Posts by Daniella Peled

Waiting for Gilad

Daniella Peled — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 11:38:54 +0000

Gilad Shalit's family have set up a protest tent outside the Prime Minister's residence in Jerusalem. This is a time-honoured method of Israeli dissent. The spot has been previously occupied by bereaved parents, single mothers, Holocaust survivors and a whole host of others who have felt disenfranchised or ignored by the Israeli leadership.

In recent weeks, the Shalit family have witnessed the deal for Gilad's release get very, very close - only to founder through a combination of government intransigence and political expediency. Now, obviously, they feel they have no other recourse but to camp outside Olmert's house.

Things used to be different, according to Ha'aretz's Amos Harel:

"When Yitzhak Rabin was defense minister, and later prime minister, he would meet with the families of missing soldiers every two weeks.

'Why are you doing this?" his aides asked. 'It's not like you have something new to say to them at every meeting."

'I may not have anything new to say to them,' Rabin would insist, 'But I'm sure they have a lot to say to me.'"

Hapless in Jerusalem

Daniella Peled — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 16:44:27 +0000

This morning, a bulldozer went on the rampage in Jerusalem, the third such attack in a year. Luckily, this time no-one was killed or badly injured; the Palestinian driver was shot dead by police. No motive has yet been discovered, no organisation has yet taken responsibility.
But it was pretty traumatic, nonetheless. And it meant that Nir Barkat, the new mayor of Jerusalem, had to deal with the first terror attack on his beat. How did he do?
Well, he arrived on the scene within half an hour (as he should).
And what did he say?
"The policy toward those who want to hurt us should combine strict punishment to create effective deterrence, quickly neutralizing the attackers, and returning to our routine lives as soon a possible following an attack." Then he handed out badges with the symbol of the city to the two policemen and one civilian who helped stop the bulldozer driver.
Barkat is pretty pareve at the best of times, but it is hard to imagine any more meaningless or anodyne a response from someone supposed to be a figurehead for the capital, there to rally them in times of need.
As mayor, he has no role in managing the city's security. But he is responsible for all its citizens, including those from east Jerusalem- where all the bulldozer attackers so far have come from.
Barkat has failed to address with the fact that some of the citizens of his city are trying to kill other citizens of his city. A thorny issue, indeed, and not one that can be dealt with by handing out lapel pins at the scene of the attacks.

Freedom for plasticine!

Daniella Peled — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 11:06:16 +0000

Political comment with a sense of humour AND a retro 1980s flavour...

Daily Mail-o-matic

Daniella Peled — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 10:32:36 +0000

I spent two hours yesterday evening helpless with laughter at this website.
Only trouble is, people in glass houses and all that...I dread to think what a JC version might look like...

Sabra-style celebrity

Daniella Peled — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 14:18:11 +0000

Depressed by the ongoing efforts to boycott Israel as rogue and militaristic nation? Don't be. Proof has arrived this week that cements the Jewish state as one of the family of liberal and progressive Western nations.

Yup, Israel now has its own very Celebrity Big Brother. Gushingly launched last night on Channel Two, the predictable fanfare of grade D slebs included singers, models, the obligatory lesbian/gay - and Maariv's literary critic, who entered the house brandishing a bible.

Unfortunately, Channel Two failed to secure one journalist who would have been certain to stir up sparks of a political nature, live on air - Haaretz's very own firebrand reporter, Gideon Levy.

Despite the pleas of the producers, Levy - famed for his unflinching exposes of Israeli human rights abuses in the territories - declined to take part.

What a pity. Levy - once voted one of the top ten handsomest men in Israel - could have been counted on to shake the whole frivolous affair up a bit, highlighting Israeli war crimes while his fellow housemates raged over who finished the milk.

And it seems that it's not just campaigning journalists who selfishly wanted to keep their public integrity intact. The show's producers also failed to recruit any political figures, perhaps reasoning that if viewers wanted to see live coverage of their politicians behaving like fools, they could simply tune in to the Knesset channel.

Thus the Israeli public has been robbed of the chance to see Big Brother tomfoolery a la the timeless George Galloway cat incident. Perhaps if a member of parliament pretending to lick up pretend milk live on television is the sign of true progressive liberalism, the Jewish state hasn't quite made it yet.

Donors meet in Egypt to rebuild Gaza

Daniella Peled — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 10:39:00 +0000

International donors are meeting in Sharm el-Sheikh for a conference aimed at rebuilding the Gaza Strip following Operation Cast Lead.

United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas are all in attendance at the summit, along with more than 40 foreign ministers.

The conference was to call on 80 donor nations and international organisations for at least $2.8 billion (£1.9bn) to reconstruct the devastated coastal strip.

The Israel assault on Hamas, intended to prevent rocket fire on Israeli citizens, left more than 1,300 Palestinians dead, at least 5,000 injured, and made around 100,000 people homeless.

The Palestinian Authority's recovery plan for Gaza targets social welfare, infrastructure, the economy and environmental institutions.

However, Hamas was not invited to the conference and the PA intends to bypass the Islamist group in the implementation of its plans, using United Nations agencies and private companies to carry out the reconstruction.

While Gilad Shalit suffers...

Daniella Peled — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 12:14:50 +0000

What on earth was this broiges all about?
Gilad Shalit has been sitting in some godforsaken Hamas dungeon since June 2006, enduring a horrific captivity in no doubt inhumane conditions and with no access to the Red Cross.
Meanwhile, in Israel, just when the deal to free him seems to be close, an almighty hissy fit erupts in the political echelons.
Amos Gilad, Israel's envoy in the Shalit negotiations, says something rude about Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's handling of the situation.
So Olmert suspends him. Then Gilad refuses to apologise. So Olmert issues a formal complaint. Back-and-forth they go, until finally Gilad is convinced to provide a fulsome apology in person and allowed to get back to the negotiations
Of course, if a civil servant in the UK had said anything as inappropriate as Gilad did about the prime minister, he would have been fired immediately.
But this is Israel. Gilad is essential for these precarious talks. And this fight had more to do with personal rivalry between two men with vast egos - and Olmert's long-running feud with Gilad's boss, Ehud Barak.
The whole spat was a pointless waste of time. The Friends of Gilad Shalit campaign group had it spot on when they published a statement that had Israel's leaders invested half as much effort in securing Gilad's release as they did in internal politics, he would have been home long ago."
Olmert, with only got a few weeks to go until he leaves office, desperately wants to see Shalit freed while he is still PM. But can he overcome his ego long enough for that to happen?

With friends like Lieberman...

Daniella Peled — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 11:31:02 +0000

So Netanyahu has got what he wanted - or has he? Lieberman has endorsed him, guaranteeing Bibi an imminent return to the seat of power he vacated 10 years ago.

Without even trying, Netanyahu can form a bloc of 65 seats, taking in the Likud, Yisrael Beiteinu, Shas, United Torah Judaism, Habayit Hayehudi and National Union parties.

Bibi must be cracking open the Golan Heights Blanc de Blanc fizz - except he isn't.

This is the next stage in the nightmare predicted for Netanyahu ever since the inconclusive election results began to emerge. Lieberman acknowledged, even as he endorsed the Likud leader, that a narrow, right-wing coalition "will be a government of paralysis".

Shas will demand money regardless of whatever economic measures Bibi will need to undertake to help swing Israel out of the growing financial crisis. The religious parties will battle against the civil marriage and conversion reforms that are part of the Yisrael Beiteinu platform. Any kind of diplomatic movement with the Palestinians will be impossible, and Israel's friends in the international community will be increasingly alienated.

A broad coalition including both Likud and Kadima would seem the only logical way out of this morass. But personal rivalry is standing in the way, and Kadima is unlikely to compromise now when it could sit back and wait for the inevitable implosion of such an unwieldy right-wing bloc.

Of course, a unity government would be by far the best option for the citizens of Israel, the welfare of the state and the future of the peace process.

But it seems Israel's politicians are just as self-serving and egotistical as their counterparts everywhere else in the world.

Lieberman endorses Netanyahu

Daniella Peled — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 11:08:22 +0000

The head of the far-right Yisrael Beiteinu party has publically backed Likud leader Binyamin Netanyahu to be the next prime minister of Israel.

Avigdor Lieberman told President Shimon Peres today that his party - which holds 15 seats in the Knesset - would endorse the Likud chairman, providing he could create a broad coalition.

Mr Lieberman said the options were “a broad government, which is what we want. A narrow government, that will be a government of paralysis, but we don’t rule out sitting in it.

“And the third option is going to elections, which will achieve nothing.”

Although Kadima leader Tzipi Livni won 28 seats in the February 10 elections, as opposed to Likud’s 27, Mr Lieberman’s decision increases Mr Netanyahu’s chances of becoming the next Israeli leader.

Mr Peres will continue holding consultations with the other Knesset factions throughout the day today.

Tennis world threatens Dubai over Pe’er ban

Daniella Peled — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 10:58:29 +0000

A major row over the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) decision to refuse a visa to Israeli tennis player Shahar Pe’er is escalating ahead of next week’s men’s championships, at which another Israeli is due to play.

International tennis organisations have hinted they may pull out of the $10 million (£7m) Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships if Israeli doubles player Andy Ram is also denied entry.

Larry Scott, chairman and chief executive officer of the Sony Ericsson WTA tour, said his organisation was already “deeply disappointed” by the UAE decision over Ms Pe’er and would “review appropriate future actions with regard to the future of the Dubai tournament”.

Francesco Ricci Bitti, president of the International Tennis Federation, warned: “Sport should not be used as a political tool but rather as a unifying element between athletes and nations.”

The Tennis Channel decided not to cover the tournament in protest at Ms Pe’er’s ban and the Association of Tennis Professionals, which runs next week’s tour, said that it would be “very troubling” if Mr Ram was also barred from the championships. The Wall Street Journal (Europe) has withdrawn as a sponsor of the tournament.

Jewish groups have also condemned the UAE move. The president of the World Jewish Congress, Ronald Lauder, has called on international sporting federations to suspend all events in the UAE until fair and equal treatment for all players, including Israeli ones, is ensured.

Ms Pe’er, 21, said she was confident that tour organisers would act to ensure there would be no repeat of what she described as an “injustice. There should be no place for politics in professional tennis or indeed any sport.”

But organisers of the tournament blamed the decision to refuse entry to Ms Pe’er, ranked 45th in the world, on concerns over her safety and wider security fears following Israel’s Gaza operation last month.

“Public sentiment remains high in the Middle East and it is believed that Ms Pe’er’s presence would have antagonised our fans who have watched on TV attacks in Gaza,” said a spokesman.

If both the WTA and the ATP withdraw it would severely endanger Dubai’s status as a venue for world tennis.

Michael Klein, chairman of the Israeli Tennis Association, called for urgent action over the ban to be “so severe that no one will ever attempt to boycott an athlete again”.

Meanwhile, Sweden’s upcoming Davis Cup tennis match against Israel will be held behind closed doors, Malmö city council ruled on Wednesday.

The match was scheduled to be played from March 6 to 8 at a venue which can hold 4,000 spectators. Police had said the match could go ahead and that the public could be admitted.

The decision to ban the public was made after a long campaign to stop the match altogether.

Mossad strikes again!

Daniella Peled — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 15:48:00 +0000

The Daily Telegraph reports that Israel is using hitmen to bump off Iranian scientists - part of a strategy to delay Iran's nuclear programme.

One of the victims is thought to be top Iranian scientist Ardeshire Hassanpour, who died mysteriously from "gas poisoning" in 2007. The Israeli plan also reportedly includes the use of double agents and front companies to supply Iran with faulty components and intelligence.

What a great yarn - and not that implausible given how seriously Israel takes the Iranian threat, and given Jerusalem's doubts over the effectiveness of Western sanctions and diplomacy.

But it's funny to think how breathless people get over a good old Mossad story. Just recall how Western journalists have salivated over Tzipi Livni's past as a Mossad agent, even though she spent her brief term of service as the caretaker of a Paris safe house, before leaving early to get married.

The truth is that a lot of the agency's work is dull, routine intelligence gathering and that its agents include more middle-aged men in pullovers than dashing young spies. Far from infallible, Mossad has embarrassed itself with bungled operations, including the attempted assassination of Hamas leader Khaled Meshal in 1997 and the 2004 passport fraud affair in New Zealand.

Yet part of its effectiveness is the near-mythical status the Mossad has built up as the unseen and often vengeful hand of the Israeli state, eliminating enemies wherever they may be. Conspiracy theories which see the hand of Israel everywhere (9/11, anyone?) may spill over into antisemitism. But the bonus is that such paranoid fictions help keep Israel's adversaries very, very afraid.

One Israeli, two opinions - at least

Daniella Peled — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 11:07:42 +0000

That old saying, "two Jews, three opinion" applies equally to Israelis, except more so. In their case, it's more like "one Israeli, two opinions".
Israelis seem to be eternally confused. They consistently support a two-state solution - yet vote in parties with little interest in bringing it about.
They favour a centrist national unity government - but 13 per cent voted for the far-right Yisrael Beiteinu.
Even the venerable Shimon Peres, tasked with selecting the person who will form the next Israeli government, seems to suffer from the same syndrome.
In a speech today in Beersheva, he said he wasn't talking to anyone about the coalition discussions - "not even with myself".

The strategic vote is a losing game

Daniella Peled — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 11:19:09 +0000

Israelis, unlike us repressed Brits, are usually quite happy to discuss their voting plans.

Throughout the day yesterday I got updates from one of my friends who was torn between Meretz, as the best fit in terms of social policy and peace manifesto, and Kadima as the best option to lead a centrist coalition in government. In the end, Meretz won out (but still only managed a tragic four seats).

In Israel, it's all about the strategic vote. That's why a Meretz voter considers voting Kadima (and doubtless many others actually did) and why Yitzhak Rabin's son stood up to endorse Bibi Netanyahu - while admitting he was still going to vote Labour.

And this is another reason why electoral reform is so badly needed. The current system amounts to a giant political chess game - fun for journalists and commentators, but bad for building faith in the system. People end up voting for parties they do not support ideologically, which is hardly a good good basis for public trust in government.

Dr Evil, I presume?

Daniella Peled — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 13:20:26 +0000

Racism or apathy?

Daniella Peled — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 09:57:26 +0000

One occasionally sees the phrase "Death to Arabs" scrawled on walls and bus stops around Israel. It's a common enough graffiti, the catchphrase of the long-outlawed Kach party.

But I recall once seeing the ugly phrase daubed on a wall in Ramat Aviv, a leafy middle-class suburb and the sort of place where everyone votes Meretz, practices yoga and only buys fair-trade produce.

Incongruous enough, but what struck me was that the graffiti remained there for weeks, passed by the Ramat Avivniks every time they went to the café to buy their ethically-sourced cappuccinos. I wonder, in Hampstead, say, would someone have called the council or got out a tub of paint to cover a similarly offensive graffiti?

In the struggle to put the rise of the far-right Avigdor Lieberman in context, maybe this apparent apathy towards racism is part of the explanation.

In the UK the BNP have managed to win some 100 local election seats. In Israel, Lieberman's Yisrael Beitenu is expected to be the kingmaker of the next government.

This is a party that advocates transfer and whose rhetoric goes far beyond legitimate political debate. It campaigns to remove the citizenship of any one who refuses to swear allegiance to Israel as a Jewish state - an attack not only on the country's 1.5 million Arab citizens, but also on its non-Zionist haredi population.

Newspaper reports last week that Lieberman allegedly once belonged to the outlawed Kach party raised barely a ripple. His party is apparently wildly popular with young voters. Has racism become acceptable in Israeli politics, or do people just not care enough?

Analysis: EU wants to talk to Hamas

Daniella Peled — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 16:40:42 +0000

So there is “no ambiguity” in US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s position toward Hamas. The same, however, cannot be said for other international players, whose attitude to the militant group is getting ever more creative. And European equivocation, according to Israeli officials, is reaching an extremely concerning point.

An indication can be found in the monthly statements of the General Affairs and External Relations Council, where EU Foreign Ministers discuss topical issues and produce a declaration on Israel-Palestine.

However dry this may sound, it is seen as crucial in Jerusalem as an indication of current EU thinking.

Their last proclamation two weeks ago contained the following sentence: “The Council strongly encourages inter-Palestinian reconciliation behind President Mahmoud Abbas which is key for peace, stability, and development and supports the mediation efforts of Egypt and the Arab League in this respect.”

An apparently anodyne call for Palestinian unity? Not according to one Israeli government source. “This statement was one of the worst ever from our perspective,” he said. “There is no mention of the three Quartet demands on Hamas — renouncing violence, recognising Israel and adhering to past agreements. So according to the EU, Hamas doesn’t need to conform to them to be a legitimate partner.”

Jerusalem suspects the French of leading these efforts. But the Quartet — the US, the UN, the EU and Russia —has never been united.

Moscow has long been happy to meet Hamas. And listen to what the Quartet envoy, Tony Blair, has to say.

Once, he was adamant: Hamas needed to accept Quartet conditions before any talks. But he has shifted balance, insisting that Hamas must be part of the process — with the caveat that they first need to accept international demands.

Why this change in direction? Partly frustration at the long stalemate since the 2006 Hamas election victory and subsequent Gaza takeover. But also the fact that Israel’s three-week assault weakened Hamas militarily but strengthened it politically. Pragmatists — of whom Blair is one — recognise that a new approach is needed. It is also noteable that a majority of the Israeli public supports talks with Hamas.

But direct negotiations with Hamas are unlikely anytime soon. There are concerns that any approach to Hamas will weaken Fatah’s Mahmoud Abbas. Hamas are not yet trusted as a credible or rational partner. And, crucially, the Obama administration needs to lead the way — an unlikely proposition with Hillary staying quite so hawkish.

The path of darkness or the path of light

Daniella Peled — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 11:50:30 +0000

Dr Ezzeldeen Abu al-Aish's bereavement was broadcast live on Israeli TV.

The Palestinian gynecologist, who had worked in Israeli hospitals, called his friend Shlomi Eldar, Channel 10 correspondent, in the middle of a news broadcast on January 16. A shell had just hit the father-of-eight's Gaza home, killing three of his daughters and his niece. He was sobbing, desperate for help for the dying and wounded.

The IDF investigated and yesterday produced their results: it was a mistake.

This was Dr Abu al-Aish's response: "First of all, I would like to thank all those who worked, and had the courage and good conscience to shed light on the truth that I always believed. Thank you to everyone who took upon themselves to publicise this truth seeking investigation.

"I have two options - the path of darkness or the path of light. The path of darkness is like choosing all the complications with diseases and depression, but the path of light is to focus on the future and my children. This strengthened my conviction to continue on the same path and not to give up."

No, it's not just Israel

Daniella Peled — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 12:01:09 +0000

So the Chinese premier's three-day visit to London has been disrupted by pro-Tibet rallies, demonstrators, and even a shoe-thrower.

Take note, those who gripe that do-gooders protest against Israeli human rights abuses but not those of China, Sudan, or Zimbabwe.

Seems that, actually, they do.

A challenge for Bibi

Daniella Peled — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 12:15:06 +0000

With barely a week to go before the Israeli elections, it already seems like a done deal: Binyamin Netanyahu looks set to win.

But Bibi is unlikely to be breaking open the champagne just yet. He may be on the verge of returning to the spot he vacated a decade ago, but he has a hard task ahead when it comes to forming a coalition, even by Israeli standards.

Netanyahu is faced with three main choices when it comes to forming a government, each aimed at suiting a diplomatic, a financial or a political purpose.

The first option takes into consideration what will be the next Israeli government’s most pressing task: dealing with the new Obama administration. Bibi will need a firmly centrist set up for that, including Labour or Kadima to balance a likely coalition partner, Yisrael Beitenu.

The second tackles the financial challenges facing the country which Netanyahu wants to deal with along strictly capitalist, Thatcherite lines, that is cutting taxes and stabilising deficit. Having Labour and Shas in the coalition, with their emphasis on welfare, would severely hamper this aim. Kadima and Yisrael Beitenu would suit better.

And his third option would be, perhaps, the most personally satisfying – a coalition that excluded Kadima, leaving the party to crumble in the political wilderness. Its leader Tzipi Livni has gone from being his protégé to a being a despised rival. That would mean Labour, Yisrael Beitenu and Shas as main partners.

For now, Kadima is following fast on Likud’s heels and Labour and Yisrael Beiteinu are head-to-head in the polls. There will be some big, chunky party blocs to deal with in turning a poll victory into political power.

Not glamorous, but good

Daniella Peled — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 11:38:51 +0000

Earlier this week I heard a delicious rumour. The reason that the new US Middle East envoy had not been announced, my friend suggested, was that it was actually going to be Bill Clinton.

This suggestion had a fantastically pleasing symmetry. Bill got so, so near to an agreement on the core issues during his presidency, the last time a US leader took an active part in peacemaking. There would be no question over Bill’s closeness to the Secretary of State, and indeed his mobile phone is probably stuffed with the personal numbers of every significant world leader. Above all, he is a superstar – which was probably a good reason for Obama to reject him. After all, what President would want to be eclipsed by his own Middle East envoy?

Well, as captivating as that piece of gossip was – and I am sure it had some truth to it – the actual pick is a good one. George Mitchell is a widely respected former US senator who has experience in two of the most convoluted peace processes in the world. He actually helped resolve one of them, as Clinton’s envoy to Northern Ireland, by setting out the principles that would eventually lead to the Good Friday agreement.

After the start of the second intifada, he produced a report into the causes and possible solutions to the renewed violence. Now he is heading back to the region, to face both the same old intractable problems and a whole set of new ones.

Interesting, though, how Northern Ireland is being increasingly adopted as a model for Middle East peacemaking, as Mitchell’s appointment suggests. Gordon Brown, too, backs the economic model – as promoted by Ronnie Cohen’s Portland Trust – that supported peacemaking in Northern Ireland.

Not very glamorous, perhaps – but in the end it actually seemed to work.