Netanyahu's binational state-in-waiting
Opinion: The prime minister is undermining his own short-term successes, making defense of his policies difficult even for staunch supporters, all while leading Israel towards a one-state future
More than anything, it seems Benjamin Netanyahu's declaration that he will annex the West Bank is a big, deal, and very serious. Furthermore, it was announced at the end of an election campaign in which all candidates successfully managed to avoid any discussion of serious issues.
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The issue of annexation highlights the difference between the blocs. The Likud was seen to be a right-wing party, but not as an extreme right-wing one. Now it seems Netanyahu has decided to close the gap between Likud and those on its right: Jewish Home party and the New Right, explaining of his efforts to include Meir Kahane's racist followers among his potential partners.
This is not a political maneuver. This is a serious move and though it may not much interest Donald Trump or Vladimir Putin, or even newly elected President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil – no disrespect to any of them – some of Israel's defenders, and friends: Alan Dershowitz and Irwin Cotler to name but two, will have a harder time standing by a Netanyahu government.
Damage is already felt. Many prominent Democrats stayed away from the AIPAC conference this year, while presidential hopeful and former Democratic congressman Beto O'Rourke, though highlighting the importance of US-Israeli relations, branded Netanyahu a racist. Anyone in his or her right mind would say as much if an American president were to invite the KKK to join a coalition of his supporters.
Netanyahu may be charming some world leaders, in the short run, but that is never enough.
With a few short moves he undermined his own achievements by first cancelling a compromise ensuring egalitarian prayer at the Western Wall, then legitimizing racist Kahane supporters and now announcing he will annex not only the settlement blocs in the West Bank, but all settlements including isolated ones
I have often published my views. I think the Israeli right has the correct geo-political position. It is right to fear a Palestinian state, which may be overtaken by Hamas. It is right in saying that the one-sided exodus from the Gaza Strip was a mistake, and that the Palestinian leadership is not prepared to make any real compromise for peace. It is right in its criticism of left wing NGOs.
But on one important point, the right-wing is leading us on the road to disaster by slowly moving towards one big binational state, thereby fulfilling an anti-Zionist dream.
'Not true', say Likud supporters, Netanyahu does not want a binational state.
But according to updated data published Monday, of the 2,100 new housing units under construction in the settlements, 1,539 are in isolated ones and in fact of the almost 20,000 units built in the past decade, well over half were in isolated settlements as well.
These are figures published by Peace Now, and despite my disagreement with the NGO, I know their data to be reliable, confirming Netanyahu's plans for annexation in the West Bank.
We may well wake up one day and it is too late. So we should pay careful attention. Many Likud voters oppose a binational state and believe Netanyahu will not go through with facilitating one. They are wrong. The facts support it.
So Tuesday's vote is really choice between a vote for a Jewish Zionist state on one hand or a post-Zionist binational state on the other.
