# 279 – The New Knesset

April 9, 2015

The New Knesset

We just had the official ceremony marking the reconvening of the Knesset, despite the fact that the form of government has not yet been decided.

The large number of new members included more females than ever before, more Arabs than ever before, 2 in wheelchairs (the Knesset facilities for the handicapped are good) – and less political parties than ever before, due to the raising of the minimum vote percentage to 3.25, and the combining of all Arab parties.

No matter how much you may have heard about Bibi (Netanyahu)’s landslide victory, fact is that the bartering and infighting for positions within the coalition have fostered no result as yet.

Expectations are that the number of ministerial positions will be increased again, at whatever expense, so that each little Napoleon feels he/she’s gained something. Or, God forbid, there’ll be a government of national unity, for – and I repeat, God forbid – the sake of the country! Wow…But then the individuals will have to forego all those selfish thoughts and think of …the people!

A letter of mine was published in the weekend edition of the Jerusalem Post at the time of the election, suggesting a way through this quagmire…

In the meantime, in MY opinion (still closer to the centre than the Leftists claim), Obama is sliding down a slippery slope. Forget about Chamberlain and Hitler, the whole story of how North Korea cleverly blinded Bill Clinton and others on the same subject should be warning enough.

And that country may scream and shout, but is NOT known to be the supporter of terrorism, is not known to be firmly on the side of disruption within the greater neighbourhood, and is not fixed on the annihilation of a country.

Obama appears to want to influence the power struggle in the Middle East, an area already imploding, by supporting the influence of everybody’s favourite enemy.

There, I’ve said it.

Yarmouk – the refugee camp horribly overrun by Islamic State. It’s one of the ‘better-kept’ Palestinian camps, 67 years of ostracism from Syrian society (as other such camps, not only in Lebanon and Egypt, but also in Gaza and West Bank!!)

– and now Gershon Baskin, a left-winger who specialises in writing in the fairly right-wing Jerusalem Post (every movement must have its example of balance-opinion), says it’s Israel’s chance to shine: organise the transfer of the 18,000 still left in the camp, which until 2 years ago, housed up to 200,000, to the West Bank – without conditions.

Of course that would be a wonderful gesture, and perhaps Israel could gain some kudos for it. But shouldn’t there be 25-50 other countries, officially these people’s fellow Arab-speaking Muslim brothers who should first make such gestures?

Stephen