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Whirlwind Week Ends with Unity Government in Israel, Netanyahu Jewish Federation of NEPA Non-profit Organization 601 Jefferson Ave. U.S. POSTAGE PAID The Scranton, PA 18510 Permit # 184 Watertown, NY Change Service Requested Published by the Jewish Federation of Northeastern Pennsylvania VOLUME XIII, NUMBER 7 APRIL 2, 2020 Whirlwind week ends with unity government in Israel, Netanyahu remaining at the helm each led separate factions within the larger Gantz for breaking ANALYSIS Blue and White alignment, rejected join- Blue and White’s BY DOV LIPMAN ing a government led by Netanyahu. The promise not to sit (JNS) – After nearly a year of political pair have officially split from Gantz, and with Netanyahu as he paralysis, Israel is finally on its way to- filed a motion to retain the name Blue and awaits the start of a ward a national unity government as the White as they prepare to sit in opposition trial on three separate nation battles against the unprecedented to the government. counts of bribery and coronavirus pandemic. Benny Gantz, From the Knesset floor, where he cur- breach of trust. “He who has stood as Israeli Prime Minister rently serves as temporary speaker, Gantz crawled into Netanya- Benjamin Netanyahu’s chief rival through explained his decision, saying, “This is hu’s government… three consecutive election cycles, an- not the time for fighting and splits. This gave up without a nounced that his party faction would join is the time for responsible statesmanship, fight,” said Lapid. Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition to form patriotism and leadership.” “Over a million vot- a new government. He called to the citizens of Israel and ers feel cheated, and According to the terms of the agree- said, “Let’s join hands and lead Israel out that their votes were Blue and White Party leader Benny Gantz passed Israeli ment, Netanyahu will serve as prime of this crisis.” stolen and given to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a memorial ceremony minister for 18 months before handing the Likud Knesset member Yoav Kisch Netanyahu. in the Knesset marking 24 years since the assassination of premiership as part of a rotation to Gantz, told JNS that his party “blesses Netanyahu “Corona,” he former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, on November. who will serve under Netanyahu as deputy and Gantz for this courageous step. We said, referring to the (Photo by Yonatan Sindel/Flash90) prime minister and defense minister for the are dealing with a health and economic pandemic spreading first 18 months, and then become prime crisis like we have never seen, and the around the globe, “is not a permit to give Gantz has also requested the economy, minister in September 2021. public demanded that we as leaders act up on our values.” agriculture, environment, communica- Gantz’s dramatic move jolted Israel’s with responsibility.” Knesset member Merav Michaeli of the tions and culture ministries. political system. The agreement led to Israeli Defense Minister Naftali Ben- Labor Party sarcastically congratulated Several ministers, including from the collapse of Gantz’s own Blue and nett, of the right-wing Yamina Party, told Gantz for “joining a government led by an Netanyahu’s Likud, will be forced to White Party. JNS that “this is the right thing for Israel indicted prime minister.” She then turned relinquish their portfolios. Bennett, chair- Senior party members Yair Lapid and in this emergency.” toward him and said, “You promised not man of Yamina, who is set to vacate his Knesset member Moshe Ya’alon, who Knesset member Yair Lapid attacked to join with Netanyahu. There is no unity current post as defense minister, told JNS with those who are destroying Israel.” that so far, “the news about portfolios is The details of the new coalition are still fake news. Netanyahu has not spoken to being worked out, but it will most likely me about this issue as of yet.” include 75 seats: Likud (36), Gantz’s In a turnabout, Knesset member Yuli Israel Resilience (15), Shas (9), United Edelstein, who resigned recently when the Torah Judaism (7) and Yamina (6), along Supreme Court required him to call a vote with MKs Tzvi Hauser and Yoaz Hendel for a new speaker of the Parliament, will from the Telem faction. Hauser and Hen- See “Unity” in page 3 del are former Netanyahu advisers who have been the strongest advocates for a unity government. 2020 UJA Preliminary reports indicate that Net- anyahu will give Gantz’s party an equal Pay it forward & give to number of ministries to his own much the 2020 Jewish Federation larger Likud Party. Netanyahu has agreed of Northeastern Pennsylvania to appoint former Israel Defense Forces’ Annual Campaign! Chief of Staff and Gantz ally Gabi Ash- Goal: kenazi as Minister of Foreign Affairs, and $989,000 Chili Tropper as Justice Minister. It is unclear what role Netanyahu will have in 18 months once Gantz becomes For information or to prime minister because the law only make a donation call 570-961-2300 ext. 1 or permits that governmental position to send your gift to: maintain office while under indictment. Jewish Federation $862,519 of Northeastern as of March 26, 2020 Ministers with other portfolios are re- Pennsylvania quired by law to resign. The new govern- 601 Jefferson Ave., Scranton, PA 18510 ment could pass a revised law allowing a (Please MEMO your minister to serve while under indictment. pledge or gift 2020 UJA Campaign) Federation on Facebook The Jewish Federation of North- eastern Pennsylvania has a page on Facebook, www.facebook.com/Jew- ishNEPA/, to let community members Candle lighting know about upcoming events and keep April 3 ...........................................7:13 pm connected. April 8 ...........................................7:18 pm April 9 ............................... after 8:20 pm April 10 ........................................ 7:20 pm INSIDE THIS ISSUE April 14......................................... 7:24 pm Zionist elections Passover April 15 ..............................after 8:27 pm Covid-19 April 17......................................... 7:28 pm Orthodox groups make gains in Online Jewish resources for A review of children’s holiday record-setting votes for the World families; Israeli universities lead picture books and a haggadah; PLUS Zionist Congress. the fight against Covid-19. recipes. Opinion .......................................................2 Story on page 3 Stories on pages 4-5 Stories on pages 6-7 D’var Torah .............................................10 2 THE REPORTER ■ APRIL 2, 2020 A MATTER OF OPINION Historically, Palestinians are their own worst enemies BY DAVID I. FALLK symbols with a yellow-star Today, Palestinian students chant for 95percent of West Bank and all of Gaza. The following article written badge and also ghettoized its a single, Jew-free Palestinian state from Yassir Arafat’s rejection was followed by by David I. Fallk appeared in Jews. The Third Reich once the “(Jordan) River to the (Mediterranean) a violent intifada. Later, a larger portion the Scranton Times Tribune on contemplated expulsion of Sea.” The PLO’s charter rejected Israel’s was offered by Israel, including division February 10 in response to an Jews to Palestine, but Arabs led existence, and Hamas vows to annihilate of Jerusalem and Arab sovereignty over anti-Israel article written in by the Grand Mufti, intervened the Jewish state and fires rockets at Israel parts of that city. Palestinians still said an earlier issue. The article is with Hitler and the British to daily. Palestinian controlled territories no. Most recently, Palestinian leaders re-published with the consent prevent Jews from being sent on the West Bank and Gaza, where it is a wouldn’t even join in negotiations. The of the Scranton Times Tribune. or accepted there. As Israel’s crime to sell land to a Jew, remain Juden- common thread in Palestinian denialism It is hard to fathom that in first president observed, for rein (Jew free). Iran openly manufactures is the refusal to accept a state of their own the third decade of the 21st European Jews “the world is missiles carrying messages of total doom as long as Jewish state also exists. As century, polemicists such as divided into places where they against Israel. Bret Stephens noted (January 31), every David I. Fallk Omri Boehm (January 30) still cannot live and places where Meanwhile, Muslims living in Israel rejection by Palestinians has only created question whether the Jewish people should they cannot enter.” enjoy the freest life of anywhere in the a greater loss for themselves. have a sovereign state of their own. Un- Although Boehm raises the specter Middle East. Arabs vote, hold public While Israel was building a modern, fortunately, he is not alone. The thought of “ethnic cleansing’ and “apartheid” by offices and sit on the Israeli Supreme multi-cultural society, the Palestinians of Jews governing themselves, let alone Israel, he ignores the realities of recent Court. They are educated and teach in fought with each other as well as with non-Jews, causes great consternation in history. It was the Jews who have been Israeli universities and hospitals, and are Israel. They no longer conduct elections many quarters. ethnically cleansed, not just in the Holo- allowed to worship when and where they and cast blame for their condition on For centuries, Jews were forced to live caust, but by Israel’s neighbors and other please. Public accommodations carry no everyone else. Democracy is hard, and in various countries at the sufferance and Islamic states. The deadly Arab riots of the separate restrictions for non-Jews. Israel, like America, is not perfect. But whims of other rulers. The track record 1920s and 1930s foreshadowed the three For decades, the world has fruitlessly focusing Israel’s shortcomings and right of those places in treating Jews remains wars waged between 1948 and 1967 to negotiated with, offered, cajoled and to exist as a Jewish state rather than on an ugly blot on history.
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