12 | JUNE 24 • 2021
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parties disagree. However,
there is also some hope that
the government will begin
to heal some of the country’s
intense polarization,
starkly exhibited by the
intercommunal violence this
past month between very
small segments of the Jewish
and Arab citizens.
NEW FACES
The new government
has a record nine women
ministers; it includes an
Arab Israeli Party in the
ruling coalition, the United
Arab List Ra’am. It includes
government ministers born
in Ethiopia and the Soviet
Union; an Arab Israeli
minister; and Israel’s first
openly gay party leader.
There are plans for a record
$16 billion to go to the
Israeli Arab sector, which
will help move the country
toward greater equality;
these might be accompanied
by a freeze on home
demolition in unrecognized
Bedouin villages in the
Negev.
In addition, it will be
the first government since
2015 that does not include
ultra-Orthodox parties,
making it possible for
the reinstatement of one
of Netanyahu’s broken
promises: to dedicate a
space at the Western Wall
for egalitarian prayer. The
first Reform rabbi, Labor
party member Gilad Kariv,
along with the new Diaspora
Affairs minister Nachman
Shai (also of the Labor
party) pledge to further
equality for all Jewish
denominations, with hopes
for relative greater flexibility
on conversions to Judaism.
In foreign policy issues,
the centrist Lapid will work
to strengthen relations with
Jordan (he has excellent
relations with Jordanian
King Abdullah II) and other
Arab states in the region,
including Saudi Arabia, as
well as with the Palestinian
Authority. He will also try to
repair relations with the U.S.
Democratic Party.
Prime Minister Bennett’s
oft-stated opposition to a
Palestinian state and his
support for annexation
in the West Bank and
expansion of settlements are
a threat to the legitimacy of
a two-state solution, and a
threat to Israel’s existence
as a state that is both
democratic and Jewish-
majority, to Palestinian
rights of self-determination,
and to strengthening ties
with Europe, the U.S. and
the region.
However, there is reason
for some hope: Bennett is
regarded by some as, in
the end, pragmatic, and he
will be constrained from
annexation and settlement
expansion by Lapid’s veto
and the need to keep Meretz,
Labor and Ra’am in the
coalition.
Keeping the door open to
a two-state solution during
this period will require the
encouragement of regional
actors and the U.S. as well
as coalition partners, to
restore dialogue and make
some improvements on
the ground. When Lapid
becomes prime minister,
that progress might be built
upon.
MSU CONNECTION
While eventually Israel will
need to be able to make
significant changes to reach
a peace agreement with
the Palestinian Authority,
perhaps this coming period
will begin some healing
from the wounds inflicted
by Netanyahu’s desperate
lashing out in these last
weeks.
There are
Knesset members
with integrity,
experience
and talent
who can help
make a positive
difference for the
country — MK’s
like Professor Alon Tal,
longtime Serling Visiting
Israeli Scholar to Michigan
State University, who will be
one of the representatives of
the Blue and White Party in
the Knesset. He will focus on
environmental protection,
religious pluralism, gender
equality and on leaving the
door open to a two-state
solution.
With Knesset members
like Alon Tal, we can hope
against hope that the country
will move in a positive
direction.
Yael Aronoff is the director of
Serling Institute for Jewish Studies
and Modern Israel, Serling Chair
of Israel Studies and professor of
international relations at the James
Madison College and the Serling
Institute at Michigan State University.
She is the author of The Political
Psychology of Israeli Prime Ministers:
When Hard-Liners Opt for Peace
and co-editor of Continuity and
Change in Political Culture, Israel and
Beyond.
PURELY COMMENTARY
letters
No Hatikvah?
We attended the rally on
antisemitism on June 6.
Several speeches were made,
many uplifting Hebrew
songs were sung as was the
“Star Spangled Banner.”
Conspicuous by its absence
was the singing of “Hatikvah,
”
Israel’s national anthem.
When we inquired as to why,
we were told one of the spon-
soring organizations objected
to singing it, and therefore it
was removed from the agenda.
If Jewish groups sponsoring
a rally on antisemitism object
to the singing of Hatikvah,
“hope” is put on hold. Put
aside the terrorists for a min-
ute; we are our own worst
enemy.
Margo and Doug Woll
West Bloomfield
Remembering Geli
I knew Allan Gelfond’s
daughter Gila during the
late-1978-to early-1979 time-
frame. So, very willingly, do I
offer condolences to Gila, her
mother Harriet and others in
the Gelfond family, and all
who worked with him.
May Geli’s memory always
be a blessing. Regards for all
the Jewish News does.
Alex Kovnat
Via the web
Corrections
In “Fighting Back” (June 10,
page 14), some of the statistics
stated on antisemitism were
inaccurate. According to the
latest data from the ADL, there
was a 115% rise in antisemitic
incidents in May, compared to
the same dates last year.
In “Jewish Attorneys Honor
Their Own” (June 17, page
28), the law student scholar-
ship winner from UD-Mercy
should have been identified
as Chase Yarber.
Professor
Alon Tal