The Migron Nightmare

My sources from Migron can't figure out what they did wrong.  They did the "right thing" according to their advisers, and now they've lost their homes and are discovering that the "new Migron" is not much sturdier than the "fake town" in Blazing Saddles.

"We've been suckered in." Mel Brooks' Blazing Saddles

The "new Migron" may look pretty impressive from the road, but...

It hasn't even rained yet, and the earthwork is already crumbling.  People who have tried the electricity have found that systems don't work, and water tanks are seriously leaking.

Photo by Batya Medad

Necessary community structures like pre-schools, synagogue etc are not ready, not at all. The residents are scattered in a number of locations.  They followed the advice of "experts" and got "suckered in" for sure.  Some angry and disappointed residents are wondering why they hadn't gone the way of Givat Asaf which not only hasn't been moved and destroyed, but is even growing.

In the beginning they had lots of political visitors, veteran, powerful Knesset Members, including from the coalition, who promised to help and support them, but when push came to shove, the only ones with them are MK Dr. Arye Eldad and MK Michael Ben-Ari, both from the National Union, Ichud Le'umi.

Coalition MK's are held on a tight leash by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. This is proof again that it is extremely important to vote for a party that holds principles above all else and doesn't aim to be in a coalition.  The larger and stronger the NU is, the better the Likud will be.  Right now, the opposition form the Left is pulling him Left.  We need a strong and large opposition on the Right!

There's  a very important lesson to be  learned.

Vote Ichud Le'umi, National Union!!

NU Should Stay Out Of The Coalition Straight-Jacket!

The Ichud Le'umi, National Union Party is one of the few Israeli political parties not in the coalition. At least that's how it seems.

I don't want it to join the coalition. Joining the coalition means that they'd be willing to be tied by Bibi's strings.

If Ketzeleh would be a government minister, like some of his supporters would like, he'd be prevented from demonstrating for a return to Gush Katif. Today, he and his fellow NU MK Ben-Ari, were actively involved in the march from Sderot to Gush Katif. Yes, I know, the demonstrators didn't make it. The police stopped the demonstrators and arrested some, or at least held them in jail until the judge released them.

Yes, I know that he'd claim that he'd only join the government if he'd be allowed to continue fighting and demonstrating. Fine, but no doubt Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu would just reply that he can choose between the "Volvo" and the picket line. Bibi already has over thirty ministers; he doesn't need any more.

Bibi doesn't want protests from the inside criticizing his "peace talks." It's enough for him to gag and placate the more nationalist Likud MK's like Gilad Erdan, Benny Begin and newcomer, Tzippi Hotobelli (spelling?)

The National Union Knesset Members have a vital role in the Israeli Government--- from the outside!

Will Avigdor Lieberman Go "Diplomatic?"

Israeli Minister Dismisses Peace Effort
By ISABEL KERSHNER
In a belligerent speech on his first day as Israel’s foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman declared that “those who want peace should prepare for war.” (Click title for complete article)

Egypt to boycott Lieberman unless he apologizes

FM said in October that Egyptian president "can go to hell..."

I sincerely hope that Israel's new Foreign Minister brings in his own staff and is immune to the usual brain-washing of high government officials.

Too many times in our history, we've elected strong, patriotic politicians and then discovered that Loony-Left wing dybbuks had taken over their brains.

I'm certainly not a Lieberman fan, but considering the rest of Bibi's bloated cabinet, he's like a breath of fresh air. Now, of course, he's saying the right things, at least as far as I'm concerned.

A fawning Foreign Minister is the last thing we need. At this point, the world is nervous. That's good.

I hope and pray that Lieberman doesn't suffer the same insecurities and inferiority complexes our other politicians in high office have suffered from. I trust that he's bright and intuitive to understand that he received most of his votes from people who liked his straight-talking about security and loyalty. Bibi Netanyahu and the Likud wimped out on it, and the Ichud Le'umi (National Union) hasn't a fraction of the charisma Bibi and Lieberman are gifted with.

The NU's new MK Michael Ben-Ari has managed to grab headlines with statements which make Lieberman look like a moderate. That's good, and that's Ben-Ari's role. No matter what the PC's may think.

Israeli politics is never dull. I hope that this new government will be a good one for us, G-d willing.

A Tune To Help You See Why the National Union Should Stay Out of The Government

There are quite a few people who are disappointed that the Ichud Le'umi, the National Union, didn't find a way of joining Bibi Netanyahu's humongous cabinet. Some of those same people think that it wasn't a mistake for Moshe Feiglin to continue in the Likud. They don't think that they wasted their votes by voting Likud.

If you read my previous posts about the elections, before and after, you'd see that I'm not really surprised. I knew that Bibi wanted a Center-Left coalition. The NU was one of the least welcome parties to join the party.

The Ichud Le'umi has a very important role. It is the Conscience of the Nation. It doesn't matter how small it is. It has Hope, Hatikvah. So just sing along with Frank Sinatra:

Frank Sinatra - High Hopes

Writer(s): cahn/van heusen

Next time your found, with your chin on the ground
There a lot to be learned, so look around

Just what makes that little old ant
Think hell move that rubber tree plant
Anyone knows an ant, cant
Move a rubber tree plant

But hes got high hopes, hes got high hopes
Hes got high apple pie, in the sky hopes

So any time your gettin low
stead of lettin go
Just remember that ant
Oops there goes another rubber tree plant

When troubles call, and your backs to the wall
There a lot to be learned, that wall could fall

Once there was a silly old ram
Thought hed punch a hole in a dam
No one could make that ram, scram
He kept buttin that dam

cause he had high hopes, he had high hopes
He had high apple pie, in the sky hopes

So any time your feelin bad
stead of feelin sad
Just remember that ram
Oops there goes a billion kilowatt dam

All problems just a toy balloon
Theyll be bursted soon
Theyre just bound to go pop
Oops there goes another problem kerplop

The "Jewish Home" Joins Hands With Those Who Destroy Jewish Homes

Well, now do you understand why Hatikvah, National Union, Moledet, Marzel's people etc had to establish a strong uncompromising pro-Eretz Yisrael (Land of Israel) political party? All those people who claimed that we were "dividing the Right" don't know their right from their left.

Hours after the NRP's (once NRP, always NRP) Hershkowitz was proudly and happily announcing that he's the new Science Minister, his coalition partners were proudly and happily destroying Jewish homes and a synagogue.

Bibi Netanyahu's plan is to pacify coalition opposition or rebellion by generously dishing out the perks of cabinet portfolios.

Netanyahu, like Menachem Begin and Ariel Sharon, has an emotional need for world approval and aims to "... reshape his reputation as a foe of the peace process..." So like his Likud predecessors, he will do everything he can to show that he isn't Right wing. Well, he's wrong, not right.

And the new National Religious Party, shorn of its principled idealistic members, is reverting to its former status as "partner to anyone in power."

G-d save us!
Chodesh Nissan Tov!

Jiminy Cricket, The National Union!

At this point, what should the role of the Ichud Le'umi, the National Union, be in Israeli politics, in the Israeli Government in Israeli life?

Caroline Glick admits that their policies are consistently correct:

THE ONE POLITICIAN who has been outspoken in opposing the mass release of terrorists has been MK Ya'acov (Ketzeleh) Katz, the leader of the National Union party. Together with the families of terror victims who oppose the government's intention to release their relatives' murderers, Katz has been the loudest voice in politics stridently opposing the deal. He has made clear that it will endanger the country and guarantee the murder and abduction of still more Israelis.
Katz and the National Union have it right on this issue. Indeed, they have it right on just about every major strategic issue they have championed. From their opposition to the failed Oslo process to their opposition to the failed Camp David summit, from their opposition to the withdrawal from south Lebanon and Gaza to their opposition to the failed road map peace process and the failed Annapolis peace process, the National Union has been right all along. It has always stayed true to its principles.

But as right as they are, she claims that to be wrong.

FOR ALL of its strategic wisdom and clearheadedness, the National Union is a political home for delusional politicians. In all of its various incarnations - from Tehiya to Herut to Moledet to the National Union - the party has never been able to understand what it means to govern. It has never been able to recognize that politics is the art of compromise.

But why should the only honest, clear-thinking party back down and conform to the Israeli PC delusions? Don't blame the National Union and its predecessors, Techiya and Moledet, for Israel's problems. Just like Pinocchio endangered himself and Gepetto by not listening to Jiminy Cricket, Israeli politicians who followed American orders, rather than do what was best for Israel, must admit their fundamental mistakes.

In 1992, angry that Likud under prime minister Yitzhak Shamir bowed to US pressure and participated in the Madrid peace conference, Tehiya brought down his government. In so doing, it brought in Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon Peres and brought the country the Oslo process and Yasser Arafat in Ramallah.
In 1999, angry at Netanyahu for bowing to US pressure and agreeing to the Wye Plantation accords, the National Union brought down his government. In so doing, it brought in Ehud Barak and Yossi Beilin, the withdrawal from Lebanon and the Camp David summit.

The Likud's tragic weakness has always been its desire to show that it's not an "extremist Right wing party."

That's why Menachem Begin defied his voters and supporters when taking office, in 1977, and gave the post-Yom Kippur War failed Moshe Dayan the authority to decide policy.

That's why Yitzchak Shamir agreed to go to the Madrid Conference and didn't pack and leave with a parting: "אין עם מי לדבר Ain im mi l'daber. There's nobody to speak to." After Arab terrorists shot at a bus full of innocent Israeli women and children on their way to a demonstration. The terrorists murdered two, my good friend and neighbor, Rachella Druk, mother of seven and the bus driver, Yitzchak Rofeh. A number of children were also injured. Shamir should have used this as an example of why it's impossible to negotiate with murdering terrorists.

That's also one of the reasons for Ariel Sharon's Disengagement policy which, besides destroying Jewish homes, towns, businesses etc and turning peaceful, innocent Israelis into homeless evictees, it brought Arab terrorist missiles closer to Israeli civilians.

Glick shouldn't blame Techiya. Shamir should have left the conference and apologized to Techiya and the Israeli People for his "momentary" weakness. Techiya would have then rejoined the government, and then we never would have had to cope with the increased terrorism caused by the Peres-Rabin Oslo Accords which gave even more advanced weapons to the Arab terrorists and facilitated the horrendous situation we're in now.

As a Techiya, Moledet and now National Union voter and supporter, I expect my party to be the conscience of the nation. Somebody has to be. Glick sure isn't. I don't want my MK's haggling over ministry perks like the NRP.

It took a while for Pinocchio to get it Right, and I hope we won't need to get swallowed by a whale first.

Give a Little Whistle

When you get in trouble and you don't know right from wrong
Give a little whistle! Give a little whistle!
When you meet temptation and the urge is very strong
Give a little whistle! Give a little whistle!

Not just a little squeak, pucker up and blow
And if your whistle's weak, yell, "Jiminy Cricket!"
Right!

Take the straight and narrow path
And if you start to slide
Give a little whistle! Give a little whistle!
And always let your conscience be your guide

NRP-Jewish Home Should Close The Business

There was a very large choice of parties to choose from in this year's Israeli Elections, but not all got in.

There's lots of talk that the "far Right" Ichud Le'umi (NU) and Jewish Home (NRP) would have done better if they had stayed united as one party. That talk's from the media and those not involved. I think there would have been a lower Right turnout and fewer seats. Most of us, who had voted for the united party last elections, were disgusted, frustrating and wondering what to do with our precious vote.

Before the previous elections had I tried volunteering for the party. A few dozen of us English speaking/writing activists showed up at the NRP building on King George St., Jerusalem. We were armed with enthusiasm for a united political party of Moledet-NRP etc. We found the NRP spouting tired old slogans and knew that we were in the wrong place.

That's why Arieh Eldad's supporters established Hatikvah, but the brilliant professors backing him haven't a clue how to succeed in politics. So, again, I felt shut out. The reconstituted National Union suits my ideology. It was just very last minute and therefore didn't reach its potential. Yes, it has potential. The NRP-Jewish Home doesn't. The vast majority of its voters are old. For many it's the party of Bnai Akiva and high school memories. I come from a different world and don't have those shared memories.

Today's Israeli youth remember how disappointed they were with the NRP during Disengagement and Amona. Even their school system is in crisis. Many parents are looking for alternatives to the state-run Mamlachti-Dati system and Bnai Akiva High Schools.

NRP-Jewish Home should really close its doors. Their name change was just a PR act. The best of today's Israeli youth reminds me of the idealism of my own in the 1960's. We rejected the platitudes of our parents and looked for genuine meaning. The "sixties" wasn't just "drugging out." For those who went in that direction, it was a rejection of the post-WWII staid materialism. For many of us, our reaction was activism and idealism. That's what brought me to Torah Judaism and Zionism.

Today's national religious zionist youth (lower case letters) sees through the superficial images. That's why they live on Biblical hilltops or in non-religious cities to make a difference. The ones who have dropped out, or "took off their kippot," are obviously another story. But they're not NRP voting potential either.

Don't forget that Bibi didn't win big, because he ignored his potential voters by his words and actions. And the NRP is lucky to have made the cut this year. Its ideology is no longer relevant or attractive. Lieberman's Israel is Our Home and Ketzela-Eldad's National Union spoke clearly and got votes.

Now we're waiting for the official final distribution of Knesset seats and the coalition bribery/negotiations.

Hashem Ya'azor
Heaven Help Us

Getting To Know The National Union, Ichud Le'umi's Uri Bank

Read the interview with Uri Bank on Rafi's Life in Israel. Don't let Uri's youthful look fool you. He's no youngster. Uri is a veteran political activist, who has been in Israel since he was a child.

He has much more political experience than most of the MK hopefuls on other party lists. I had decided on Ichud Le'umi before reading what Uri has to say, and the interview is making me feel totally confident about my decision.