Monthly Archives: April 2021

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

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin speaks during consultations with party representatives on who might form the next coalition government, at the President’s residence in Jerusalem, Monday, April 5, 2021. (Amir Cohen/Pool Photo via AP)

Tonight an amazing Progressive religious service took place at the egalitarian section of the Kotel for Rabbi Gilad Kariv, to farewell him as President of the IMPJ. The event took place just prior to him being sworn in as a Member of the Knesset. He is the first Progressive Rabbi to be elected as an MK. The moving service ended with Tfilat HaDerech (the Traveler’s Prayer) and the blessing of gratitude Shehecheyanu.

Today was also the day that President Reuven Rivlin invited Bibi Netanyahu to form a coalition to govern Israel after four inconclusive elections taking place over the last two years. Netanyahu has 28 days to form Israel’s next government, with a possible fourteen day extension. However, the President of Israel claimed that no candidate had a real chance of forming a new government, but he chose Netanyahu because he had the most endorsements. The President was forced to make this decision while the PM, Bibi Netanyahu was in court facing trial on corruption charges.

This bizarre situation, in my view, points to a need for reform of the electoral system in Israel, a matter that is being discussed across the board. A number of possible changes have been put forward. One is to increase the percentage of votes that a party would need to achieve to gain seats in the Knesset.

If the percentage was increased it would lead to fewer small parties holding seats and able to manipulate the more successful larger parties, as currently occurs. Another idea is to introduce electorates, as in Australia, so Knesset members as individuals and not just party members, would be answerable to the community who voted for them. The problem is that the Knesset would need to pass legislation to change the electoral system and its not likely happen if members would lose their seats.

While there have been changes to the electoral threshold over time, they have only changed by small increments to the now 3.25 percent of total votes for a party to enter the Knesset. European countries with the same electoral system have thresholds in the 5 to 10 percent range.

While the current system was developed initially to support many parties, able to represent migrants from a large number of different countries, perhaps it is time to change to a system that meets the needs of a more stable demographic Israel.

Helen Shardey
ARZA AUSTRALIA President