Sorry, but we look like babies throwing a tantrum
The Levy Report asserted that Israeli construction in Jewish towns in Judea and Samaria is legal, and that Israel ought to legalize the 'illegal outposts.' When it came out, the media went ballistic, and Prime Minister Netanyahu was urged by 'American Jewish leaders,' to bury it in order to appease the Obama administration. And in fact, that's what happened: the report was quietly buried.
A political campaign to push the government to adopt the report petered out after Netanyahu was elected to a third term as prime minister in January 2013.
“It’s our duty to ensure that Justice Levy’s report is adopted by the government,” Rotem said on Tuesday.
He added that its passage would repair the damage that had resulted from private attorney Talia Sasson’s initial government commission report on West Bank outposts, which the government received in March 2005.
Her report focused on the creation of illegal outposts and argued for their removal.
In contrast, the Levy report seeks to authorize them and normalize the treatment of land issues in the West Bank as much as possible.
The Constitution, Law and Justice Committee debate may be able to shine a political spotlight on the report, but cannot advance it legally.
New legislation on settlement building would need Netanyahu’s support and the initial approval of the Ministerial Legislative Committee.
Since entering office, Netanyahu has rejected the option of dealing with issues of Jewish building in the West Bank through Knesset legislation, preferring instead to use existing mechanisms.First, it could be advanced as a private member's bill, but that's almost beside the point.
Look, I love the Levy report (if you read the links at the top of this post, I think that comes through loud and clear), and I think it should have been adopted over a year ago when it first came out. But pushing it now, like all the housing announcements for Judea and Samaria this week (which I didn't bother to post because I didn't have the time and I don't believe they will ever happen), makes us look like a bunch of spoiled children throwing a tantrum because we didn't get our way on Iran. If you want to push the Levy Report, please, go ahead and push it, but don't drop it like a hot potato when and if (which is admittedly unlikely) Obama gives up on an arrangement with Iran.
And the same goes for all the housing announcements. Do it because it's the right thing to do and not because of Iran. As Teddy Roosevelt said, "speak softly and carry a big stick."
Labels: housing crisis, Iran sanctions regime, Iranian nuclear threat, Judea and Samaria construction, Levy Report
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 10:55 AM
1 Comments:
In other words, none of that asinine Yitzhar-Bushehr linkage bandied about on the Israel Left, which insisted that if Israel went soft on the settlements, the Americans would bomb Bushehr to smithereens.
Oops - that isn't happening! It should have been clear to every intelligent person in Israel that no American would ever die on behalf of the Jews - and compromising on Israel's national rights would not give the Americans an incentive to harm Iran. In fact, just the exact opposite.
If the events of the past week has taught Jews anything, its that national weakness buys you nothing, not even support from friends. Being a pushover hasn't secured the Jewish State goodwill with the West.
Now there are sound reasons to adopt the Levy Report. But its important to adopt it out of principled recognition of Israel's national rights and not out of retaliation because the Americans wouldn't lift a finger for Israel in Geneva.
Engaging in a temper tantrum makes Israel look small and weak. Being proud of Jewish national rights on the other hand, will lead to Jews being respected by others. Its not so much about the fate of Levy Report as to what kind of nation Israel wants to be.
That said, let the debate begin!
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