News and Events

President Reuven Rivlin, Yair Lapid, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Naftali Bennett (Photo: Yoav Dudkiewicz, Elad Gutman, GPO, Flash 90 | Ynetnews.com)

The Progressive Movement of Australia has been at one in expressing our sincere condolences and offering prayers and heartfelt support to Israel in relation to the tragedy at Mount Meron on Lag Ba’omer. The lives lost and the hundreds injured represent the greatest civil disaster in Israeli history.

On a different level Israel is facing uncertainty in relation to the imminent deadline on Tuesday night for a coalition to be able to be formed to provide a long awaited government for the home of the Jewish people. The last 28 days have seen back and forth talk of deals between differing parties, unlikely proposals for direct Prime Ministerial elections and talk of a looming fifth election.

Today, it appears that Netanyahu will not be able to form a coalition to govern and that President Rivlin may pass the mandate to Yesh Atid Chairman, Yair Lapid. This is only speculation.

The Presidential process for deciding will start on Wednesday morning in Israel. The law allows the President to give the mandate to any lawmaker, so it will be interesting to see the outcome. The one unknown is still the direction Naftali Bennett will take. He appears to have put himself in the position of King maker, and the level of gamesmanship in this process is not something that we, Australians are familiar with. Certainly not to this degree.

The lack of political stability in Israel, despite the amazing achievements in relation to the control of Covid 19, have left the Jewish world concerned about the future of Eretz Israel and its ability to provide a pluralist democratic environment for all streams of Judaism and all citizens.

Helen Shardey
ARZA Australia President
UPJ Vice President

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a weekly cabinet meeting at the prime minister’s office in Jerusalem in 2018 | Sebastian Scheiner/AP Photo

“Netanyahu’s reputation for reneging on promises hobbles coalition talks”, according to the Times of Israel.

The media outlet noted yesterday that Netanyahu has had the mandate from President Rivlin to form a government for Israel for some 10 days. However, despite the view that a government will be formed with Netanyahu’s Likud party being joined by Haredi allies, far right Religious Zionist and Naftali Bennett’s Yamina party, this would still leave Bibi short by 2 seats, and would require the help of the Islamic Movement’s political arm, the Ra’am party.

This appears to leave the Prime Minister with a problem, because the leader of Religious Zionism, Bezalel Smotrich, refuses to sit with the Arab party in a coalition. He claims that while it may deliver a strategic victory for Netanyahu it would bring defeat for the right in years to come and benefit anti-Zionist parties and the left.

There are an abundance of possible manipulations and crafty deals on offer and being discussed, but what is to be believed and can any so-called deal be trusted? After all the deal after the last election was to rotate the prime ministership to Benny Gantz, but rather than hold to this deal, Bibi failed to pass a budget forcing the Knesset to dissolve. This sent Israelis back to the polls for a fourth election.

The Times of Israel article suggests that all this talk of including the Arab Party in a coalition is only aimed at putting pressure on the other right-wing parties such as Gideon Sa’ar’s New Hope Party, to join a Likud coalition with Netanyahu as PM.

If Netanyahu’s closest allies don’t seem to trust him, who can, and what will the future hold for the Jewish State?

ARZA Australia President, Helen Shardey

San Francisco City Hall illuminated in blue and white for Yom Ha’atzmaut in 2020. Credit: Israeli-American Council.

In remembrance and celebration of Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha’atzmaut, ARZA Australia would like to bring you a beautiful musical rendition of The Prayer for Israel by Australian musicians with their own rendition. Please click on the link below and enjoy.

CHUTNEY unplugged has produced a sequel to our Jerusalem of Gold video, this time to commemorate Yom Hazikaron / Yom Ha’atzmaut. We’ve recorded our own heartfelt arrangement of The Prayer for Israel, Avinu Shebashamayim, in Sydney’s Central Synagogue.

ARZA Australia President, Helen Shardey