Page 10 - ARUBA TODAY

A10 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 11 april 2019
Israel’s election exposes its deep political divisions

By JOSEF FEDERMAN est government. In con-
Associated Press trast, the 69-year-old Ne-
JERUSALEM (AP) — Prime tanyahu, facing the strong
Minister Benjamin Netan- likelihood of criminal charg-
yahu’s apparent election es in the coming months,
victory has deepened the sounded very much like
divisions in an already-di- his friend President Donald
vided country. Trump. He frequently por-
Bolstered by his base of re- trayed himself as the victim
ligious and working-class of a “witch hunt” and ac-
voters, Netanyahu can be cused Gantz of conspiring
expected to press ahead with politicians from the
with a hard-line agenda country’s Arab minority to
that will likely eliminate the topple him. Even after a
last hopes of a two-state decade in office, Netan-
solution with the Palestin- yahu marketed himself as
ians. A looming indictment the outsider. These differ-
in a series of corruption ent approaches were on
scandals could even ac- display on election night,
celerate these trends. when preliminary results
For all the talk of unity from showed a close race and
political leaders during the each candidate declared
campaign, Israel is a deep- victory. Gantz’s rally looked
ly tribal country. People are like a celebration. Netan-
divided between Jews and Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu waves to his supporters after polls for Israel’s general yahu’s felt like a sporting
Arabs; religious Jews and elections closed in Tel Aviv, Israel, Wednesday, April 10, 2019. event, with the whipped-
secular Jews; Jews of Euro- Associated Press up crowd whooping and
pean ancestry and those ern town of Sderot. Netanyahu’s Likud party Similar thinking took place hollering as if it were at
of Middle Eastern heritage; Just two weeks ago, Da- and its religious and nation- across Israel. A look at the a soccer match. Where
and residents of the secu- vidi’s town was dealing alist allies. electoral map showed Li- Gantz’s supporters were
lar, high-tech metropo- with around-the-clock air “We are intelligent peo- kud and its allies sweeping excited, Netanyahu’s sup-
lis of Tel Aviv and people raid sirens as Palestinian ple,” Davidi told the Army the vote in smaller, outlying porters — many wearing
from dusty, outlying towns, militants in the neighboring Radio station. “We are cities and towns, West Bank Jewish skullcaps and danc-
West Bank settlements and Gaza Strip were bombard- people who know how settlements and in Jerusa- ing to Mizrahi pop music —
the conservative capital ing southern Israeli commu- to appreciate everything lem, whose population is were ecstatic. His speech
of Jerusalem. Netanyahu, nities with rocket fire. that’s done for us, and I largely poor and religious. included a Jewish prayer
himself a secular, U.S.- It’s a scene the residents of think that Netanyahu and In contrast, Blue and White, and a Trump-like swipe at
educated millionaire with southern Israel have gotten all the right-wing parties led by former military chief the “hostile” media.
a propensity for cognac used to since the Hamas are doing what they can Benny Gantz, coasted to Netanyahu’s opponents
and cigars, has nonethe- militant group seized pow- do and what they believe.” victory in Tel Aviv, the coun- finally conceded defeat
less aligned himself with er in Gaza 12 years ago. In Sderot, whose popu- try’s prosperous commer- Wednesday, acknowledg-
downtrodden Jewish Is- It’s also a constant source lation is largely working cial and cultural center, as ing that he and his tradi-
raelis with whom he would of frustration. Residents class, religious and of Miz- well as the nearby suburbs tional allies control a solid
seem to have little in com- complained about Netan- rahi, or Middle Eastern, de- that are home to a more majority in the 120-seat
mon. Portraying himself as yahu’s inability to stop the scent, Netanyahu’s Likud professional and affluent parliament. But the pro-
a victim of the country’s rockets and were furious received 44% of the vote, population. cess of building a coalition
“elites,” Netanyahu is seen over his latest behind-the- compared with 9% for the On the campaign trail, can require weeks of ne-
as their hero. “Netanyahu scenes cease-fire deal with rival Blue and White party, Gantz sought to project an gotiations, and his smaller
is the best prime minister Hamas. according to official elec- image of decency and vir- partners will be looking to
the state of Israel has ever But given a chance to tion data. More than 80% of tue, taking aim at the cor- extract control of powerful
had, and we will continue change things in Tuesday’s Sderot voted for Likud and ruption investigations swirl- government ministries and
to support him,” said Alon election, residents of Sderot its religions and nationalist ing around Netanyahu and generous budgets to pro-
Davidi, mayor of the south- voted overwhelmingly for allies. promising a clean and hon- mote their pet causes. q

Afghan government says talks with

Taliban delayed 5 days

Associated Press protracted war and the withdrawal
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The Afghan of U.S. troops. Afghan government
government says talks with the Taliban will representatives are participating in talks
take place on April 19 in Doha, the capital as part of a larger group of prominent
of Qatar, five days later than originally Afghans. The Taliban say they will speak
scheduled. with the government representatives
Abdul Hadi Arghandewal, a member of but recognize them only as “ordinary”
the leadership council for reconciliation, Afghans. Arghandewal says the council
says Wednesday more discussions on the will announce the Afghan negotiating
An Afghan security force check the site a day after an an attack Afghan negotiation team are needed. team in the next three to four days.
near the Bagram Air Base, north of Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, The meeting is seen as a significant step Taliban officials confirmed the delay
April 9, 2019.
Associated Press toward finding an end to Afghanistan’s without providing more details.q