PRESS RELEASE: Mattot Arim remarks regarding Danon-Bennet-two-state
controversy
Monday, 23 June 2013

Recent remarks slamming the two-state plan, by Deputy Defence Minister Danon
and by Jewish Home party leader Minister Naftali Bennet, have caused a
storm.

American Jewish leader David Harris condemned the Israeli ministers -
whereas Harris's counterpart, Mort Klein of the Zionist Organization of
America, condemned Harris for his condemnation:

http://bit.ly/18cXRH8

Abe Foxman also blasted the Israelis - only to be blasted back by Ron
Torossian:
http://bit.ly/16iQpWU

The following facts will enhance American Jewish understanding of this
crucial controversy:

a. The "two-states for two peoples" formula was originated by Hadash, a
small Arab/pro-Arab political party so far removed from national consensus
that it has been unable to serve in the coalition.

b. Israel's two most beloved prime ministers and Nobel Peace Prize
Laureates, Menachem Begin and Yitzhak Rabin, were both firm opponents of
the two-state solution. For example, see Rabin here, in Hebrew
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNX67DFPaQc
and in English
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,979266,00.html

c. The dangers of establishing a Palestinian state, which (unlike the Oslo
accords which were transitory in nature) is an irrevocable and final step
for Israel, are well known to the ostensible supporters of the concept as
well as the opponents thereof. Prime Minister Netanyahu himself has never
concealed from the public that a Palestinian state can morph into "an
Iranian state next to our borders that would hurl thousands of rockets at
our cities" and stated the same just 4 days ago to the Washington Post. A
scholarly discussion of some of the dangers of Palestinian state for Israel
is available here (in Hebrew):
http://cdn.www.inss.org.il.reblazecdn.net/upload/(FILE)1361650032.pdf

d. Ministers openly opposing Palestinian state who were voted into the
current Government of Israel include Ministers Uri Ariel, Gilad Erdan,
Yisrael Katz, Dr. Uzi Landau, Uri Orbach, Gidon Saar, Yair Shamir, Silvan
Shalom, Dr. Yuval Steinitz, Bogy Yaalon as well as, of course, Minister
Naftali Bennet.

e. As for the claim that it is somehow improper for Israelis to oppose Prime
Minister Netanyahu's assertion that he supports Palestinian state, this is
untenable for anyone familiar with the Israeli political system. For one
thing, Prime Minister Netanyahu is not directly elected by the Israeli
public. The Israeli elections empowered Netanyahu's party - Likud -- not
Netanyahu himself, and the Likud's official position is to oppose
Palestinian state.

Also, and for that reason, an Israeli Prime Minister is merely "first among
equals" according to Israel's "Basic Law: The Government". Israeli Ministers
are politically powerful, independent political figures. This is because
Israel's executive powers are, by law, vested in the Government of Israel
as a whole and not in the Prime Minister as an individual.

Those expressing shock over the lack of accord between Netanyahu and Israeli
ministers on the Palestinian state issue may be doing so to promote an
inaccurate image, serving their own agenda, that Palestinian state is in
consensus in Israel. Or, they may simply be applying to the Israeli
political system their American sunglasses, tinted by the US Constitution
(inapplicable to Israel!!!) which states that "The executive Power shall be
vested in a President of the United States of America." In other words, in
the United States, the situation is precisely the opposite of Israel's Basic
Law: The Government. In the USA, one person -- the President -- constitutes
the executive branch of government; there are in fact no American
"ministers" in the Israeli sense. The equivalent positions in the USA bear
the (lowly) title "secretary" since unlike their Israeli minister
counterparts, "secretaries" such as, say, the Secretary of State do not hold
constitutional power independent of the president and merely advise her or
him.

Appreciation of the above facts are necessary to prevent publication of such
inaccuracies as: "The comments by the two ministers raise questions about
who is in charge and whether the government is able to show strength in
being able to implement its own policies" (Abe Foxman, 18 June). The truth
is that the statements do not "raise questions" for those familiar with
Israel's intricate system of government. Wikipedia on "Israel's system of
government" explains that "The Prime Minister is the chief executive of
Israel, and the most powerful political figure in the country" but adds that
"The Prime Minister is elected by the Knesset... The Prime Minister may
dismiss cabinet members, but any replacements must be approved by the
Knesset... The cabinet's composition must also be approved by the Knesset.
The Prime Minister may dismiss cabinet members, but any replacements must be
approved by the Knesset", etc. As for ministers, Wikpedia explains that
"Cabinet ministers are appointed by the Prime Minister" but also points out
that the PM must do so "based on the distribution of votes to political
parties". Finally, Wikipedia says the Prime Minister "makes foreign and
domestic policy decisions" but adds that these "are voted on by the
cabinet". Also, "the security cabinet" (not the same as the "cabinet" - M.
A.) is "responsible for outlining and implementing a foreign and defense
policy". In short, in Israel, the Prime Minister's word is not necessarily
the last word.

Looking to the future, the two-state issue is in controversy in Israel, not
only in the public, but also in the Knesset and in the Government. Polls
have shown the two-state issue to be in controversy in the United States as
well. Palestinian state, which is an existential danger for Israel, is
avoidable (a) if the United States honors its existing commitment to veto
any future Security Council resolutions on the subject; and (b) if steps are
taken to annul the UN General Assembly resolution on the subject -- as
occurred with the "Zionism is Racism" UN General Assembly resolution which
was later annulled.

A wide variety of safer alternatives to the two-state solution have been
suggested over the years here in Israel such that the Palestinian state
solution is far from being the only show in town. The so-called one-state
solution promoted by Arab groups has no political support in Israel.

Mattot Arim is a very firm opponent of the two-state solution here in
Israel.
http://mattotarim1.blogspot.co.il/2013/04/blog-post_9894.html