The disdain shown towards Israel by The Independent is obvious. While there is clearly a visceral and nasty attitude, the paper’s staff editorial (paywall) on the Israeli elections also demonstrates an embarrassing level of ignorance.
Referring to Blue and White party leader Benny Gantz, The Independent says that he
is making some brave noises about constructing a “national unity” government, comprising his own movement and a variety of smaller left-wing groups, and possibly with the tacit support of Israeli Arab parties.
Oh dear. It doesn’t take a politics degree to understand that a national unity government by definition is one that comprises of parties from both sides of the aisle joining together. Blue and White is considered to be part of the center-left bloc of Israeli parties. That means that any coalition government comprising it along with smaller left-wing parties would be a center-left coalition, not a national unity government.
Amidst all of the complicated political machinations currently taking place right now in Israel, a national unity government, if it were to come about, would be based on Blue and White with Likud.
Join the fight for Israel’s fair coverage in the news
National suicide – a liberal value
The Independent continues:
Although the liberal and pluralistic credentials of the Blue and White Party can be overstated – it remains opposed to the Palestinian right of return and supports Jerusalem as the undivided national capital – a Gantz premiership would at least mark a fresh start for Israel.
In fact, no mainstream Zionist political parties from left to right support the Palestinian right of return. This includes the Labor party and even the staunchly left-wing Democratic Union (formerly Meretz).
The right of return effectively means the destruction of Israel as a Jewish state. Is The Independent seriously suggesting that Israel is not liberal or pluralistic because it rejects a policy that would bring about its own destruction?
At least we now know that The Independent believes national suicide is a liberal value.
Aggressive territorial expansion
The Independent concludes by claiming Israel has
endangered the lives of its own citizens through an aggressive programme of territorial expansion.
The facts are that the Israeli government has done little to nothing in the way of promoting a territorial expansion program over the years. There have been three notable exceptions in the past few years – the new settlement of Amichai in 2018, the retroactive legalization of the existing Mevo’ot Yericho (2019) and Havat Gilad (2018) outposts – but Israeli governments have not had any official program of building new settlements. (Unauthorized outposts are illegal under Israeli law.)
So building new houses, schools and kindergartens to cope with natural growth within existing settlements is aggressive territorial expansion?!
The Independent’s editors evidently need a lesson in politics, history and geography when it comes to Israel if this clueless staff editorial is anything to go by.
Let The Independent know what you think. Send your considered comments to [email protected]
