By Daniel Juster
Benjamin Netanyahu has for now solidified his leadership in Israel. I think many in Israel voted for him due to feeling safer with the continuity of his governing. There are many positives for Israel in having another term for Bibi and many negatives. Here are the positives.
- First, there will be a continuation of a move conservative economic management which has led to very low unemployment and increased wages. With the partnership with Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon of Kolanu, Israel has expanded housing. The cost increase has slowed which is very important for the future. Yet, some economists think that he has increased spending, and the deficit which is not good. Israel always has great pressure to finance all the various sectors of the society,.
- Secondly, there will be a continuation of Bibi’s strong foreign policy which amazingly has developed a relationship with Arab nations (in opposition to Iran), a strong relationship with the Trump administration, and amazingly a decent relationship with Russia! He has opened up African and South American relationships at historic levels.
- Thirdly, with his alliance with the ultra Orthodox and national Orthodox parties, there will not be an approval of gay marriage and new rights for LGBT people, though Israel is already very affirming of gays and LGBT people. Abortion is already at terrible levels. However, there has now been strong legislation to criminalize paying for prostitution to fight human trafficking.
- With the Palestinians, the ruse will now be over. It is my view that they never really wanted lasting peace with Israel and from their part, we see it was a ruse all along. So new solutions and management will be sought. He will manage the conflict, but some think that he needs to punish Hamas, remove their weapons and capture their terrorist leaders. This is a hard issue.
The negatives are in the areas of human rights.
- Many Russian Jews are not accepted as adequately Jewish by the ultra Orthodox and are denied status as Jews. This is almost 3-400,000. They are not allowed to have Jewish marriages in the land. The conversion process is off putting for them. Avigdor Liberman of Yisrael Beiteinu is fighting on this issue, and he may stay out of the government of Bibi if he is not given something on this issue.
- The 8000 Ethipoian Jews waiting to come to Israel are not likely to gain their goals since the ultra Orthodox largely do not favor them. There is racism in their attitudes to these black Jews. This is tragic.
- Shas, the Sephardic Orthodox party under formerly jailed Aryeh Deri, will continue to control the Interior Department and make citizenship hard for those who come to Israel under the law of entry/descent (those with a Jewish father or a grandparent). These folks are legally qualified for citizenship but Shas will seek to keep them out. This has very negative repercussions for Messianic Jews.
- The ultra Orthodox will try to change Israel’s basic laws so that Orthodox Jews who study Torah (really Talmud) will be released form Army and National Service. This is a huge number of Orthodox men. Basic Law is the closest thing Israel has to a constitution. I am amazed at the number of secular people who voted for Netanyahu knowing this might be the consequence.
Though Evangelicals in the United States really love Bibi, they really do not realize what a mixture we face in Israel.