News from February 1 to February 7
Israeli election update, a big International Criminal Court ruling, and honorable mentions
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Israeli election update:
Background: As you may recall, in Israel, voters elect parties, not individual candidates. To determine the order of the candidates on each slate, the parties will either have primaries or appoint candidates to strategically target specific demographics or interest groups. Mergers are another factor that shapes party slates. If parties do not appear likely to cross the threshold of votes necessary to enter the Knesset (3.25% of the total electorate), they may merge with other parties to raise their chances of winning Knesset seats. Alternatively, sometimes parties will combine to promote a particular candidate for Prime Minister. Since the President tasks the MK they think has the best chance of forming a government with the first “mandate” to do so, parties may merge to ensure their preferred candidate has the most seats. This was the case during the last three elections when a group of parties combined into the Blue and White party to promote Benny Gantz.
What happened? Thursday, February 4, was the official deadline for Israeli political parties to submit their candidate slates before the election. One of the main headlines this week was that the many center-left parties did not consolidate. Though many had expected parties like Telem (run by former IDF Chief of Staff Bogie Ya’alon), The Israelis (run by Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai), and the New Economic Party (run by economist Yaron Zelekha) to join larger parties like Labor, Yesh Atid, and Meretz, they never coalesced, and there was not a single merger on the center-left. Huldai and Ya’alon’s parties decided not to run, and Zelekha chose to continue running, despite most polls projecting his party would not cross the threshold. It remains to be seen if the fragmentation on the center-left will hurt or help the political camp.
On the right-wing side of Israeli politics, the most significant piece of news was that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly encouraged a variety of far-right parties to run together and maximize their chances of crossing the threshold. Netanyahu’s suggestion is controversial because several of the parties he called on to merge are known for being racist or outwardly homophobic. One of the parties, Otzma Yehudit, is led by admirers of the late Rabbi Meir Kahane, whose party Kach was banned from the Knesset and eventually designated a terrorist organization by the United States and Europe. Another one of the parties, Noam, is known for its intense anti-LGBTQ platform. Many Jewish organizations, including the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), criticized Netanyahu for similar political maneuvering last year. Another far-right party, Jewish Home, announced that it would not run in the election but would support Naftali Bennett’s Yamina party.
How will these mergers and non-mergers affect the election? It’s hard to say definitively, but all indications are that the moves ahead of Thursday’s deadline have not materially affected Israel’s political scene. Right now, Netanyahu does not appear to have enough support to form a governing coalition. Opposition parties might be able to form a government, but they are extremely broad ideologically, so it is not clear what the coalition would look like. One interesting story to follow is that Ra’am, previously one of the Joint List’s parties, decided to run independently. Its leader, Mansour Abbas, has indicated a willingness to work with Netanyahu before, so some have speculated that he might join a Netanyahu government (though this is still pretty unlikely). Ra’am is unlikely to cross the threshold.
Further reading:https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/israel-elections-likud-remains-largest-party-no-bloc-wins-polls-657998
International Criminal Court approves investigation of alleged Israeli war crimes:
Background: As you may recall, the International Criminal Court (ICC) is considering launching an investigation of alleged Israeli war crimes. When ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda determined that she had enough evidence to merit an inquiry in December, she asked a panel of judges at the ICC to first determine if the ICC has jurisdiction in the Palestinian territories. Since Palestine is not universally recognized as a state and Israel has not signed the Rome Statute, which governs the ICC, Bensouda wanted the ICC to determine if it could even rule on a potential Israeli and Palestinian war crimes case.
What happened? An ICC pre-trial chamber ruled that the ICC has the jurisdiction to launch an investigation into alleged Israeli and Palestinian war crimes. Although the ruling–which Israel, the United States, and many other countries oppose–does not automatically trigger an investigation, it will allow the ICC to initiate a probe if the chief prosecutor decides to do so. Specifically, the ICC may look at the 2014 Gaza War, the IDF’s use of lethal force during Hamas’ “Great March of Return,” and whether Israel’s settlement activity post-2014 should be considered a war crime. The Palestinians may also come under investigation for indiscriminate rocket fire and incitement of terrorism, though the probe will likely focus on Israel.
ICC Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda in 2014. Source: Wikimedia.
Will the ruling have any immediate impact? Probably not. First, it’s not clear whether Bensouda will open the investigation now or leave the decision to her successor, who will be named in June. The investigation is likely to be lengthy, so it is unlikely that there will be any immediate consequences. However, if the ICC does eventually issue indictments, some Israeli officials may not be able to travel outside of Israel since the ICC could issue warrants for their arrest. Still, it will be a while before any potential investigation reaches that step.
How have people reacted?
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: “When the ICC investigates Israel for fake war crimes, this is pure anti-Semitism...the court established to prevent atrocities like the Nazi Holocaust against the Jewish people is now targeting the one state of the Jewish people.” He also said that Israel would “fight this perversion of justice with all our might!”
Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh: “[This is] a victory for justice and humanity, for the values of truth, fairness and freedom, and for the blood of the victims and their families.”
Israeli Alternate Prime Minister and Defense Minister Benny Gantz: “The decision of the judges at The Hague is grave and has no basis in international law. The proceeding…is conducted without authority and is unfounded...The defense establishment, together with the other state bodies, will act resolutely to prevent harm to IDF commanders and soldiers, and to members of the entire defense establishment.”
Hamas: “Any decision that contributes to supporting the rights of the Palestinian people and defends their freedom is an appropriate decision.”
Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi: “[The decision] rewards Palestinian terrorism and the PA’s refusal to return to direct negotiations with Israel, effectively contributing to further polarization between the parties...We call on all states that see the importance in the international legal system and oppose its political exploitation, to respect the sovereign right of states to choose not to agree to the jurisdiction of the tribunal.”
United States State Department Spokesperson Ned Price: “The United States objects to today’s International Criminal Court decision regarding the Palestinian situation. Israel is not a State Party to the Rome Statute.” The State Department later issued a formal statement, saying, “We have serious concerns about the ICC’s attempts to exercise its jurisdiction over Israeli personnel. The United States has always taken the position that the court’s jurisdiction should be reserved for countries that consent to it, or that are referred by the UN Security Council.”
Further reading: https://www.jpost.com/arab-israeli-conflict/eight-things-to-know-about-the-icc-war-crimes-suits-against-israel-658164
Honorable mentions:
“Congress removes Marjorie Taylor Greene from committees” by Ron Kampeas (JTA)
“Why Conspiracy Theorists Like Marjorie Taylor Greene Always Land on the Jews” by Yair Rosenberg (Tablet)
“Listen: Israel’s 2021 Eurovision song entry, by Ethiopian-Israeli pop star Eden Alene” by Gabe Friedman (JTA)
“Senate votes 97-3 to keep US embassy in Jerusalem” (Israel Hayom)
“The controversy over California’s ethnic studies curriculum, explained” by Ben Sales (JTA)
“IAEA inspectors in Iran said to find evidence of possible nuclear weapons work” (Times of Israel)
“Tiffany Haddish, Nick Cannon and Mayim Bialik among 170 to sign statement launching Black-Jewish Entertainment Alliance” by Gabe Friedman (JTA)
“Can Gideon Sa’ar unseat Netanyahu?” by Amy Spiro (Jewish Insider)
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