any other citizen, is vier Wochen vorher hatte Netanyahu seine a calculated risk. With his decision, Netanyahu Koalitionspartner mit Hinweis auf die Si- wants to challenge the attorney general and to pre- cherheitslage an der Grenze zum Libanon vent a situation in which Mendelblit's decision will be vor vorgezogenen Neuwahlen gewarnt. made public right on the eve of the election (…). He Was ihn zum Umdenken motiviert haben is gambling that Mendelblit will be deterred from dürfte, ist die drohende Anklageschrift in such a dramatic step and will wait until after the mindestens zwei Korruptionsfällen. Netan- election. That is the gamble of his life, no less. yahu baut darauf, dass die Verfahren erst Yossi Verter, HAA, 24.12.18 nach den Wahlen eingeleitet werden, wenn überhaupt. Der frühere Generalstabschef Israel holding elections for sake of Netanyahu’s Benny Gantz kündigte seine Kandidatur mit personal interests einer eigenen Partei an. Bildungsminister (…) The coalition heads were not the ones who Naftali Bennett und Justizministerin Ayelet decided to call early elections, (…) they would have Shaked trennten sich von der Siedlerpartei preferred to keep the current government alive for 1 as long as possible. (…) The order came from Net- anyahu himself, because if he genuinely wanted to What do elections mean for Israel’s main players keep the coalition afloat, nothing would’ve stopped (…) Netanyahu preferred elections in May (after him and a solution to crisis triggered over the IDF Israel Independence Day and the Eurovision song draft bill would have been found overnight. (…) The contest) or in November (the original date), but the prime minister’s associates probably convinced him prospect of elections with Liberman, Minister of that Mandelblit (…) wouldn’t dare release his rec- Justice Ayelet Shaked, and Minister of Education ommendations a month before the elections, and Naftali Bennett accusing him of not being concerned after Netanyahu is once again elected as prime enough about state security was unattractive for minister, Mandelblit will most likely not make his Netanyahu. In the past few weeks, Netanyahu has decision public right away. (…) Netanyahu’s advi- managed to recover his security standing as a result sors also most likely insisted that he shouldn't wait of the tunnels operation in the north, among other until former IDF chief of staff Benny Gantz estab- reasons, and to quieten those critical voices. (…) As lishes his own political party and starts fundraising. of now, it appears that Shaked and Bennett's with- It’s such a cynical move (…) over the past month drawal of their ultimatum demanding Bennett's ap- we’ve evolved from a country on a brink of war to a pointment as minister of defense caused no special state that can easily afford to go to early elections harm to them or their party (…). The Jewish Home (…) only to end up with the exact same coalition Party is Netanyahu's natural partner for forming the we’ve had up until this point. (…) It’s fascinating how next government, and it is likely that Shaked and the reality suddenly changes when personal inter- Bennett will be in a fairly comfortable situation when ests are at stake. It’s an insult to the intelligence of the next coalition is assembled (…). Liberman is one the general public. (…) It’s nothing but a matter of of the big losers from the coalition surviving his personal interest. (…) One thing is certain, those resignation as minister of defense. (…) The effect of who hoped there will be a plea deal or resignation, the northern tunnel exposure campaign detracted will be left disappointed. Netanyahu is here to stay, from Liberman's arguments about Netanyahu's and we’ll see who has the courage to challenge him. irresponsibility on the southern front. (…) The an- Sima Kadmon, YED, 25.12.18 nouncement of elections catches Gantz with his hypothetical political party and the possibility of a Let's move toward a more civil election cam- partnership with one existing party or another still paign for 2019 being an unrealized election surprise. (…) After four (…) the vibrant democracy of the State of Israel is years in opposition, the elections are coming at the writ large on the stage of world politics. (…) But best possible time for Yesh Atid Party chairperson what we cannot abide, cannot tolerate, is the way in MK Yair Lapid. He is prepared for them, his field which some of these representatives of the State of staff is prepared, and he is ready to state that he is Israel conduct themselves (…). Yes, elections are a running for prime minister, no less. (…) The fact that traditional time for people to really go at it, to say he refused to support the military draft bill in its anything and do anything to win favor with voters, current form makes him more attractive to his con- pandering to the lowest common denominator with stituency, but also confronts him with an old dilem- the misbegotten notion that the ends justify the ma: how to run for prime minister without serving in means. It is foolish and deplorable and an embar- the same coalition with the haredi (…) parties. (…) rassment. The people of Israel deserve better. (…) The showing of Gabbay and the Zionist Union in the We hope this election campaign won’t be bloody, polls is far from encouraging, to say the least, and though sadly it’s already not looking good (…) speak the shaky state of relations within the party and with properly. Use better language. Don’t get down in the opposition chairperson MK Tzipi Livni are weighing mud. We do not need a repeat of the 20th Knesset, him down. (…) Will he agree to step aside in favor of with its full share of verbal garbage. (…) Is it too Benny Gantz? Not in the foreseeable future. much to ask all candidates to give honor and char- Naama Sikuler, GLO, 25.12.18 acter to their profession? Does every political point necessitate debating at the highest level of venom Netanyahu’s secret weapon and vitriol? Can Israeli politics this time display (…) Elections have twice been held in March, in some decorum, some civility? All we ask for is a little 2006 and 2015, and they have been held in late May menschlichkeit. at least twice. We have also been known to have Editorial, JPO, 25.12.18 elections over the summer. But elections in April, 2 two weeks before the Passover holiday? That is a Netanyahu's election u-turn is meant to sway his surprise and apparently, one of the effects Netanya- criminal probes hu had hoped to achieve. (…) April 9 is another (…) Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit (…) has a three-and-a-half months away. This short time frame tough call to make — deciding on which charges is particularly problematic for the political novices (…). The decision-making process must neither be getting the most media coverage at the moment. contaminated, nor influenced by the election date or Former IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz, Labor party election campaigns (…). Even those opposed to leader Avi Gabbay, former Yisrael Beytenu MK Orly Netanyahu don't really know what they are voting Levy-Abekasis, former Defense Minister and Likud for. Those going to the polls must surely wonder MK Moshe Ya'alon will all need to focus their energy whether by giving their vote to Yesh Atid's Yair on extricating themselves from this political pileup. Lapid, or former IDF chief of staff Benny Gantz, or (…) political commentators are wrong to claim the Zionist Union's Avi Gabbay, they are voting for a investigations into Netanyahu's alleged corruption party that will join the coalition once the Netanyahu are the elephant in the room, as if Netanyahu is era is over, or are they voting for a party that will sit running against Attorney General Avichai Mendelblit in the opposition no matter how things unfold in at the ballot box. Mendelblit is just doing his job. And Likud. Moreover, Likud's satellite parties — Jewish let us keep in mind that to date, nothing about Net- Home, Yisrael Beiteinu and Kulanu—will be obligat- anyahu's actions has caused him to lose the support ed to explain to their voters the nature of their com- of his supporters.