THE IMPLICATIONS OF ISRAELI ELECTIONS ON PALESTINIANS - EUROMESCO
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REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa
EUROMESCO SPOT-ON Nº11 - MAY 2019
THE IMPLICATIONS OF ISRAELI
ELECTIONS ON PALESTINIANS
Omar Shaban*
The results of the recent Israeli elections that took place on 9 April 2019 clearly indicated
that reaching peace with the Palestinians is not likely to happen in the near future. The
results confirmed that the biggest losers of these elections are the parties favourable to
the peace process and the two-state solution. The would-be formulated Israeli government
will consist of the right-wing parties who do not propose peace with the Palestinians in
line with the Oslo accords and international standards.
Centrist and right-wing Israeli parties cannot give up Jerusalem, including its occupied
make peace with the Palestinians. They have districts.1
deliberately ignored the two-state solution –
or even peace negotiations with the Netanyahu’s fifth term in office raises
Palestinian Authority (PA) – during their concerns for the Palestinians. It is a sign that
electoral campaigns, meaning that political efforts to resolve the conflict have come to
ambiguity remains the norm. Even the an end, particularly now that other right-wing
proposals of Netanyahu’s main rival, retired parties are granting him a chance to meet
General Benny Gantz, head of the Blue and political promises he made during the
White party, do not appear wildly different. election campaign. The Prime Minister
He eschews talking of Palestinian statehood, vowed to continue building settlements in
and argues that Israel should maintain the West Bank, keeping the Palestinians
control of parts of the West Bank and never divided and preventing the PA from returning
*
Founder and director of PalThink for Strategic Studies, Gaza
1 Holmes, O. (2019, April 5). Best of the worst? Israel’s left looks to Gantz as election nears. The Guardian.
Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/apr/05/best-of-the-worst-israels-left-looks-to-gantz-
as-election-nears
EUROMESCO 1Gaza back under its authority. In an interview separate them from each other and
with the Israel Hayom newspaper on 4 April, recognise Palestinians’ self-rule over Gaza
Netanyahu stressed that the Gaza Strip and while retaining control over large areas of the
the West Bank have become separate West Bank. The annexation of some parts of
entities, and that this is not particularly a bad the latter is even more likely if there is an
thing for Israel. He said: “[Abbas] brought agreement between the right-wing parties
that upon himself. He cut back the influx of and the Prime Minister on the enactment of
PA funds [to Gaza]. He thought that by doing a law to fortify his position, so that he can get
so, he could send Gaza up in flames.”2 rid of corruption charges in exchange for
imposing Israeli sovereignty on the West Bank.
In the last decade, Netanyahu has managed Simply put, the annexation of the West Bank
to drag Israeli society to the far right by is a number one priority for the new
building more settlements than ever, government.
convincing them that a political agreement
with the Palestinians will threaten their Many Palestinians consider that part of the
security; by promising that he is capable of Deal of the Century has already been
reaching a regional solution to the conflict by implemented by moving the US embassy to
normalising relations with Arab countries, Jerusalem, recognising it as the capital of
particularly in the context of growing Israel, along with the suspension of US
geopolitical tensions between them and Iran; funding for the United Nations Relief and
and, ultimately, by finding a humanitarian Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the
solution under the slogan of economic Near East (UNRWA). The fact that both Trump
peace, thus exploiting the Palestinian divide. and Netanyahu are the main promoters of this
Israel will manipulate the Palestinian people plan increases the likelihood of consistent
by pursing two strategies: undermining the Palestinian rejection of any future peace deal.
PA and cooling the Gaza front through
limited humanitarian facilitations. “Trump will not hesitate to recognise Israeli
sovereignty over these settlements since he
Undermining the PA and the Chances does not respect international law and its
of Reaching a Two-State Solution obligations,’’3 said Orly Azoulay, an Israeli-
In this election campaign, Netanyahu American journalist and political writer who
threatened to widen the political divide works for Yedioth Ahronoth. After recognising
between the West Bank and Gaza, to then Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Israel
2 Abu Amer, A. (2019, April 14). Israel fans flames separating Palestinians in Gaza, West Bank. Al-Monitor.
Retrieved from https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2019/04/israel-netanyahu-gaza-hamas-abbas-
palestinian-separation.html#ixzz5mHcVMzKG
3 Al-Nami, S. (2019, April 11). Israeli commentators: “Deal of the Century” to justify the annexation of sett-
lements. Alaraby.co.uk. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/2GeFUhM
EUROMESCO 2
2and Israel’s claims over the Golan Heights, with Hamas, and this explains why he won
Trump played an essential role in supporting by a significant margin in areas like Sderot,
Netanyahu’s re-election, as he is aware that where the Prime Minister received 44% of
winning the 2020 US presidential elections the votes, in comparison with only 9% for
depends mainly on the continued support the Blue and White party. A result that
from the Christian-Evangelical camp, which confirms the settlers’ satisfaction with his
overtly favours the Israeli Prime Minister. positions on Gaza.
Given the campaign’s promises and political
alliances, it is unlikely that Netanyahu will Netanyahu has succeeded in portraying the
interrupt the settlement policy in the West settlers living near the borders with Gaza as
Bank. In fact, the Knesset has initiated at least victims of Palestinian violence, not only in
sixty bills paving the way for annexation, which the eyes of Israeli society but also the world.
would add to the eight laws that have already Israeli settlers have received substantial
been ratified and entered into force. financial compensation and support from his
government. The vast majority of them have
Cooling the Gaza Front through voted for the Prime Minister’s re-election,
Limited Facilitation of Humanitarian since he is perceived as the one who
Aspects protected them by reaching a truce with
As for the Gaza Strip, Netanyahu’s new Hamas and constructing an electronic wall
government is expected to continue its underground and above between Gaza and
understanding with Hamas despite Israel.
occasional escalations that will not likely
amount to all-out fighting. Israel will maintain Options for a Limited Confrontation
the status quo with Hamas in order to retain with the Palestinians
semi-control over Gaza, but without granting There is a consensus among Palestinian
it real sovereignty. In fact, it seems that leaders on the misfortune of the election
Netanyahu’s plan is to keep a Cold War-like results: under the pretext of maintaining the
stability in Gaza. His previous government status quo, Israelis said no to peace and yes
allowed twice the transfer of US$15m from to the occupation. For Israelis the peace
Qatar to Hamas employees, increased the process is dead, Israel should annex areas
electricity supply to the Strip, widened its of the West Bank and continue to blackmail
fishing zone from 6 miles to 15 miles and the PA through various means, for instance
transferred Qatar-funded food assistance to deducting part of the clearing funds on
its needy families. which it relies as revenues in its budget.
Truth be told, the current situation is optimal These deep-seated convictions are also
for Israel, so coercive force will be its last reinforced by the full trust in the far-right in
resort. This is Netanyahu’s policy to deal Israel, with extremism spreading top-down
EUROMESCO 3
3throughout Israeli society. The expansion of steadfastness and confrontation, but the
extremism and hate speech in Israel intra-Palestinian divide hinders all efforts of
indicates that future scenarios will be tough having a coherent strategy against Israeli
on Palestinians, due to the impact that the oppressive and unjust policies. This could
far right will have on the legislative and push the PA into adopting more of a
executive state institutions in the near future. confrontational approach by formally
The racist discourse against the Arabs and activating the decisions adopted by the
the enactment of discriminatory laws, best National and Central Palestinian Councils in
exemplified by the Jewish Nation-Station May 2018. These decisions were: 1)
Law, are further strengthening Netanyahu’s reconsidering the political and economic
position among the settlers. relations with Israel; 2) stopping the security
relations and coordination with Israel; 3)
Last but not least, it is evident that boycotting Israeli products; and 4) activating
Palestinians should have a real strategy of popular pressure against Israel.4
4 PNC orders PLO Executive Committee to suspend recognition of Israel (2018, May 4). Wafa. Retrieved
from http://english.wafa.ps/page.aspx?id=RXRo2ya97540406205aRXRo2y
EUROMESCO 4References
Abu Amer, A. (2019, April 14). Israel fans Benn, A. (2019, April 10). Translated from
flames separating Palestinians in Gaza, West Haaretz: Sovereignty vs. immunity. Atls.ps.
Bank. Al-Monitor. Retrieved from Retrieved from https://bit.ly/2W2PA4q
https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals
/2019/04/israel-netanyahu-gaza-hamas- Holmes, O. (2019, April 5). Best of the
abbas-palestinian-separation.html#ixzz5 worst? Israel’s left looks to Gantz as elections
mHcVMzKG nears. The Guardian. Retrieved from
https://www.theguardian.com/world/201
Abu Amer, K. (2019, April 12). Has the 9/apr/05/best-of-the-worst-israels-left-
conflict settlement for the PA collapsed with looks-to-gantz-as-election-nears
Netanyahu winning the Israeli elections?
Arabi21.com. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/ Madi, S. (2019, April 11). The Twenty-first
2ZsyCyM Knesset, No Vote over the Voice of the Right-
wing. Sama News. Retrieved from
Alam TV. (2019, April 11). Israelis’ make fun https://bit.ly/2ZqaooB
of the settlers living near borders with Gaza.
Alalam TV. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/ PNC orders PLO Executive Committee
2PrexUP to suspend recognition of Israel (2018,
May 4). Wafa. Retrieved from http://english.
Al-Nami, S. (2019, April 11). Israeli wafa.ps/page.aspx?id=RXRo2ya975404
commentators: “Deal of the Century” to justify 06205aRXRo2y
the annexation of settlements. Alaraby.co.uk.
Retrieved from https://bit.ly/2GeFUhM
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