BACKGROUND

Camelot It's Not

There should be no illusions about the
new Rabin government, which failed
in its quest to be a broad coalition.

INA FRIEDMAN

Israel Correspondent

erusalem — By the
skin of his teeth, Yit-
zhak Rabin received
the Knesset's vote of con-
- fidence for his new govern-
ment last -Monday night.
Camelot — in case anyone
had any illusions to that
effect — it is not going to be.
In fact, to a certain degree
the bloom was off the rose
even before the prime min-
ister-designate reached the
Knesset with his new line
up. Perhaps that was in-
, evitable considering all the
I, hype attending the post-
; election mood: talk of a
"turnabout," the thirst for a
new look and feel to things,
and the high hopes that the
rejuvenated Labor Party and
its leftist partner (Meretz),
- at least, would set new
norms and usher in an era of
"good government."
Instead, what the Israeli
public got during the coali-
tion negotiations was a
gallery of mostly new faces
but essentially more of the
same behavior that has
characterized the last decade
of Likud and national-unity
I_ governments: a potpourri of
squabbling, sulking, and
moral sleights of hand.
Mr. Rabin did not present
to the Knesset the govern-
ment he was aiming for.
- What he wanted for that
government was stability,
and his grand design was to
create it by surrounding
Labor's bloc of 44 seats with
O a balance of left ) right and
religious-secular interests —
thereby ensuring that if any
one party or even an entire
camp deserted the govern-
' ment, it would nonetheless
stand.
Of course constructing a
-
government in this manner
- presumed the ability to
bridge the gap between op-
= posites, to the point of squar-
ing the circle, if necessary.
Mr. Rabin assumed that a
combination of flexibility by
his prospective partners
(who would rather be in
power than in the opposi-
tion) and presenting the
government's policy in suffi-
ciently broad strokes, would
get around the problem of

I

otherwise irreconcilable dif-
ferences. He may have had a
point, but he failed to take
into consideration the ingre-
dient that so often plays a
focal role in Israeli politics:
the bruised ego.
In this case it belonged to
Rafael Eitan, the head of the
Tzomet Party, which made
quite a splash in the elec-
tions by quadrupling its
standing from 2 to 8 seats. In
Mr. Rabin's scheme of
things, Tzomet served a
double purpose. Its plank
calling for continued set-
tlement in the occupied ter-
ritories would make it a
natural balance against the
left-wing Meretz, while its
militant stand on drafting
yeshivah students would
make it Meretz's natural
partner in counterbalancing
the government's ultra-
Orthodox wing. The trick
was to craft the govern-
ment's policy guidelines on
the territories in such a way
that both Tzomet and Meretz
could live with them; Mr.
Rabin's people believed that
was possible.

Mr. Rabin failed to
take into
consideration a key
political ingredient:
the bruised ego.

But then a strange thing
happened: the Ministry of
Education and Culture,
which had never been con-
sidered a plum post before,
became the hottest item in
town. Both Tzomet and
Meretz wanted it. Meretz
leader Yossi Sarid, the en-
fant terrible of Israeli poli-
tics, helped stir the pot by
charging that Mr. Eitan was
unqualified for the post.
Mr. Eitan, an ex-chief of
staff who prides himself on
being a farmer and tends
toward a monosyllabic style
of speech, added his own
provocation by telling a
radio interviewer that he
never goes to plays or films.
Yet the suggestion that he
might not be ideally suited
for the job so miffed him that
he turned his demand into
an ultimatum: either he
became minister of edu-

Yitzhak Rabin: Is the honeymoon already over?

held just before the Knesset
cation and culture or Tzomet
convened, the Laborites
would not join the coalition.
were downright distressed.
Mr. Rabin gave the post to
Throughout the six hours
Meretz leader Shulamit
of the subsequent Knesset
Aloni, and Mr. Eitan went
session, Labor had the Shas
into a 24-hour public sulk. In
delegates under constant
a subsequent meeting with
surveillance, lest they hob-
Mr. Rabin, he broke off
negotiations and announced
that Tzomet's differences
with the government being
formed by Labor were purely
ideological, and totally ir-
Yitzhak Rabin as minister
reconcilable. Tzomet voted
of religion?
against the government on
That might sound
Monday.
laughable to those who know
Mr. Rabin's strong secular
But Mr. Rabin is hoping
leanings, but anything goes
that Mr. Eitan will have a
in Israeli politics.
change of heart and is keep-
ing the Police Ministry open
And in his first week as
for him — an appointment
prime minister, Mr. Rabin is
that would be both in-
still holding on to several
contestably suitable for an
key ministerial posts, in-
ex-chief of staff and balance
cluding religion, welfare and
the score by undoubtedly
labor, and defense.
making Meretz unhappy (if
He may keep the defense
only because of Mr. Eitan's
ministry post but is expected
repeated expressions of anti-
to hold out the others to lure
Arab sentiment).
more partners into his now
narrow coalition.
Shulamit Aloni's ap-
pointment as education min-
Shimon Peres, Mr. Rabin's
ister not only cost Mr. Rabin
arch rival, was named min-
Tzomet's 8 seats but became
ister of foreign affairs, but
a convenient reason for the
Mr. Rabin will direct the
United Torah Party to stay
peace negotiations.
out as well. Ms. Aloni, an
Among the new names:
outspoken secularist, is
Shulamit Aloni, the con-
anathema to many Orthodox
troversial leader of the lef-
Israelis, who were par-
tist Meretz group, who will
ticularly distressed to find
head the education and cul-
her running a ministry that
ture ministry, is considered
funds religious schools.
anti-religious and so far to
The Rabin people were
the left that she favors a Pa-
never sure until the very end
lestinian state.
whether the Sephardi-
Incoming minister of
oriented Orthodox party,
health
Haim Ramon has
Shas, would join the
been
a
chief critic of the
government. When Shas's
Histadrut's
handling of
minister-designate, Arye
health,
so
major
changes are
Deli, was ten minutes late
expected.
for an informal meeting of
the proposed government,

nob with the Likud, change
their minds, or simply slip
away before the confidence
vote.
It was assumed that the
Rabin government would
stand even without Shas, be-
cause it enjoyed the support

Who's Who

Aryeh Deri, the Orthodox
minister of interior, still
faces legal troubles but has
promised to step down if he
is indicted.
Following are the min-
isters of the new government
in Jerusalem:
Yitzhak Rabin, prime
minister.
Shimon Peres, foreign
affairs.
Avraham Shohat, fi-
nance.
Yisrael Kessar, transpor-
tation.
Michael Harish, com-
merce and industry.
David Libai, justice.
Moshe Shahal, police and
communications.
Hahn Ramon, health.

Benyamin Ben-Eliezer,

housing and construction.
Ora Namir, environment.
Shimon Sheetrit, econ-
omic and social develop-
ment.
Uzi Baram, tourism.

Y a a k o v Tsur,

agriculture.

Shulamit Aloni, minister
of education and culture.

Amnon Rubenstein,

energy and infrastructure.
Yair Tsab an, immigra-
tion and absorption.
Aryeh Deri, interior.

Gary Rosenblatt

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

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