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 responsibility. […] 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). dete Tzipi Livni. Ihr schlossen sich sieben […] Yacimovich deserves kudos for breathing new Abgeordente ihrer vorherigen Partei Kadima an. life into the party […]. Außerdem trat der Ex-Verteidigungsminister Amir After months of Shelly being the sole voice of Labor, Peretz überraschend aus der Arbeitspartei aus, um it must now be hoped that the new voices will be Livni zu folgen. In einer Umfrage der Tageszeitung added […]. Michaeli, Shaffir, Peretz and company Haaretz wurde deutlich, dass Livnis Partei das Mitte- must not permit Yacimovich to persist in her idiotic Links-Lager weiter zersplittert: Während 81% der habit of pushing moral and foreign issues off the Befragten davon ausgingen, dass Premier Benjamin agenda." Netanyahu die nächste Regierung anführen werde, Gideon Levy, HAA 02.12.12 glaubten nur 6% das Livni bzw.4% das Yacimovich Premier werden würde. Promise and delivery "Yacimovich has worked unerringly to shift her par- The new Likud ty’s central focus away from prospective peace with "While the Likud’s move to the Right is a democratic the Palestinians […] to a social-economic agenda. reflection of the will of a majority of Israelis, we must […] be wary of undermining other aspects of Israel’s Moreover, Yacimovich was successful in recruiting democratic character. […] new candidates associated with her social-economic We must be careful of a situation in which there is a agenda, such as Stav Shaffir and Itzik Shmuli. This 'tyranny of the majority.' The rule of the majority is has allowed her to increase her appeal in the eyes just one aspect of a healthy democracy. of younger voters from the potential middle class. Careful protection of minority rights, freedom of […] Yacimovich’s test will come after the election, expression for all and a strong, independent judici- when the opportunity either to deliver or to renege ary are no less important." on her promises arrives." JPO 28.11.12 Editorial Jonathan Rosen, JPO 05.12.12

3 The false messiahs must erode the strength of Likud, which has become "[Yacimovich] devoted all her efforts in yesterday's an extremist right-wing party […]. It must not erode Labor Party primary to curbing the dangerous the strength of Yacimovich or Gal-On." 'people on the left' like Peace Now leader Yariv Aner Shalev, HAA 29.11.12 Oppenheimer. Because Labor is a centrist party, not heaven forbid, left-wing. Livni, Labor and loathing Just like Netanyahu, she is trying to sell an illusion – "It would be hard to characterize Amir Peretz's move that there is no link between peace and economics, from Labor to Hatnuah as opportunistic. […] Rather that there is no link between peace and social gaps, than undermine Shelly Yachimovich […], Peretz that there is no link between the huge sums trans- preferred to distance himself from all of this and ferred to the territories and the distress in the coun- open a new political chapter. try's outskirts." Peretz was supposed to spearhead the battle to Nehemia Shtrasler, HAA 30.11.12 prevent Labor from entering the next government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is likely to The importance of faithfulness win. With Peretz gone, the chances that "The voters in the Likud primary hold exactly the Yachimovich could join a Netanyahu government same positions as in the past, and they are ensuring and receive a high-level position seem more realistic that Likud remains true […] to its path. […] [Meridor, than ever." Begin and Eitan] spoke out as spokesmen of the left Mati Tuchfeld, IHY 08.12.12 do, and tried, often successfully, to sway the government from its ideological line. […] Lessons for the Left Putting Likud princes in their place is a lesson for all "Peretz’s dramatic announcement Thursday that he those who want to use an ideologically unified party was leaving the Labor Party for Tzipi Livni’s new list to implement a political doctrine which is alien to it. If underscores the malaise of the splintered and em- they internalize this lesson, the flood of personages, battled left-of-center camp. […] especially former senior military officers, switching By failing to overcome their differences, center-ofleft between parties heedless of their direction in an parties gave up on the thesis […] that unity has the attempt to grab a political foothold, may possibly potential to change the psychology of the race and diminish." draw support greater than the sum of the Left’s Israel Harel, HAA 29.11.12 disparate parts. […] A political culture in which public figures with a strong following opt to create their The people behind number one own political parties instead of joining a larger, es- "The new Likud and Labor tickets actually have tablished party results in an unstable political sys- much in common. Both are clear ideologically, tem." spawned as the perfect antithesis to Israeli politics' JPO 08.12.12 Editorial biggest trauma in recent years: public activity without values. Elections 2013 — the best reality show in town A high point of this trauma was the tactical decision "Former Kadima Chairwoman Tzipi Livni left the to vote for Kadima under Tzipi Livni in the 2009 Knesset after losing to current Kadima Chairman election […] Shaul Mofaz in the party's primaries. Remember - a party without an agenda, conceived under the that? […] But Livni has now created a new party, patronage of strategic advisers. […] stealing seven seats from Kadima in the upcoming By contrast, the new Likud list, no matter what you elections and some campaign money as well. She is think of its values, represents a return to a profound- washing her hands first though, because it's im- ly ideological vote. The same thing was achieved by portant to enter the elections with clean hands. […] the Labor people who clearly delineated the two How low these elections have brought us. We have main sides of the political map." sunk to the bottom of the abyss. There is no ideolo- Noa Landau, HAA 03.12.12 gy, no loyalty, no consistency." Boaz Bismuth, IHY 08.12.12 Vote for the women "It would be fitting for Livni […] to show her cards so as not to mislead the public. […] Livni must make clear that Hatnuah is a sane right-wing party and 4 3. Ehud Barak kündigt Abschied The kibbutznik […] proved to care little […] for social aus Politik an inequality […]. First he dedicated his time almost entirely to defense and foreign affairs, and then he Ehud Barak, Verteidigungsminister und ehemaliger nestled in glitzy skyscrapers from where the working Premierminister, hat seinen Rückzug aus der Politik class that his social-democratic party pretended to angekündigt. Barak machte zunächst Karriere in der represent seemed even smaller than his integrity. Armee und wurde in der Arbeitspartei aktiv. Von […] All this, of course, is besides his shrinking of 1999 bis 2001 war er Premierminister sowie von Labor’s following to its smallest size ever, […] and 1997-2001 und 2007-2011 Vorsitzender der Ar- then also splitting in half its Knesset faction. That beitspartei. 2011 gründete er eine eigene Partei Barak was a political disaster is therefore indisputa- (Atzmaut), um im Gegensatz zur Arbeitspartei, die ble." einen Regierungsaustritt angekündigt hatte, Teil der Amotz Asa-El, JPO 29.11.12 Regierung Netanyahu bleiben zu können. Obwohl Barak Ende November, nach den militärischen Aus- Barak's exit eases defense budget battle einandersetzungen mit der Hamas, für seine Rolle "Ehud Barak will be remembered […] as the man als Verteidigungsminister gelobt wurde, wurde sei- who turned Israel's defense budget […] into just ner Partei in Umfragen ein schlechtes Ergebnis für another political shenanigan. The fact is that in eve- die kommenden Wahlen vorausgesagt. Er verließ ry one of the past four years, the actual defense seine Partei im laufenden Wahlkampf und sagte, er budget was far larger than what had originally been wolle sich in Zukunft mehr seiner Familie widmen. approved. […] Allerdings hat er die Möglichkeit, auch der nächsten […] Barak always preferred to maneuver in secret Regierung als Verteidigungsminister zu dienen, and make behind-the-scene deals. […] The annual nicht ausgeschlossen. ritual was understood. The defense minister would agree to a lower budget than what the IDF needed, A sad farewell which would help the government and Netanyahu "Barak is a unique individual. His shortcomings are present a small state budget and restrained deficit. painful, but his contribution is great. He is emotional- Later in the year, Barak would demand, and get, ly obtuse, but his wisdom is unparalleled. The five defense budget supplements, which thus taught the and a half years he spent at the head of the Defense IDF high command that formal acceptance of gov- Ministry were characterized by long-term policy ernment and Knesset decisions was meaningless. management. He knew that allocating budgets to Barak did not care that the end result could have the development of weapons of the future […] would been achieved more simply and transparently." not bear fruit during his term. He will not be the one Avi Temkin, GLO 26.11.12 who ultimately enjoys the public's gratitude. But through his ties with the administration of U.S. Pres- No favors ident Barack Obama, he raised a lot of money to "Justifiably or not, throughout his entire career Barak ensure Israel's military superiority." considered himself a better leader than others; Dan Margalit, IHY 27.11.12 someone who understood situations better than others. […] And in many cases he was right. He was Ehud Barak: A political eulogy never chummy with people. You never saw anyone "The man […] will forever be synonymous with polit- pat him on the back in a friendly manner. He never ical dilettantism, tragedy and farce. […] cursed, and rarely spoke ill of anyone […]. Barak wanted to be a peacemaker, but having pre- These traits made Barak an intolerable figure in the viously spent decades ordering people around it Israeli political arena, where politicians suck up to never crossed his mind that peace involves two everyone. […] Barak's status within Israeli politics parties. That is how, to everyone’s astonishment, his gradually declined until it reached its current level. announcements in 1999 of deadlines for peace Politics may not miss Barak, but security will." deals with Hafez Assad and Yasser Arafat later Eitan Haber, JED 27.11.12 proved to have been made without any previous dialogue […] between him and either of the two. […] The Barak legacy Barak proceeded to his Palestinian fiasco, whereby "Barak […] played a key role in the last few years in what started off as the peace of the brave ended up Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing government. De- as the war of the suicides. […] spite his limited political power, Barak served as a 5 moderating element […]. Barak attempted, not al- His boldest move to date came on November 22 ways with success, to slow down the expansion of with a power grab that gave him near-dictatorial the settlements […]. But he did not succeed in navi- powers and created a rift with the country’s judiciary gating Netanyahu in the direction of serious negotia- as well as the secularists who helped push Mubarak tions with the Palestinians or toward the necessary from power. apology to Turkey. That is where his political energy […] Protests grew as hundreds of thousands went ran out, and the realization of his weakness led him back to Cairo’s Tahrir Square, where the revolution to announce his retirement ahead of the election." had begun nearly two years earlier." HAA 27.11.12 Editorial Douglas M. Bloomfield, JPO 05.12.12

The commando leader strikes again The spring that wasn't "Despite the recent improvement in his position in "The power majority given to the Muslim Brother- the polls, it was clear to him that, the best-case hood is problematic in more than one way. The scenario, Atzmaut would barely make it over the grassroot movement has maintained over the years Knesset-entry threshold in the coming election, he a clearly anti-American, anti-Israeli and anti-Semitic would be shamed and his stock on the political mar- set of policies, yet now they feel the need to ac- ket would drop. commodate their worldviews with semi-pragmatic On the other hand, now, after a glorious exit when policies in their direct and indirect dealings with so many people are praising his deeds over the the White House and the State of Israel. years as Mr. Security, he will be the classic candi- While these problems influence the decision making date to serve in the next government as the Re- process, Egyptian youth keep on demonstrating sponsible Adult Defense Minister - a professional against the political establishment as they consider appointment on the part of the prime minister." the revolution hijacked by the Islamists and their Nehemia Shtrasler, HAA 27.11.12 value system. The result of such a crisis is the creation of grey 4. Medienquerschnitt areas such as the terrorist presence in the Sinai and the increase and unchecked military and logistical Die Vielfalt der in Israel relevanten Themen kann in support provided to Hamas, which are to be consid- einem Medienspiegel nicht umfassend wieder- ered as a major risk for the peace and security in the gegeben werden. Um den deutschen LeserInnen region." dennoch einen Einblick in das breite Themen- Riccardo Dugulin, JED 03.12.12 spektrum, das in den Medien behandelt wird, zu gewähren, veröffentlichen wir in dieser Schlag- HAA = Haaretz lichtausgabe wieder eine kleine Auswahl an weite- JED = Jedioth Ahronoth ren Themen, die in den vergangenen zwei Wochen JPO = Jerusalem Post die israelische Gesellschaft bewegten. IHY = Israel HaYom TOI = Times of Israel Über die erneuten Proteste in Ägypten: GLO = Globes

The death of Egyptian democracy Veröffentlicht: 13. Dezember 2012 "If Egypt ever really did have democracy, it was born Verantwortlich: and died with the election of Mohamed Morsi in June. […] Dr. Ralf Hexel, Since taking office Morsi, the Muslim Brotherhood Leiter der Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Israel and its Freedom and Justice Party have taken con- Redaktion: trol of the presidency, the military and the parlia- Maike Harel ment, and are sidelining the judiciary. […] Stefan Pantekoek Morsi wasted little time doing what many feared most: instituting Islamist government. Brotherhood Homepage: www.fes.org.il followers were placed in government posts across Email: [email protected] the spectrum, including governors, ministers and presidential advisers.