Law, Power, and Justice

Haaretz, 11/18/23.

In marches the Israeli newspaper, Haaretz, compared in size to those protesting Netanyahu’s judicial changes, thousands of Israelis demanded  the return of Israeli hostages.  While Western media largely ignores the opposition to Netanyahu’s right-wing government, protest in Israel has been active since the November 7^th Hamas attack.

Haaretz estimates that some ten thousand marchers rallied outside Netanyahu’s office.

On the northern border, Israel and Hezbollah traded fire.

In the West Bank, Palestinians were killed ad wounded in an Israeli strike on a building and a refugee camp.

The foreign minister of Jordan stated he did not see how Israel was going to obliterate Hamas. 

Hamas is reporting that contact with some groups holding hostages has been lost.

In an opinion piece in the Washington Post, Biden has written that the U.S. is prepared to discourage settler violence in the Wet Benk including “issuing visa bans against extremists attacking civilians.”  “…those committing the violence must be held accountable.”

Some Israeli lawmakers are trying to organize a no-confidence vote to topple Netanuahu.  A majority of 61 Knesset Members is needed to topple the government. 

Members of Netanuahu’s own party, Likud, have voiced harsh criticism of Netanuahu. 

Yair Lapid has announced that Netanuahu should be removed from office immediately rather than after the war.  This is a change in his position earlier in the war. 

“We can’t have Netanyahu doing politics from morning to nighttime, tweeting at night against the heads of the security establishment and transferring tens of millions of shekels to his residences while we’re raising donations to buy knee pads for Giv’ati soldiers.”

Referring to Netanyahu, Lapid said: ““He’s failing at public diplomacy, failing at handling the hostages [situation], harming the war effort and the wartime economy, and then says ‘We’re at war. You can’t speak against me,’” he added.”

Leaders of other parties, however, want new elections which will prevent, in their eyes, Likud being allowed to “recover” while still in power.

Benny Gantz (of the National Unity Party) of the opposition, is now a member of an emergency government.  He objects to a no-confidence vote.  He is depicted by polls as the winner of any new elections. 

CNN

CNN is reporting that Israel will move into the south of Gaza.  In order to release the hostages Israel has to go into the south. 

Roert Baer, former CIA operative, argues that they do not know how to get rid of Hamas without reoccupying Gaza.  There was no command center in the occupied hospital, but they don’t need a command center.  “They are losing the public relations war.”  “The Israeli’s are going to have to flatten Gaza.”  “It’s a horrible situation with no easy out.”