How an Israeli sees the recent election

February 25, 4:20 PMForeign Policy ExaminerAimee Kligman

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Group Pictures Members of Knesset (AP Photo/Jim Hollander, Pool)

Uri Avnery is not widely read by the Israeli right wing, certainly not after the results of the last election which clearly gave Netanyahu a majority in the Knesset. Although he has not yet formed his coalition government, there has been speculation as to how the leadership of Netanyahu will affect the peace process. So far we have given various viewpoints of the situation. It is now time to give the view of an intellectual Israeli, who is not caught up by a consuming desire to destroy all things not Jewish.

Mr. Avnery writings can be found in Ha'aretz, Israel oldest newspaper, as well as on Gush Shalom, which is an Israeli website that advocates the end of the Palestinian occupation. In fact, so radical is the right wing, that as far back as 2006 when Israel had not yet fallen completely to the right, National Jewish Front leader Baruch Marzel was calling for the ASSASSINATION  of Uri Avnery. Such vitriol is perfectly understandable, and it does trickle down to ordinary Israeli citizens who are no less venomous in their attacks of anyone who dares to suggest peace, or criticize Israel's policies.

A few days ago, Avnery published an article titled 'The Great Gamble'. As usual, the article is well thought out, and backed by many facts, as would be any narrative that does not attempt to rewrite history to fit the politics du jour. In essence, what Mr. Avnery is telling us is that it has to get a lot worse in Israel before it gets better. George Mitchell is on his way to the region at this very moment, and how I wish he could be reading this very article. Allow me to quote:

Israel simply has to pass through this phase before it can recover. The Right must get unlimited power to realize its program, without the pretext of being hindered by leftist or centrist members of the coalition. Let them try, in full view of the world, to pursue a policy of war, the overthrow of Hamas in Gaza, the avoidance of any peace negotiations, unfettered settlement, spitting in the face of world public opinion and collision with the United States 

In other words, Avnery has just confirmed what was indicated in an earlier post, and that was the February 11th article, Middle East: A Likud win is a roadblock to peace.

He reminds us, as he ought to know, that the Israelis need to be shocked into reality, and nothing less than the fall of the extremist right and the condemnation of world opinion will do. At that point, Avnery deems that Israel will realize that there is no alternative to peace. Some of this process cannot happen without pressure from the United States, and here Avnery pauses. He is uncertain that Obama will take any 'real' action, but rather that he might capitulate as his predecessors have done.

The picture painted by Avnery of Israel under right wing leadership is terrifying. No peace, no two-state solution, no end to settlements, complete ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people, and naturally more deaths and war. Quoting once more:

All these things are possible. One or two years of a Bibi-Liberman-Kahane government can cause irreparable damage to Israel’s standing in the world, Israeli-American relations, the judicial system, Israeli democracy, national morale and national sanity.

THE POSITIVE side of this situation is that the Knesset will once again include a large opposition. Perhaps even an effective opposition. 

It could very well be that Labor and Kadima have seen the same writing on the wall, and thus so far, have chosen to remain in opposition, hopefully that opposition that will be needed when the madness is over.