12 | JUNE 24 • 2021 

continued from page 10

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