Calls For Moderation

Israel's National Religious Party is going through an
internal ideological struggle.

ership of the country," says Yisrael
Harel, a former chairman of the set-
tlers' council. "It believes that its for-
mula is the only one that can cope
he billboards of Jerusalem
with
the next millennium — the
are plastered with stark
future
of Judaism, the future of the
posters warning Prime Min-
state
and
of its boundaries. The Likud
ister Binyamin Netanyahu
does
not
have
an ideological platform.
that his coalition will collapse if he
Only the national religious camp has a
hands over any more of the West
Jewish formula that takes into consid-
ank, or Judea and Samaria, to Pales-
eration the post-modern world and
tinian rule. "If there is a withdrawal,"
religion."
they holler, "there won't be a govern-
Harel, a journalist who contributes
ment."
a
regular
column to the liberal daily
Meanwhile, a group of influential
is convinced that the people
Ha'aretz,
settlers is threatening to launch a new
hunger for such a balance. "The
party, Tkumah (Hebrew for
national religious camp's contribution
"Rebirth"), to fight for Jewish claims
to the very existence of Israel as a Jew-
to the whole of the biblical homeland.
ish, Zionist, liberal state will be very
At the same time, however, the
considerable," he predicts.
ational Religious Party, the
"Israelis will respect those
standard-bearer of the settle-
s
E who are rooted in the mod-
ment drive, is defying its
em world and in tradition.
own spiritual mentors, the
We will deal less with settle-
former chief rabbis
ment. We will take more
Mordechai Eliyahu and
2 responsibility for other
Avraham Shapira, and refus-
aspects of life in Israel."
ing to leave the government,
The first clear sign of
even if Netanyahu yields to
these broader aspirations is
United States pressure and
the NRP's support for com-
cedes 13 percent of the ter-
promise in the conflict
ritory for the further with-
between Orthodox and pro-
drawal called for in the Oslo
gressive streams of Judaism.
Accords:
The parliamentary party
To be certain, the
endorsed the Ne'eman com-
prospect of another rede-
mittee proposals for giving
ployment has deeply divided
Israeli Reform and Conserv-
the national religious camp
ative rabbis a role in the
between the ideologues and
conversion process —
A
man
in
a
kippah
looks
at
unflattering
posters
of
Netanyahu
the pragmatists. For the for-
despite the outright hostility
on
a
Jerusalem
street.
mer, Jewish sovereignty over
of the Orthodox establish-
all the Land of Israel
ment.
thoughtful national religious strate-
remains the key to messianic redemp-
"The NRP understands," Harel
gists, in and out of the party, are
tion — despite the fact that Yassir
explains,
"that Reform and Conserva-
redefining their role. They are eager to
Arafat already controls most of the
tives are not the movements they used
remain
in
the
Zionist
mainstream,
to
Gaza Strip and the main West Bank
to be. They are not leading assimila-
help shape the second half-century of
Arab towns, including 80 per cent of
tion, they are fighting assimilation.
the
Jewish
state.
They
don't
want
to
be
Hebron, a city sacred to Jews and
Jews
in the diaspora are disappearing.
a single-issue movement, identified
Muslims. The Messiah, they insist,
The
only
movements that can work
only with settler fanaticism. Nor do
comes before political expediency.
against
this
are the Reform and Con-
they want to drift into the ghetto of
The pragmatists share the dream,
servatives.
We
should help them."
the Orthodox haredim, who are now
but recognize that it will have to wait.
NRP
politicos
are less explicit. You
angrily labeled "parasites" by many
Shaul Yahalom, a National Religious
won't
see
modern
Orthodoxy blessing
secular Israelis.
Party minister and West Bank resi-
Reform Judaism on the billboards of
"The
National
Religious
Party
is
dent, warned the militants that the
Jerusalem. But watch this space. ❑
looking for a bigger share in the lead-
alternative to a Netanyahu govern-

RIC SILVER
srael Corres ondent

T

ment would be a leftist coalition of
the Labor, Meretz and Israeli Arab
parties committed to even bigger con-
cessions. Zevulun Orley, the NRP
general secretary, reminded them that
the right lost the fateful 1992 elections
because the pro-settler vote was frag-
mented between three parties (two of
which no longer exist).
Uri Elizur, a former settlement
leader who now serves as Netanyahu's
chief of bureau, told his old comrades
bluntly that they could not stop
another withdrawal. "They can have a
great impact," he said after some of
them had accused him of treachery
"but they cannot prevent it from hap-
pening."
At a deeper level, some of the more

lAIRIONORsommostor

Food Stamp
Provision Passes

Washington (JTA) -- The U.S.
House of Representatives passed
by 364 50 a bill that includes a
provision to restore food stamp
benefits to legal immigrants.
The bill, already approved by
the Senate, now goes to President
Clinton, who has indicated he
would sign it into law.

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Probes
Victims' Assets

Washington (JTA) — The House
' Banking Committee unanimously
lation to create .,
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6/19
1998

35

