Over the past few months, Jews of Jerusalem have been scared to leave their homes for fear of running into an Arab lynch mob. Every other day there are stabbing and shooting attacks and our sense of security has been lost. Our soldiers and police are pelted with rocks, fireworks, and Molotov cocktails, but their hands are tied from responding in any effective way.
It doesn’t help the situation that Israel’s current government coalition includes Arab parties who deny Israel’s right to exist as a democratic and Jewish State, celebrate terrorism against Israelis, and have transferred billions of shekels from Israel’s government budget to Hamas and Hezbollah NGOs.
Another cause for the rise in terrorism is that any Jewish building in area C, even a measly shack, is immediately destroyed with great force by hundreds of Israeli soldiers at the behest of Defense Minister Benny Gantz while at the same time illegal Arab Building in Area C and in the Negev has accelerated to a pace never seen before with no government oversight or enforcement.
The apartheid against Jews in Judea and Samaria comes of no surprise from Benny Gantz, who after an operation in the 2014 Gaza war where 14 Israeli soldiers were killed said that he put the lives of Golani soldiers in danger to protect the lives of Gazans. In 2015 at an event for Shurat Hadin Gantz said, “I put the lives of Golani soldiers in danger, I don’t see anything wrong with that, I am very proud of it.”
Maybe Prime Minister Lapid giving new legitimacy to a Palestinian State a few weeks ago at the UN or surrendering and making a deal with Hezbollah, or the rebirth of the Iran deal has empowered terrorism. These failures on foreign policy of course stem from Lapid’s (who is a Prime Minister of a transition government and according to Israeli law -which is not enforced on left wing politicians-, has very limited power) desire to have any form of diplomatic action listed under his name heading into elections. Weakness and capitulation in the face of Arab terrorism surely strengthens the extremist voices in the Arab community.
Over the last year and a half Israel’s Jewish identity has been put on the backburner. Non- Jews make up on average close to 60 percent of immigration into the country every year and the number is increasing. This past government introduced education programs in Israeli public schools which erase any mention of Shema Yisroel, Moses or any other Jewish figures and traditions. The left is on a mission to reeducate young Israelis about family structure and gender identity. They have also gifted the Reform movement of Judaism in Israel and the United States hundreds of millions of shekels in new funding. We must remember to give thanks for the rise of this left wing- Arab coalition and all their achievements to Alternate Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked for making it possible.
Benjamin Netanyahu, the candidate for Prime Minister from the right wing has less than stellar right-wing credentials. In the past Netanyahu has made speeches in support of a Palestinian State, has given the PLO control over 97% of Hebron in the Y-agreements and on two occasions both in 2009 with Ehud Barak, and in 2013 with Tzipi Livni and Yair Lapid deliberately chose to form a government with left wing parties as opposed to parties from the traditional right-wing block. Benjamin Netanyahu may once again prefer a more centrist government which will bring him back to power with a coalition that doesn’t demad right wing policy.
To form a coalition in Israel you need at least 61 seats in Knesset. In recent polling the right-wing block of Likud, Religious Zionism, and the Charedi Parties, is averaging between 59 and 62 seats. Likud is averaging between 30-33 seats, the Religious Zionist Party 12-14, Shas 7-9, and United Torah Judaism 6-7. Benny Gantz’s party is averaging between 11-13 seats. A centrist coalition could be formed with the haredi parties who don’t have a definitive stance on security issues and Gantz who is left leaning.
To secure a right-wing government, the Religious Zionist Party (which is the one party that prevented Netanyahu from forming a coalition with Arab anti- Israel parties after the last elections) must have more Knesset members than Gantz’s party to secure a 61-seat right wing government. In any case Likud will be the largest party in the right-wing block and Netanyahu will be Prime Minister if Likud receives 30 or 33 seats in the Knesset.
It’s up to you on November 1st who it will be with, a left-wing party led by Benny Gantz who has caused Israel’s security situation to deteriorate, puts Israelis soldier’s lives in danger, and who discriminates against Jews in Judea and Samaria OR with the Religious Zionist Party (letter “TET” on the ballot) which will restore our security and bring us back to our Jewish roots and traditions.
Israel needs a strong right-wing government to protect itself and ensure its Jewish identity.
Bio: Benjamin Sipzner is the Anglo coordinator for outreach and events for the Religious Zionist Party in the upcoming elections. He is an Oleh from New York, and recently completed his service as a lone soldier in the Nachal Brigade of the IDF. He can be found on Facebook and can be reached at [email protected].