An Unprecedented Memorial Day in Israel

UTJ chairman Yitzhak Goldknopf,, MKs Meir Porush and Ya’akov Tessler (TOI)

The current controversy plaguing Israel right now has opened up  Pandora’s box of hatred that was simmering just below the surface before the recent elections. It was no secret that the country was divided between the left and right; between Charedim and secular/Dati Jews; between ultra nationalist religious Zionists and left leaning religious Zionist; between Netanyahu haters and Netanyahu lovers. All these underlying tensions have now boiled over into a show of disunity unlike that of any other time in Israel’s history.

What brought this about was the unexpected results of the last election. Several of the previous elections reflected an almost complete division between voters No government of any permanence could be formed. But this time a political party led by the combined forces of right wing extremists Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich received enough votes to tip the balance of power to the right. That enabled Netanyahu, the leader of the most popular party in Israel to form a right wing government that would consist of more than a one seat majority.

The half of the electorate that voted for the center-left and left wing parties are not happy. One could say they are even angry at this turn of events. 

The truth is that even those that voted for the more moderate center- right  parties like Likud were not happy with the formation of a government that gave outsized power to extremists they did not vote for and never would! The fact that the Charedi parties were now given more power than ever did not help matters. They saw the new government as a dictatorship that was about to take away all their freedom. 

When the government  presented to the Knesset their judicial reform bill that would remove the power of the Supreme Court to veto any legislation the Knesset passed - that was the straw that broke the camel’s back. 

That corroborated their fear that the court’s protection of their civil rights were about to be abolished. And they pounced on it by way of massive and continuous protests against what they saw as a turn away from democracy - towards an extremist political dictatorship and religious theocracy.

That response was unexpected and has been overwhelming. Which has not gone unnoticed by secular and heterodox American Jews that comprise its vast vast majority. Which has been articulated by their lay and rabbinic leadership. They have expressed concern over what they have been led to believe is the potential loss of Israel’s democracy. Which brings me to the following op-ed from the Jerusalem Post: 

If Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s goal was to sever the already frayed cord between Israel and United States Jewry, then so far, he is doing an excellent job.

There is nothing that speaks to the disconnect between his government and the largest Jewish Diaspora community than Netanyahu’s decision Sunday to cancel his participation in the Jewish Federation of North America’s annual convention, known as the General Assembly, which this year is meeting in Tel Aviv. 

Netanyahu is getting a lot of flack for that. Including from many of his fellow ideologues and supporters.

I don’t think he should have done that. But I understand why he did. He probably wanted to avoid the almost certain disastrous PR that would have resulted. His fears have been borne out by the fact that several of the protestors of the many that did show up have been arrested. If Netanyahu were to attend - who knows how much of an escalation of violence would have ensued. It could have been the Israeli version of what happened here on January sixth!  Only instead of a right wing insurrection it would have been a left wing insurrection. An American delegation sympathetic to the cause of the protestors would not have helped matters. Netanyahu probably figured he would just avoid all that, let the chips fall where they may, and hope that eventually this would all blow over.

I hope he’s right about that. But I’m not so sure he is. 

That being said, I think he should have gone anyway and explain his goverment’s view that the judicial reform package is not the end of democracy but an enhancement of it. By taking away the exclusive power of a self appointed, self perpetuating judiciary with a perpetual liberal/left agenda - and giving back to the voters via their democratically elected representatives in the Knesset - the will of the people to prevail over the will of a few liberal/left jurists. 

The liberal/left does not see it that way. They see a left wing judiciary protecting their rights from a  right wing majority Knesset whose dictarorial legislation they not not approve of. If it were a liberal/left Knesset majority, I am pretty sure they would be arguing the other side.  

With respect to the antipathy towards Charedim by secular and many Dati Israelis - sad to say that they have brought it upon themselves. By virtue of their refusal to serve in the military or even national service; and by their image of draining the economy by not working and taking welfare in a variety of ways - it is easy to understand the resentment by much of the rest of Israeli society. 

Add to that their rejection of any legitimacy to the state; refusing to even pray for the welfare of Israeli soldiers who risk their lives to protect them and every other Israeli, and it is easy to see why there is so much simmering hatred beneath the surface by so many of them. 

Making matters even worse is the following from the Times of Israel: 

A series of ministers and Knesset members in the coalition announced Sunday that they were canceling their appearance at official ceremonies at cemeteries during Memorial Day this week due to protests from some bereaved families.

United Torah Judaism’s Housing Minister Yitzhak Goldknopf and Culture and Sport Deputy Minister Ya’akov Tessler — neither of whom served in the IDF — announced their withdrawal from Memorial Day events at which they were slated to speak. Shas Minister Haim Biton also said he would skip a previously scheduled event. 

Here too, I understand why they are doing that. They want to avoid all the angry protestors who see them in such negative terms. Especially now in their current state of mind

They should not have done that. They should have gone and suffered a few slings and arrows – and showed that they do care about the young soldiers who gave their lives to protect all the Jewish people living in the land of Israel regardless of their politics. they choose to avoid any pain that might hve resulted.That just serves to exacerbate the enmity between them.

I sometimes wonder what it would be like if Charedim would at least express more love of thei fellow Jewish citizens regardless of how observant they are - even in the face of any secular animosity towards them. Something as simple as saying the prayer for the safety of the soldiers might do wonders for their relationship. Which instead seems to be deteriorating at meteoric speed.  

But Charedim  refuse to do that in what I believe is a misguided view of what God wants of them. Now that they are starting to flex their newfound legislative muscles even slightly, they are suffering the consequences of decades long resentment that until now was simmering just below the surface. 

I don’t know whether that would have changed anything. But it sure couldn’t have hurt. Instead look what this attitude has wrought. An Israel that seems to be on the verge of civil war. If that were to God forbid happen, everyone would lose. 

All that being said, this whole thing is such a complicated mess, that I don’t see it ever being resolved if things continue as they are.