Subscribe to Print Edition | Thu., March 05, 2009 Adar 9, 5769 | | Israel Time: 10:55 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Joy of Giving Travel Week's End Anglo File
Avigdor Lieberman
Last update - 10:55 05/03/2009
Lieber-fear II: The real issue is why Israelis voted Lieberman
By Benjamin L. Hartman
Tags: Avigdor Lieberman 

The dust has yet to settle on Israel's version of Bush/Gore 2000, a nightmare indecisive election in which the entire country is the state of Florida. Avigdor Lieberman has emerged as many of us feared - or hoped - as the unquestionable power-broker of the Knesset, even with his Yisrael Beitenu party bringing in a less than hoped for 15 seats.

In a Slate.com column earlier this week entitled "Avigdor Lieberman's epic chutzpah," Vanity Fair writer and Beirut street fighter Christopher Hitchens spoke on the frightening reality of Lieberman's new-found role as Israeli kingmaker, by diving into scattershot references to the complexities of modern Israeli life and in particular, the eternal fence sitting that is the lot of Israeli Arabs.
Advertisement

Early on, Hitchens mentions Lieberman's time as a nightclub bouncer in Moldova (a fact that has become a preamble to any mention of the Yisrael Beitenu leader since the elections neared), before delving into the complexities of Israeli-Arab existence. But what Hitchens didn't do was examine some of the more truly frightening implications Lieberman's rise has for the state of Israeli politics.

Forget for a moment his Jim Crow style loyalty tests and ludicrous calls to bomb the Aswan Dam and, one can assume, hydroelectric facilities throughout the Muslim world. A sober assessment of his campaign makes it clear that Lieberman's "no loyalty, no citizenship" election slogan is a non-starter, a stroke of race-baiting electioneering with no real hope of being implemented as policy. After all, can you imagine any Israeli outside of the Jewish community of Hebron volunteering to serve as a pollster administering the loyalty tests door-to-door deep in Israel's Arab communities?

What is in many ways more frightening than Lieberman's abject racism is the way that young Israelis, both left-wing secular and right-wing religious have latched on to his strongman image, convinced that "Israel needs a Putin, there's no order here," with little thought to the implications.

Most of these people can hardly be painted as "fascists" or "racists", and don't fit the wild-eyed settler or jack-booted Russian nationalist image bestowed upon supporters of Yisrael Beitenu by their detractors.

Most of them are our friends and neighbors who are fed up with a political system that awards graft, failure and lethargy, and a criminal justice system where there is little if any reliable law enforcement, and the inmates run the entire country as their personal asylum. Ironically, Lieberman is also under investigation for alleged graft, but it only seems to have made him more popular.

Furthermore, these secular and wholly rational colleagues and family members are fed up with risking their lives serving in an army protecting a religious community that does not share their burden and lives off their dime, all the while making no effort to hide their hatred of the secular majority that shelters them and puts food on their table.

That may be the true irony of Yisrael Beitenu, and it's an aspect of the party that is missed entirely in Hitchens' article. That is, that a party painted as fascist and racist may be the only one well positioned to protect secular values and release the stranglehold exerted by the religious on the definition and image of Judaism in Israel.

Furthermore, with all due respect to the nice Jews of Meretz and Labor, Yisrael Beitenu may be the only party that stands a chance of ending the nationalist wing's devotion to messianic, Greater Israel ideology and the retention of every inch of territory from the river to the sea. For better or for worse, Lieberman sees Arabs through geopolitical crosshairs, not the prism of biblical promises and cherry-picked rabbinical commentary.

Racism is a dead horse whose continued beating in Israel serves little purpose. What is truly worrying, is the way so many in this country have been so willing to embrace a would-be domestic tyrant (see the spot-on skit from the Israeli satire show "Wonderful Country," in which a Darth Vader-esque Lieberman seizes power on election night) after so many years of failed promises, disgraceful leadership, and a maddening lack of civility in daily life.

The fact that they have felt driven to elect a corrupt, perennially-indicted Putin of their own, whose platform is based on racial politics he has no way of enforcing, shows the true depth of Israeli political discontent.

That, Mr. Hitchens, is the real outrage here.

More by Benjamin Hartman:
  • Lieber-fear and Bibi-phobia: How fear of the far-right could make Livni PM
  • Benjamin Hussein Netanyahu, or, How a little bit of Obama goes a long way
  • Israel's Knesset: I wish I knew how to quit you
  • Ben Hartman on the U.S. elections
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    Atrocities revealed
    New research shows German firm used hair from Auschwitz victims in textiles.
    Empathy for Gaza
    WATCH: Waltz with Bashir animator creates short-film on Gaza blockade.
      1.   Glad he`s so popular! 14:56  |  Petra 26/02/09
      2.   DELETED BY MODERATOR 15:20  |  Isaac Moddel 26/02/09
      3.   the real reasons 15:51  |  As`ad (Angry Arab) 26/02/09
      4.   Benjamin L. Hartman doesn`t say he disagrees with loyalty tests. 15:51  |  martin knopfman 26/02/09
      5.   Thank G-d somebody has managed to reverse the suicidal trend 16:26  |  Harvey 26/02/09
      6.   Isaac Moddel, haredim indeed do not serve in the army 16:30  |  vel 26/02/09
      7.   Hooray for Liegerman, He will lead the Jews to the Promised Land. 16:31  |  Lou Medel 26/02/09
      8.   Loyality test 16:59  |  Ariks 26/02/09
      9.   ..... why Israelis voted Liberman... 17:03  |  Esther 26/02/09
      10.   response to Harvey 17:05  |  David 26/02/09
      11.   Nothing wrong with Liberman plan 17:06  |  Ofer 26/02/09
      12.   ben are you aware of the real world ? 17:08  |  v hardman 26/02/09
      13.   Israel needs a strong leader who will not hesitate or waffle 17:17  |  Avi 26/02/09
      14.   D`uhhhh why? 17:32  |  Jon 26/02/09
      15.   Sorry Esther #7, humor has left me under the circumstances. 17:48  |  S 26/02/09
      16.   Loyalty oath 17:56  |  herb friedman 26/02/09
      17.   liebermann 18:14  |  Rolf 26/02/09
      18.   Take your pick 18:30  |  Ed 26/02/09
      19.   free speech on this website 18:54  |  Jon 26/02/09
      20.   lieberman`s appeal 18:56  |  james phillips 26/02/09
      21.   To As`Ad 19:18  |  I agree 26/02/09
      22.   why WOULDN`T they vote for Lieberman 19:43  |  Zvi 26/02/09
      23.   Response to Hartman 19:56  |  Dr. Shepen 26/02/09
      24.   Because they finally understood 20:14  |  Donna Wallach 26/02/09
      25.   "Can hardly be painted as "fascists". Not for want of trying 20:16  |  Realist 26/02/09
      26.   Loyalty test 20:45  |  Sam 26/02/09
      27.   Nothing wrong with Liberman plan. II. 21:13  |  arik 26/02/09
      28.   G-D Bless Avigdoor Lieberman ! 21:36  |  Even 26/02/09
      29.   Oh but they are 21:54  |  Colin Wright 26/02/09
      30.   australia 22:17  |  bruce 26/02/09
      31.   To James Philipps #13 23:22  |  Didier Spaier 26/02/09
      32.   Lieberman 23:47  |  tomas 26/02/09
      33.   #9 Ofer defies belief! 00:37  |  Johnboy 27/02/09
      34.   he is not racist 01:17  |  mike 27/02/09
      35.   #15 Thanks for the laugh, Dr. Shepen 02:20  |  Johnboy 27/02/09
      36.   Ofer about loyalty 03:11  |  American in NY 27/02/09
      37.   Hartman hits the nail on the head 03:12  |  mike 27/02/09
      38.   james phillips # 03:13  |  American in NY 27/02/09
      39.   # 15 Israel should hear you. Speak out loud!! 03:42  |  Morpheus 27/02/09
      40.   Israelis like what he is selling 04:12  |  Mark Lincoln 27/02/09
      41.   More Baseless Fear Mongering from the Extreme Left 04:14  |  Baruch Gold 27/02/09
      42.   What`s the big deal about a loyalty test??? 04:26  |  B`galil 27/02/09
      43.   Lieberman is a Liberal Do not Believe Lies 05:31  |  Baruch Gold 27/02/09
      44.   The real issue 08:01  |  Uri 27/02/09
      45.   Calling oath of allegiance "loyalty test"... Haaretz? 08:24  |  Miron 27/02/09
      46.   #9 Ofer, you astound - 2nd try 09:46  |  Johnboy 27/02/09
      47.   David, number 8 11:57  |  Harvey 27/02/09
      48.   But its the Media stupid, the media!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 13:21  |  Abecassis 27/02/09
      49.   What`s the big deal B`galil? 20:53  |  Nina 27/02/09
      50.   Lies about Lieberman 22:32  |  Mike 27/02/09
      51.   #19 Wash your mouth out with soap, Nina! 05:40  |  Johnboy 01/03/09
     Haaretz Hot Topics
    Israel 2009 election results: Voter breakdown
    Israel goes to the polls
    Conflict in Gaza
    Israel vs. Hamas
    Iran: Nuclear and regional ambitions
    More Headlines
    10:48 IAF air strikes kills three Islamic Jihad militants in Gaza
    02:16 Britain reconsiders, says open to talks with Hezbollah
    00:37 U.S. Senator Kerry: Assad ready to resume talks with Israel
    04:39 Envoy to U.K. calls British Embassy divestment 'absurd'
    03:43 Israel to let more aid into Gaza in gesture to Clinton
    06:01 IDF fears Gaza probe could harm officers abroad
    06:29 Why did Netanyahu kick Israel's U.S. envoy out of meeting with Clinton?
    10:37 Israeli restrictions, mismanagement blamed for Palestinian health crisis
    01:44 Sources: Security cameras caught general with stripper on his lap
    09:03 ANALYSIS / Would someone tell the strip club-visiting admiral his career is over?
    06:35 Israel and Turkey in quiet talks to end diplomatic crisis in days
    05:21 Head of Palestinian rights group banned from travelling to accept award
    06:39 Malmo decision to ban fans from Israel-Sweden Davis Cup match irks locals
    Previous Editions
    Special Offers
    Advertisement
    Spring Specials-Dan Hotels
    Jerusalem from 179$. Tel-Aviv from 223$. Herzliya from 336$
    Dead Sea Skin Care
    Quality cosmetics from the Dead Sea. Coupon code HAARETZ for 12% off!
    Summer in Israel
    Israeli style - Tzofim Chetz V'Keshet 2009
    Passover Vacations
    The BEST Passover Vacations around ? Mexico, Arizona and Florida
    Camp Kimama Israel 2009
    The best place for your children this summer
    Eldan Rent a Car
    Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on online reservations
    Jewish Singles Personal Ads
    Find the love of your life on JDate.com
    Junkyard
    Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
    Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | | Israel 2009 election results
    Site rules | Makom: Engaging on Israel | Search engine marketing
    Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
    © Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved