Page 31 - Jewish News_May-June-2020

COMMENTARY May/June 2020 31

After three elections over a year, Israel has a government

By Harold M. Halpern

am writing this column on April 1. similar period. We also know that the and the Minority citizens as well as the interested parties. If the government
You will not read it until a month or immediate priority of the Unity gov- well-being of all the people. endures, Netanyahu shall be Prime
I more later. It is difficult to foresee ernment will be to bring the coronavi- Afterword: April 21 – Netanyahu and Minister for the first 18 months fol-
now what the Israeli government and rus under control. Gantz have reached an agreement for lowed by Gantz.
its policies will look like. Beyond that, negotiations are on- a unity government. It essentially pro- Harold Halpern is a retired attorney
The election going with many rumors and undoubt- vides for dealing with the coronavi- having practiced in New York and
on March 2 did ed difficulties. Critical issues are: rus for six months with no new major Florida. He lives in Lakewood Ranch.
not end the dead- ‹ Who is the Speaker of the Knes- legislation or action on other issues He is a board member of the American
lock between the set? The Speaker has the power to without mutual agreement. The one ex- Association of Jewish Lawyers and
Right led by Ben- fix the Agenda. ception is that the annexation of a por- Jurists as well as the West Coast Chap-
jamin Netanyahu ‹ Did Knesset adopt legislation ex- tion of the West Bank can be brought ter of the American Jewish Committee.
and the Center- pressly permitting the Prime Min- up in two months subject to U.S. input He is also a columnist for the Sarasota
Left led by Benny ister to sit while under indictment and consultation with Europe and other Herald-Tribune.
Gantz. Netanya- and/or trial?
Harold M. Halpern hu could muster ‹ Who is the Minister of Justice?
only 58 votes and not the needed 61. One who endorses the importance
The parties supporting Gantz had 62 of the Supreme Court as a check
elected Members of the Knesset. This on the government or one who
included the members of the Joint List supports a proposal giving Knesset
of the Arab Israelis. Three members of the power to overrule its decisions
the Center-Left announced they would and politicize the appointment of
not vote for Gantz as they wouldn’t its Justices?
sit in a government dependent on the ‹ Will the Knesset adopt legislation
votes of Israeli Arabs. annexing 30% of the West Bank
Gantz was also unable to form a including the Jordan Valley as
government led by him as Prime Min- contemplated by the Trump Peace
ister. Plan, or just the Jewish settlements,
Netanyahu reached out to Gantz or do nothing pending a complete
to join a Unity government. Gantz discussion of the Peace Plan with
agreed. However, about 20 members Jordan and Egypt and interested
of the Center-Left coalition refused to parties? If there is an annexation,
go along with Gantz. They broke away will the Palestinians living in an-
and announced they would sit in the nexed areas be offered citizenship
Opposition. Avigdor Leberman, leader as was offered to the Druze in the
of Yisrael Beiteinu, and his party, as Golan Heights?
well as the Joint List also will be in the ‹ Will there be a status quo on reli-
Opposition. gious issues or will there be modi-
It appears that the Unity govern- fication of religious strictures?
ment will likely have about 75 mem- ‹ Will the budget provide for more
bers of which approximately 20 will social services for the Arab Israe-
be from Gantz’s Center-Left coalition. lis?
There is not yet an agreement deter- ‹ Will the budget provide more
mining who will hold cabinet positions funds for education, hospitals and
or the policies to be pursued by the infrastructure?
Unity government. The answers to these questions
We do know that Netanyahu will will determine whether it is truly a
serve as Prime Minister for the first Unity government embracing issues of
year and half followed by Gantz for a importance to the Right, Center-Left

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