No one is against the rule of law, they are just against the rulers of law. It is entirely consistent with the rule of law to change the rules legally and then to follow the new rules. This is what the fight against the Court is all about.
This article seeks to put a positive spin on Begin’s appointment before the detractors can respond, but respond they will.
Benny Begin’s decision to return to public life will benefit not only the Likud party, but also the rule of law in Israel.
When Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon suggested that Begin vie for a place on the Likud’s Knesset list, Begin reminded him that party members had voted him off the list in the 2013 primaries. Ya’alon told him that those who opposed him in 2013 — the supporters of MK Moshe Feiglin, who opposed Ya’alon himself during December’s Likud primaries — have followed Feiglin and have all but left the party.
That was the point from which the negotiations for Begin’s return began, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The successful end saw Begin placed 11th on Likud’s list for the coming elections.
Begin’s close friend, former minister Dan Meridor, has always claimed that it was not Begin’s compromising political positions that undercut him during the 2013 primaries, but his statements in defense of the High Court of Justice. Begin’s return to politics can only bode well for the court.
True to the legacies of iconic Likud leader Zeev Jabotinsky and his own father, former Prime Minister Menachem Begin, Benny Begin has always refused to sideline the rule of law for the sake of promoting his own agenda, to see the Land of Israel settled by Jews. The son of the leader who coined the phrase “there are judges in Jerusalem,” has spared no effort to sustain settlements in Judea and Samaria, but only up the point where his efforts clashed with the rule of law.
In both of Netanyahu’s previous governments, a prominent group of ministers, from different parties, protected the position of the High Court, offsetting the pressure Netanyahu found himself under from the Right — from Habayit Hayehudi, Yisrael Beytenu and Likud hardliners. In the next government, however, Begin may find himself as the only defender of the court, and the only one trying to prevent legislation seeking to undermine the court’s position — a very unique role.
Begin is a welcome addition to any political, diplomatic, and security debate, as he stands by his convictions. His integrity and modesty are rare assets in an age where corruption and ostentatious practices seem to be the order of the day. To put is simply, he comes from good stock.
@ yamit82:
04 [02] Yachad (Yishai+Chetboun+Marzel) May get into Knesset it appears at this point in time.
Likud in first now in last 3 or 4 polls. Right wing and religious are taking a joint lead over Labor/Meretz/ Yesh Atid
My opinions on the coming Knesset election more or less mirror the polling analyses of Jeremy’s Knesset Insider. Jeremy has been consistently pointing out what all the polls have been showing; namely that Netanyahu and his likely and potential allies to form Israel’s next government stand at about 68-71 seats, compared with about 49-52 seats for Herzog and his likely and potential allies. And of those 49-52 seats, about 11 represent the consolidated Arab Knesset seats. Possibly I am mistaken, but I know of no Israeli government that has come to power depending on any votes from the Arab parties or Arab coalitions.
The other shoe that is waiting to drop will be Netanyahu’s invited address before the joint houses of the Congress of the United States, in which he plainly will discuss, first, the threat of Islamic Jihadism encroaching not only causing chaos all across the Middle East, but now threatening all of the USA’s allies in Europe, and the USA itself; and second, the growing threat of nuclear war posed by Iran’s focused drive to develop nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them on targets thousands of miles away.
Moreover, it is now plainly evident that Obama, who faces a new domestic enemy in the solid Republican leadership of those two house of Congress, has not been able to frighten either the Speaker of the US House of Representatives or his impending guest, the Prime Minister of Israel, from speaking before the entire membership of both those powerful legislative bodies. The fact is, Netanyahu has won a major victory thus far without even traveling to Washington and his fateful hour of glory before the most powerful elected legislature in the world.
I have seen many seen complete television coverage of many such joint addresses to both Houses of the United States Congress. Because of the fuss Obama has unwisely created over Netanyahu’s address, that coming event is likely to overshadow his own State of the Nation address to the same Congress. There will be a standing ovation for Netanyahu at the end of his address, and, most noticeably, there is Obama’s petty response that he will not agree to meet with Netanyahu when the latter comes to Washington. So there goes the Herzog/Livni complaint that Netanyahu has squandered the good will of the government of the United States.
While I have no evidence, from Jeremy’s Knesset insider or any other source, that Netanyahu’s multi-party coalition will pull off something like 75 Knesset seats, I think that, barring some unpredictable event, planned or accidental, Netanyahu will be the only man capable of assembling the next governing coalition of Israel.
And if that is so, he will dominate that government. And if that is so, then I think his position regarding any two-state solution to Israel’s permanent war will preclude even faked peace negotiations with Fatah, which, I understand, is rapidly running out of money.
And if all that is so, then I quietly smile. Because Am Yisrael Chai. And nobody can stop it.
Arnold Harris
Mount Horeb WI
yamit82 Said:
My view is that if Likud loses there will be no partner to the left of jewish home with which it can ally and JH will not be able to form a coalition without Likud.
I think that BB’s strategy is to appeal to the left of his party for the taking of power. This will enable him more of the center and undecided votes. I dont think he worries about losing votes on his right as they will go further right and have to form a coalition with him to exert any power in a gov as I dont beleive Bennett would form a coalition again with the left like he did with Lapid, too opportunistic for his future image. Also, I dont believe that Benett seeks to be PM at this time and therefore BB probably thinks it would be better to seek a coalition with Bennett and retain the PM position for himself throughout whereas a coalition of Likud with the left of his party might require rotation which I do not believe he wants. Therefore, any vote draining off to his right will still ensure him for PM if he can capture more of the center.
If this statement is true then how can this statement also be true:
yamit82 Said:
or this:SHmuel HaLevi 2 Said:
My suspicion is that BB tends to seek fig leafs for his intended actions which contradict his marketing: e.g. Livni for Justice and peace negotiations. In the same way that the Livni appointment heralded Justice obstruction of settlement perhaps we should also see Begin’s entry as a potential cover for BB to retain some semblance of being pro land for Jews while at the same time obstructing Jewish settlement through the military administration and obstructing Jewish rights of settlement through the courts. So, who will control the 2 most direct influences that obstruct Jewish settlement in Israel. BB appears to have inherited the “teflon” moniker from Reagan, or perhaps the term “human shields” might apply.
Bear Klein Said:
Polls for Lieberman may be optimistic. Been a long time since he has run on his own. He may still have a hard core of Rusian speakers but the young have abandoned him and they have other options on the right. He has zig zagged so much nobody believes him anymore.
Watch out for Elli Yeshai and otzma they could surprise.
If I believed Begin was true to Herut principle I would support him he moved left like his father which puts him beyond the pale.
@ yamit82: We will see if you are correct in your analysis or this just strong personal feelings as opposed to gauging the spectrum of voters.
Do you still feel as strong that Yisrael Bitenyu voters will stick with just Lieberman in the same numbers? So far all the polls having losing from 13 down to 5 or so seats.
@ Bear Klein:
Begin is likely to turn off as many or more than he attracts.
He is no less a traitor than his big mouth daddy may he rest uncomfortably in Hell. He is still best friends with the other Likud traitor Meridor….to call Begin or Meridor right wingers begs the question of what you or anyone else considers right wing. Centrist right is the same as believing a woman can be half pregnant.
Prediction:—– the parties to the right and left of Likud will insure the Likud loses, Selection of Begin whose last act as minister was to allow the Bedouin to steal a third of the Negev Legally seems to be forgotten by Mr. Klein.
Begin whether one likes him or not makes the Likud more appealing to many in the center/right. Not to those are likely to vote for Yadad HaAm.
Great error to provide the person a safe place. He allied with several bad items as far as Eretz Israel is concerned including Meridor, Lipkin Shahak, etc. He was ready to partition the Negev to the Bedouins.
Regretful.