DOCSLIB.ORG

Schlaglicht Israel Nr

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Schlaglicht Israel Nr Schlaglicht Israel Nr. 22/12 Aktuelles aus israelischen Tageszeitungen 27. November – 10. Dezember 2012 1. Palästina erhält Beobachterstatus bei Misguided UN bid den Vereinten Nationen "By emphasizing unilateral declarations – empty of any but symbolic meaning – over dialogue and Am 29. November hat die UN-Vollversammlung für compromise, the UN bid further delays the day when die Anerkennung Palästinas als "Nichtmitgliedsstaat both sides – Israelis and Palestinians – sit down at mit Beobachterstatus" gestimmt. Nur neun Länder the negotiating table and hammer out their differ- stimmten gegen den von Präsident Mahmud Abbas ences. […] eingebrachten Antrag, den er als "letzte Chance" für The UN bid creates the false impression that the eine Zwei-Staaten-Lösung bezeichnete. Palestinian people […] are prepared for statehood Israels Reaktion auf die Abstimmung wurde seitens […]. In reality, Palestinian political leadership is der US-Regierung und der EU stark kritisiert. Insbe- irreparably split between the Hamas terrorist regime sondere die Ankündigung des Baus von 3.000 that runs Gaza Strip and the PLO, which controls Wohneinheiten in Westbank-Siedlungen und die the West Bank. It is a sad irony that Palestinians Forcierung der Planungen für das umstrittene soge- may very well achieve UN recognition of 'a unified nannte “E-1 Gebiet“ zwischen Ma’ale Adumim und and sovereign' Palestinian state at almost exactly Ost-Jerusalem. Medienberichten zufolge drohten the moment when internal conflicts between Hamas Großbritannien und Frankreich daraufhin mit einem and the PLO make the realization of such a state Abzug ihrer Botschafter. Dies wurde jedoch von den more impossible than ever." betreffenden Regierungen dementiert. 27.11.12 JPO Editorial Zu Spannungen kam es auch bei einem Treffen von Premier Netanyahu mit Bundeskanzlerin Merkel. Why I back Abbas's UN initiative Netanyahu kritisierte, dass Deutschland sich bei der "I back Mahmoud Abbas’s initiative. […] UN-Abstimmung enthalten hatte. Merkel hingegen I am for the Palestinian people. They are my neigh- hatte schon vorher gesagt, dass mit fortgesetztem bors and we are going to live together side by side Siedlungsbau "nichts zu erreichen" sei. forever. In the fight for peace, we have to strengthen the The stage is set for the final act moderates, and I believe that the PLO under "Abbas’s speech at the UN was a bad one. […] Mahmoud Abbas’s leadership is interested in peace. Great speeches are those used to launch a new […] We in Israel should have been doing this over policy, to change consciousness, and to signal new the last few years, but instead Netanyahu and Co. opportunities. The Palestinian and Israeli UN have done the opposite. They have weakened and speeches were old news, bad news and missed discredited Abbas with continued settlement build- opportunities, once again. […] ing." We have moved into the 'lose-lose' phase of this Meir Javedanfar, TOI 28.11.12 conflict and leaders on both sides seem to have adopted it fully within the mindset of, 'We will think A sad, sad day about tomorrow, tomorrow, or the day after that.' […] "I was hoping that the Palestinian leader would talk Our two societies are in desperate need for a game of reconciliation and peace. Instead […] Abbas changer, a new voice, a vision of hope with the slandered and accused Israel of ethnic cleansing, ability to deliver." war crimes, racism, hatred, incitement and aggres- Gershon Baskin, JPO 03.12.12 sion, and called for the rescue of the Palestinian 1 'victim' from the demonic Israeli 'executioner. […] Palestinian conflict. Things will not become easier in There was nothing in his speech about blowing up the future. But we have survived worse." buses, bombing coffee shops, or stabbing woman Boaz Bismuth, IHY 04.12.12 and children in their beds. […] Listening to Abbas, I realized that he is not seeking When being right isn't always the smartest thing reconciliation. It seems that he wishes to achieve "If the government could take back the last 48 internationally imposed statehood, as a phase in hours, it would reconsider its decisions to expand realizing the ultimate vision of annihilating the Jew- construction beyond the Green Line […] and freeze ish state." the transfer of tax money it collects for the Palestini- Reuven Ben-Shalom, JPO 06.12.12 an Authority. […] The government should have trodden carefully in Give them a state this diplomatic territory, which is seen as the litmus "Non-member status does not threaten Israel; it test for Israeli willingness […] to negotiate the two- angers it. Israel prefers to work opposite an organi- state solution. […] zation, an authority, an entity or a cell. It likes to With the public relations skills possessed by Netan- have an 'address' on which to hang responsibility, as yahu, it is possible to convince people that changing long as that address is not a state […] that would course is preferable to staying on a dead-end road. have equal status. […] It's a shame to persist along this path of unneces- Upon 'territories' it is possible […] to settle the citi- sary diplomatic hostility." zens of the occupying power. A Palestinian state, Dan Margalit, IHY 04.12.12 however, could theoretically determine who has a right to live in it. […] Such a Palestine angers Israel, Israel's punishment which believes that the Olso Accords have granted it "Israel's decision is also a slap in the face to another an eternal exemption from actually applying them." loyal friend, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who Zvi Bar'el, HAA 28.11.12 explained Germany's abstention in the vote as stemming from Israel's refusal to stop construction Both sides at fault in the territories. So, even before the next election "Abbas' achievement in the UN does not impress […] Netanyahu has already signaled where he is me, just as I am not enthusiastic over Jerusalem's heading: toward extremism, diplomatic isolation, reaction to the initiative. […] denunciation and ostracism by the world." While Bibi and Lieberman are busy with heated HAA 02.12.12 Editorial verbal exchanges and are setting silly conditions for a real diplomatic process, those around them who European warning shot are not interested in any sort of solution are gaining "Four years of no progress or any real dialogue with strength." the Palestinian Authority, along with repeated Emanuel Rosen, JED 04.12.12 threats to topple Mahmoud Abbas' regime, have turned Europe against Netanyahu. […] Not pleasant, but not terrible The message the European governments sent on "We are nowhere near a point where the British and Monday, in coordination with the US, […] was meant French ambassadors in Israel would be summoned to inform Netanyahu that they too know how to in- to their home countries for consultations. […] tervene in a country's internal elections. During such Europe has many other troubles at the moment — sensitive political times, turning Israel into a pariah severe unemployment, economic recession, illegal state and isolating it diplomatically can affect the immigration — so there is a limit to how angry it can results of the upcoming Knesset elections – not to become about Israeli settlement construction. […] mention what might happen here if the trade and At the meetings in Europe, Israel's ambassadors export agreements between Israel and Europe are were only being reprimanded. Not pleasant, but also hurt." not terrible. […] Attila Somfalvi, JED 04.12.12 The demographic changes taking place in important European nations are worrying. These changes are Our right to build causing the governments of those nations to pay "There is a clear consensus in Israel regarding the heed to Muslim voters on issues like the Israeli- settlement blocs. There are very few Israelis who believe these blocs will not remain under Israeli 2 sovereignty even if a miracle does happen and a Danny Danon's state peace agreement is reached. The decision to build "The extreme right is consolidating its rule over the in these blocs is first and foremost an Israeli right. self-described 'national camp'. While the center-left The fact that it also punishes the Palestinians is of is splintering […], the right-wing is growing ever secondary importance." stronger. […] Hanoch Daum, JED 05.12.12 The new faces of the Lieberman-Netanyahu duo's renewed ruling party are problematic faces. They 2. Vor den Wahlen: Primaries und herald the erosion of the rule of law, the castration of neue Parteien liberal democracy and the loss of national responsi- bility. […] Sowohl die Arbeitspartei als auch der Likud haben It's already clear that Netanyahu's third government mit Blick auf die Parlamentswahlen im Januar Pri- will be that of an Israeli Tea Party and will end in maries abgehalten, um ihre Kandidaten für die 19. disaster." Knesset zu wählen. Im Likud, der mit Außenminister Ari Shavit, HAA 29.11.12 Liebermanns Yisrael Beitenu auf einer gemeinsa- men Liste antritt, gab es einen deutlichen Rechts- The public is shifting Right ruck. Als liberal geltende Abgeordnete wie Benny "70,000 Likud members voted, reflecting the current Begin oder Dan Meridor sind auf der Liste weit nach public mood. hinten gerutscht und werden vermutlich nicht mehr Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may not like it; in die Knesset einziehen. Leftist parties may laugh at it; and senior ministers In der Arbeitspartei unter dem Vorsitz von Shelly may pay the price for it, but the Likud shifted Right Yacimovich hingegen gibt es auf den vorderen Lis- because the public, overall, has shifted Right." tenplätzen einige neue, linksgerichtete Politiker, Mati Tuchfeld, IHY 28.11.12 darunter Führer Organisatoren der sozialen Proteste vom Sommer 2011. Yacimovich ist jedoch bestrebt The good news ihre Partei im Zentrum des politischen Spektrums zu "Labor Party members have selected an impressive positionieren. and varied ticket […]. In a week that Likud chose the Eine neue Partei, HaTnua („Die Bewegung“), grün- extreme right, Labor chose […] the left (and center).
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Amir Peretz Begins As Defense Minister by J. Zel Lurie
    Amir Peretz Begins as Defense Minister by J. Zel Lurie While this three-day symposium [at AJ Committee — with Yehoshua] was going on in Washington, Ehud Olmert was introducing his new government in Jerusalem. Most newsworthy are the two of the five new Labor ministers, Amir Peretz, minister of defense and Yuli Tamir, minister of education. Peretz confronts a large group of army officers and bureaucrats who have been coddling and cooperating with the settlers for decades They are accustomed to running the West Bank arbitrarily and no one dared question their decisions. Here is one small example of what Peretz is up against: A couple of Saturdays ago, the Jewish settlers in Maon, south of Hebron, wearing masks, attacked Israeli soldiers who were escorting 18 Arab kids to the regional school in at-Tawani. On the following Saturday, Peace Now received the army’s permission to send two busloads of peaceniks to a demonstration in at-Tawani. At Gush Etzion junction the buses were stopped. “Since we gave permission, the area has been declared a closed military zone,” the Peace Now demonstrators were told. “You cannot proceed.” Ran Cohen, a Meretz M.K., was on one of the buses. He called Peretz who must have raised the roof with his army subordinates. After an hour the buses were allowed to continue on their journey and hold their demonstration. Brigadier General Ilan Paz, who recently retired after 28 years in the army, seven of which were in the West Bank. commented: “For 18 months the settlers in Maon have been harassing kids passing their farm on their way to school.
    [Show full text]
  • And Other Enemies of the People
    ‘Anti-Zionists’ and other Enemies of the People “Did you know? Jeremy Bird, the American strategist, who came to help the left oust Bibi comes from anti-Israeli circles that argue that Gaza is the only place in the world in which soldiers [IDF] kill kids for sport.”(My Israel: Doing Zionism) A couple of weeks ago, Labor MK Stav Shaffir’s impromptu Knesset speech went viral. Social media called it “Who is a Zionist?” Shaffir attacked Habayt Hayehudi’s MKs for pretending they are “more Zionist than Ben-Gurion,” while taking public money and giving it to their friends in the Yesha Council. “Real Zionism,” she said “means dividing the budget equally among all the citizens of the country. Real Zionism is taking care of the weak. Real Zionism is solidarity, not only in battle but in everyday life.” Shaffir was responding to Naftali Bennett and Binyamin Netanyahu’s attack on the Zionist camp for being “Anti-Zionist.” Both Bennett and Netanyahu picked a list of candidates on Labor’s list and labeled them anti-Zionist: MK Merav Michaeli once said Israeli mothers should not send their sons to the army; MK Stav Shaffir, according to a book on the 2011 social protests, called “Hatikva” a racist song; Prof. Yossi Yona said he does not connect to the concept of Zionism; Zouheir Bahloul said his Palestinian identity is stronger than his Israeli identity. Bennett called on former President Yitzhak Navon not to join the Zionist Camp list in the honorary last place (120). “This is not a ‘Zionist Camp’, nor is it Zionism,” Bennett declared.
    [Show full text]
  • 7. Politics and Diplomacy
    Hoover Press : Zelnick/Israel hzeliu ch7 Mp_119 rev1 page 119 7. Politics and Diplomacy as israeli forces were clearing recalcitrant settlers from their Gaza homes on August 16, 2005, Khalil Shikaki, director of the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PSR) in Ra- mallah, published a column in the Jerusalem Post headlined, “How Sharon and Abbas Can Both Win.”1 Shikaki, a pollster and political analyst respected in Israel and the west, questioned the wisdom of Israeli unilateralism in Gaza and on the West Bank as opposed to Lebanon, where no one on the other side wanted to talk. Here, he argued, Hamas may be as close-minded as Hez- bollah, preferring to paint Israel’s withdrawal as a victory for Pal- estinian resistance, but Abu Mazen, supported by Palestinian pub- lic opinion, wanted to reduce tensions and negotiate. Make him look good by easing restrictions on Palestinian trade and move- ment, and he will help Sharon and Israel by defeating Hamas and talking about the terms for settling the conflict. In other words, let the PA rather than Hamas control the Palestinian narrative of withdrawal. Shakaki updated his survey data two months later for a con- ference at Brandeis University hosted by Shai Feldman, director of the Crown Center for Middle East Studies and former director of the Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies in Tel Aviv. By that October conference, 84 percent of Palestinians were convinced that violence had played a role in the Israeli withdrawal. Irre- 1. Khalil Shikaki, “How Sharon and Abbas Can Both Win,” Jerusalem Post, August 16, 2005.
    [Show full text]
  • AMIR PERETZ Member of Parliament, State of Israel
    SESSION 3 • Saturday, October 16, 2010 page 1 AMIR PERETZ Member of Parliament, State of Israel First of all I would like to thank the IFRI organization for the conference that is taking place here in Morocco. Here with me, are two other members of the Israeli parlimant - Meir Sheetrit, former minister of justice and Ahmad Tibi who represents the Arab – Israeli citizens. I was born in Morocco and feel that a big part of my values as a person were acquired here. Even though I left as a young boy, the strengths that I received here have been a part of me all through the way. I want to send a message of peace to his Majesty the king of Morocco and wish him all the very best. For a big part of Israeli citizens his majesty and the Kingdom of Morocco, remains a lasting symbol and example of possible coexistence, rooted deep in our hearts. Ladies and gentlemen, I could have talked about many issues which occupy many countries around the world - Financial crisis, human rights and poverty. I could have talked about security threats, Iran and it’s race for obtaining unconventional weapons, sources of terror and their effect on personal security in each and every country. But today I want to focus in the chance for an optimist future in all the Middle East states, especially a better future between Israel and the Palestinians. Members of the conference, Some of us are experienced in war, and we all know that war comes at a heavy price for all sides.
    [Show full text]
  • The Saban Forum 2005
    The Saban Forum 2005 A U.S.–Israel Dialogue Dealing with 21st Century Challenges Jerusalem, Israel November 11–13, 2005 The Saban Forum 2005 A U.S.–Israel Dialogue Dealing with 21st Century Challenges Jerusalem, Israel November 11–13, 2005 Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies Tel Aviv University Speakers and Chairmen Shai Agassi Shimon Peres Stephen Breyer Itamar Rabinovich David Brooks Aviezer Ravitzky William J. Clinton Condoleezza Rice Hillary Rodham Clinton Haim Saban Avi Dicter Ariel Sharon Thomas L. Friedman Zvi Shtauber David Ignatius Strobe Talbott Moshe Katsav Yossi Vardi Tzipi Livni Margaret Warner Shaul Mofaz James Wolfensohn Letter from the Chairman . 5 List of Participants . 6 Executive Summary . 9 Program Schedule . 19 Proceedings . 23 Katsav Keynote Address . 37 Clinton Keynote Address . 43 Sharon Keynote Address . 73 Rice Keynote Address . 83 Participant Biographies . 89 About the Saban Center . 105 About the Jaffee Center . 106 The ongoing tumult in the Middle East makes continued dialogue between the allied democracies of the United States and Israel all the more necessary and relevant. A Letter from the Chairman In November 2005, we held the second annual Saban Forum in Jerusalem. We had inaugurated the Saban Forum in Washington DC in December 2004 to provide a structured, institutional- ized annual dialogue between the United States and Israel. Each time we have gathered the high- est-level political and policy leaders, opinion formers and intellectuals to define and debate the issues that confront two of the world’s most vibrant democracies: the United States and Israel. The timing of the 2005 Forum could not have been more propitious or tragic.
    [Show full text]
  • Israel Elections 2019 Update
    Israel Elections 2019 Update September 10, 2019 With no party succeeding in forming a government following the elections that took place in Israel in April, 2019, a brand new election will now take place next week, on September 17. JFNA is pleased to present the following backgrounder summarizing what has occurred, and what may happen in the coming weeks and months. JFNA has also prepared a background briefing on why a second round of elections are taking place – which can be seen here, as well as a paper on how Israeli elections work. Elections: Round Two Perhaps the most crucial take away from the backgrounder papers (linked above) is that in practice, Israeli elections have two “stages.” The first - the actual elections - occurs when the population elects the 120-members of Israel’s parliament, the Knesset. Those are the national elections, but once the results of these elections are known, we don’t always have a clear picture of who will lead the country. This only occurs during what we can call a “second stage” when a potential prime minister seeks to form a governing majority coalition of at least 61, from among those 120 newly elected MKs (represented through their parties). September 2019’s theme: Mergers In the months that have passed since second elections were called, there has been little, if any, debate about policy or major issues of substance; or even discussions about personality. Instead, the focus has been on tactics, strategy and coalition building. So, in many ways, the September 2019 look like a redo of the elections that took place in April.
    [Show full text]
  • Israel's Do-Over Election
    Your Shabbat source of Israeli News– September 6th 2019 Israel’s Do -over Election: A Guide to All the Parties Israeli politics has been reshaped by new alliances after the entire political firmament learned a harsh lesson from the April election just five months earlier: Unity among ideological allies is crucial. Smaller parties flying solo learned the hard way that independence meant risk falling below the electoral threshold and not making it into the Knesset. By doing so, they not only hurt themselves but mortally wound their entire political camp by “wasting” votes that could help them build a bloc large enough to construct a government. With only nine parties seemingly in a position to cross the electoral threshold, the next Knesset is set to feature the fewest number of parties in Israel’s history. Here are the main contenders: • Likud: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu - fighting a second re-election campaign under the shadow of pending corruption indictments, moved early to reinforce Likud by merging it with Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon’s party giving himself one less party to wrestle with in governing coalition negotiations. Later in the race, he convinced Moshe Feiglin, leader of the far-right Zehut party, to pull out of the elections in order to give larger right-wing parties the precious votes he was taking. In exchange, Feiglin was promised a ministry in a future Likud-led government. • Kahol Lavan: The largest of the multi-party players in the race, Kahol Lavan has continued with its four man alliance formed ahead of the April election.
    [Show full text]
  • The Summer Institute for Israel Studies 2004-2012
    Brandeis University Maurice and Marilyn Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies The Summer Institute for Israel Studies 2004-2012 Annette Koren Matthew Boxer Nicole Samuel August 2012 Acknowledgments The authors which to thank members of the Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies for their contributions: research specialist, Elizabeth Aitan, for administrative assistance and report preparation; Professor Leonard Saxe for critical feedback; Deborah Grant, for carefully reading this report and many helpful suggestions. The Summer Institute for Israel Studies 2004-12 2 Table of Contents TABLE OF TABLES .............................................................................................................................. 3 TABLE OF FIGURES............................................................................................................................. 3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................... 4 BACKGROUND..................................................................................................................................... 6 THE INSTITUTE AND FOLLOW-UP ................................................................................................... 8 SIIS at Brandeis and the Israel Study Tour ........................................................................................... 8 Follow-up .........................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Withdrawal from the Withdrawal Plan?
    One Hundred Days After the Elections: Withdrawal from the Withdrawal Plan? Lars Hänsel / Katharina von Münster Executive Summary Israel's one-sided withdrawal from Gaza in the summer of 2005 has brought the country a period of profound changes. The evacuation of Israeli settlements on the West Bank, the historic motherland of Eretz Israel, which was initiated by the Sharon administration, constituted for many a breach of a national and religious taboo for which, however, there were reasons. On the one hand, the failure of the Oslo process had destroyed the trust between Israelis and Palestinians; on the other, demographic forecasts had already prognosticated that the Jewish population would lose its numerical majority in the region between the Mediterranean and the Jordan. After Sharon's retirement from policy, the subject of withdrawal – Tochnit HaHitkansut – became the central campaign issue under his successor, Ehud Olmert. Mr Olmert's convergence plan not only envisaged a complete evacuation of the settlements scattered all over the West Bank, but also the integration of all settlements situated close to the border into blocks belonging to Israel. The withdrawal has also changed the country's party landscape for good. At the end of November 2005, Ariel Sharon announced his resignation from the Likud and the foundation of his own party called Kadima, resulting in the collapse of the Likud. When the 73-year-old retired from politics after an apoplexy in January, Mr Olmert, a former mayor of Jerusalem who was little known until that day, took over the business of government– an administrator who represented a political style which differed greatly from that of the general.
    [Show full text]
  • Israel MARY LOITSKER
    Opening the Budget to Citizens in Israel MARY LOITSKER. SUPERVISED BY DR. TEHILLA SHWARTZ ALTSHULER Demystifying Israel’s State Budget In 1985 Israel’s economy underwent a fundamental reform, following a decade of unrestrained inflation. In order to curb government spending, the Ministry of Finance introduced an extremely centralized budgeting regime and took almost full control over the allocation and management of the ministerial budgets. The economy soon stabilized, but this practice remained and became deeply ingrained into the organizational culture of the government.1 The Ministry thus gained a monopoly not only over the formulation of the state budget but also over budgeting knowledge. The subject of the budget evolved to be considered the exclusive professional domain of the Ministry’s economists. It was rarely subjected to more than a superficial discussion or scrutiny of the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, or the broader public, who in turn had little understanding of or interest in the topic. The absence of easily accessible budget data further hindered the ability of the parliament and the public to monitor these processes. Civil society, academics, politicians, and judges have been criticizing for decades this disproportionate amount of control over the planning and management of the state budget concentrated in the hands of the Ministry of Finance.2 Civic-minded hackers were instrumental in providing a solution. After a lethal fire devastated the precious Carmel Forest in December 2010, an intense public debate followed about the underfunding of firefighting units. Adam Kariv, a techie activist who would later go on to found the Public Knowledge Workshop (PKW),3 went on to fact-check public accusations made in the media.
    [Show full text]
  • 'The People Demand Social Justice': How the Israeli Social Protests
    The Atkin Paper Series ‘The People Demand Social Justice’: How the Israeli Social Protests Ignored the Palestinian Issue, and the Road Ahead Talia Gorodess, ICSR Atkin Fellow July 2013 About the Atkin Paper Series Introduction Thanks to the generosity of the Atkin Foundation, the International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence (ICSR) offers young leaders from Israel and his paper aims to shed light on the largest civil awakening in Israel’s history – the Arab world the opportunity to come to London for a period of four months. The the social protests of summer 2011 – and its neglect of the Israeli-Palestinian purpose of the fellowship is to provide young leaders from Israel and the Arab world Tconflict. I argue that in order for the social justice movement in Israel to come with an opportunity to develop their ideas on how to further peace and understanding full circle, it must ultimately address the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as social justice in the Middle East through research, debate and constructive dialogue in a neutral and peace can be neither theoretically nor practically alien to one another. political environment. The end result is a policy paper that will provide a deeper Since the summer of 2011, Israeli society has seen a revolution in public understanding and a new perspective on a specific topic or event. consciousness. As the editor of The Marker newspaper, Guy Rolnik, puts it, Israelis began to understand that the popular book Start Up Nation is perhaps a ‘fascinating Author story about Israel that can be sold to American Jews or to Chinese businessmen, but Talia Gorodess was a Spring 2013 Atkin Fellow.
    [Show full text]
  • CRS Report for Congress Received Through the CRS Web
    Order Code RL33476 CRS Report for Congress Received through the CRS Web Israel: Background and Relations with the United States Updated July 26, 2006 Carol Migdalovitz Specialist in Middle Eastern Affairs Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division Congressional Research Service { The Library of Congress Israel: Background and Relations with the United States Summary On May 14, 1948, the State of Israel declared its independence and was immediately engaged in a war with all of its neighbors. Armed conflict has marked every decade of Israel’s existence. Despite its unstable regional environment, Israel has developed a vibrant parliamentary democracy, albeit with relatively fragile governments. Most recently, the Kadima Party placed first in the March 28, 2006, Knesset (parliament) election, and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert formed a four-party coalition government. Israel has an advanced industrial, market economy in which the government plays a substantial role. The economy is now doing very well, and increased social spending is expected. Israel’s foreign policy is focused largely on its region, Europe, and the United States. The government views Iran as an existential threat due to its nuclear ambitions and support for anti-Israel terrorists. Israel concluded a peace treaty with Egypt in 1979 and with Jordan in 1994 but never reached accords with Syria and Lebanon. It negotiated a series of agreements with the Palestinians in the 1990s, but the Oslo peace process ended in 2000, with the intifadah or uprising against Israeli occupation. Israeli and Palestinian officials resumed contacts after the November 2004 death of Yasir Arafat. Both sides accepted but have not implemented the “Roadmap,” the international framework for achieving a two-state solution to their conflict.
    [Show full text]