Introduction
This paper attempts to answer two questions: What kind of Israel does the Blue and White Alliance ("Kahol Lavan") seek if it succeeds in replacing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Likud's rule in the upcoming general elections for the 21st Knesset, which will be held on April 9th? Will this lead to a change in right-wing rule altogether?
It will do so by presenting the main principles of this alliance's program, which was recently announced, on one hand, and by citing some analyses that have addressed this issue, on the other hand.
The alliance is composed of a coalition of three parties: "Israel Resilience" ("Hosen L'Yisrael") led by former Chief of Staff of the Israeli Defense Forces, Benny Gantz, "There is a Future" ("Yesh Atid") led by Knesset member Yair Lapid, and "Telem" led by former Chief of Staff of the Israeli Defense Forces, Moshe Ya'alon. Later, they were joined by another former Chief of Staff, Gabi Ashkenazi.
The alliance announced its electoral program in early March 2019, which consists of 24 topics covering various aspects of life and its post-election action plan. The program emphasized that there would be no unilateral Israeli withdrawal from occupied Palestinian territories, as was done in 2005 when Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank under the "Disengagement Plan." The alliance pledged that any peaceful process with the Palestinians would be subject to approval through a general referendum. The program did not mention any specific details regarding the peaceful process, nor did it mention the two-state solution or the expression of a Palestinian state. According to the program, the Blue and White alliance will work to strengthen settlement blocs in the West Bank and maintain a unified Jerusalem as the eternal capital of Israel.
The leaders of the alliance visited the border area with Syria prior to the announcement of the program and pledged not to relinquish the Golan Heights forever and not to allow Iran to establish military presence near the northern Israeli border. Following this visit, consistent media reports stated that the visit was part of the alliance's efforts to avoid alienating right-leaning voters. It was noted that the alliance's program would refrain from mentioning the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and would also avoid mentioning the expression of a Palestinian state.
"Israel is the national homeland of the Jewish people."
The "Blue and White" program spans 45 pages, in which the alliance presents its vision and future plans in various aspects of life through 27 chapters. It begins with an introduction followed by the following headings: Political and Security; War against Corruption; Economy; Employment and Labor; Education; Health; Transportation; Judiciary and Legislation; Religion and State; Reducing Inequality; Welfare and Rights of Persons with Disabilities; Housing; Governance; Suburbs; Local Government; Internal Security; Independent and Small to Medium-sized Businesses; Environmental Protection; Women; Retirees; Encouraging the Integration of Ultra-Orthodox Jews into Israeli Society; Youth and University Students; Workers' and Agricultural Settlements; LGBTQ+; Jewish Immigrants and Absorption of Immigrants (Jews); Minority Equality; Culture and Arts, in addition to an introduction.
The "Blue and White" alliance opens the introduction of its electoral program with a statement that emphasizes, "Israel is the national homeland of the Jewish people, and Israel is our home, all of us. We love it, we are proud of it, and we are committed to preserving its image and identity as an unequivocally Jewish and democratic state."
The introduction further adds, "Israel in 2019 is a strong and prosperous country. However, Israel in 2019 is also a divided and suffering state. The country is good, but there are ill winds blowing within it. The gaps between Jews and non-Jews, between the rich and the poor, between Sephardic (Eastern) and Ashkenazi (Western) Jews, and between the religious and secular are deepening. Distances are widening between the center and the periphery, between the left and the right, and between one person and another. There is a worrisome erosion of public trust in state institutions, law enforcement bodies, along with a continuous deterioration in the quality and provision of public services to citizens. Therefore, the time has come to reunify Israel once again and secure its future."
The introduction clarifies that "The Blue and White Alliance is built on three central foundations:
- Security - In the face of surrounding dangers and challenges, we will maintain an iron fist against anyone who wishes harm upon us. Simultaneously, we will work wisely and responsibly to exhaust any opportunity for serious and effective negotiations, in cooperation with moderate entities in the Arab world and Western countries.
- Officialdom - Israel needs officialdom. If we fail to reconstitute ourselves as one people and one nation, and if we do not find a place for all of us in one state, we will not be able to confront future challenges. The state must respect the individual, respect communities, respect gender diversity, respect all sectors, all tribes, and all minorities. The state must respect traditions, heritage, and the unique human richness of the Israeli mosaic. The state must protect its institutions. Only by adopting a new spirit of dialogue and a supportive approach to unity in diversity, we will be able to achieve proper officialdom that elevates the individual, respects the collective, and renews the Israeli alliance. We prioritize the kingdom over monarchy. We will work by all means to enhance the bonds between different parts of the people. We will fight corruption, ensure the protection of the rights of all citizens, and defend state institutions, judiciary, and the law.
- Economy and Society - We are committed to achieving continuous economic growth and reducing poverty. We are committed to building a society that provides real opportunities for every citizen. We will work to enhance public systems, particularly in the fields of education, health, and welfare. We will strive to increase growth and productivity through extensive development of public infrastructure, investment in human capital, reducing bureaucracy, and creating an environment supportive of business investments. We will work to reduce the cost of living through solutions in the housing sector, increasing competitiveness, and improving productivity."
The Blue and White Alliance concludes the introduction of its electoral program with the affirmation: "We have chosen to engage in political and party work because, for us, Israel comes first and above all else. We pledge to work with honesty and integrity, officially and with all our strength, to protect and develop Israel."
The Political-Security Program.
Under the aforementioned heading, the "Blue and White" program includes the following:
Israel is the strongest state in the Middle East. There is no rival to its military, economic, and democratic power within a radius of thousands of kilometers around its borders. However, after 70 years of independence, some of our neighbors still refuse to recognize our right to exist. Both the immediate and slightly farther surroundings pose significant and complex security challenges to Israel. The foremost of these challenges is, of course, the aggression of Iran, the regional superpower, which openly declares its intention to destroy Israel. Iran stands behind the ongoing terrorist and military threats on our borders, supplying Hezbollah with various weapons, including hundreds of thousands of missiles and guided shells aimed at Israeli cities. It also funds the terrorist activities carried out by Hamas and Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip. Moreover, Iran has not abandoned its nuclear project, which, if realized, would pose an unprecedented existential threat to Israel.
It is no longer just large conventional armies that are stationed along our borders; rather, the security challenge has significantly and increasingly become more complex. The threat of rockets and shells poses an unprecedented and serious danger to the Israeli home front. Terrorist organizations attempt to harm us both on the borders and within the territory of the state. The enemy uses civilian populations as human shields and seeks to undermine a significant portion of our military strength and effectiveness. The Israeli army and other security agencies constantly face the need for change and adaptation to the evolving complex reality in order to ensure security in a much more intricate environment than previously known and encountered.
What Israel lacks the most is a political leadership that takes the initiative, works to seize opportunities, and brings about change in the region as a whole, especially at our borders. Hamas, whose capabilities cannot be compared to those of the Israeli army, continues to harass, provoke, and disrupt the lives of residents in southern Israel. Despite the successful battle waged by the Israeli army against the growing strength of Hezbollah, which represents the most powerful force in Lebanon today, and against Iranian presence in Syria, there is a complex reality filled with threats that arise and crystallize behind our northern borders. Israeli activity has yielded no results in influencing the way Vladimir Putin, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Hassan Rouhani shape the new settlement in Syria.
At the same time, between the sea and the Jordan River, a reality is taking shape that could pose a serious threat to the vision upon which the State of Israel was established: a Jewish and democratic state, the national home of the Jewish people in the only place in the world where they can live and thrive. It is a progressive, advanced, and democratic state that its youth aspire to live in because it is the best place in the world.
We have a great and loyal friend in the White House, but Israel is no longer immune to the differences in US politics. The current government's policies on matters of religion and state have created a deep divide between Israel and the Jews of the United States, who constitute an integral and inseparable part of our national security through their relationship with us and Jews worldwide.
The Blue and White Alliance believes that the foundation of preserving security and enhancing the capabilities of the Israeli army and other security agencies should be integrated with another foundation, which is the political one. Today, we have vital shared interests with many countries in the region that seek stability and face various threats from extremist Islam represented by Iran and ISIS. From Morocco to the Persian Gulf, and from Riyadh to Cairo and Amman, these countries are now ready to cooperate with us in shaping another Middle East that curbs Iranian aggression and defeats extremist Islam.
Israel, being the most powerful in the region, must assume leadership. As part of the concept of security, which states that strength lies in the ability to control the processes, we will work towards shaping a new reality that solidifies the Jewish majority in Israel and establishes the Jewish identity of the state. We will strengthen the settlement blocs and enable a natural way of life anywhere Israelis reside. The Jordan Valley will be the eastern security border of the State of Israel. Jerusalem, united, will be the eternal capital of Israel. With these principles in mind, we will examine the peace plan presented by President Donald Trump upon its introduction.
There will not be a second separation. Any unilateral action taken will necessarily lead the enemy to conclude that their violent resistance has defeated us and determined the outcome. We will not repeat this mistake. Any significant political decision will be presented to the people in a general referendum for approval or ratified by an exceptional majority in the Knesset.
We will initiate a regional conference jointly with Arab states aspiring for stability. We will deepen the measures of separation from the Palestinians by uncompromisingly safeguarding Israel's security interests and the freedom of action of the Israeli army anywhere.
The regional conference agenda will also include a topic of equal importance: Israel's regional status as a leading power alongside parties with shared interests. From now on, there will be no discussions on the nuclear agreement with Iran or the final settlement in Syria without addressing the interests of these parties with shared interests, with Israel at the forefront, and without fulfilling them.
We will never allow any existential threat to the state of Israel. The withdrawal of the United States from the Middle East, which began during the previous administration and continues to this day, poses serious dangers to Israel and its allies. We must present President Trump with the true deal of the century: a Middle East led and shaped by the United States' allied countries, not the axis of extremists. Only in this way can we restore our powerful friend to the region and ensure the fulfillment of Israeli interests everywhere.
In the conflict with Hamas and Islamic Jihad, Israel will also be proactive rather than reactive. In Gaza, we must take a dual approach: responding with full force to any provocation or violent act against our territory, on one hand, and engaging in a joint effort with regional parties to present the people of Gaza with the possibility of a better life, on the other hand. This will make it clear to them that what stands between them and this better life is Hamas' aggression towards Israel. The first rule in the war against terrorism is to sow discord between the population, on one hand, and the terrorist organization operating among them, on the other hand. This can only be achieved if we adopt a policy of initiative on both the military and political-economic levels. There is no contradiction in this approach; in fact, it complements each other.
The Golan Heights is an integral part of the state of Israel, and this is a non-negotiable matter. We will develop the region and intensify settlements in it. On the northern front, we will escalate the ongoing battle against Iranian entrenchment and the growing threat of Hezbollah. We will prepare the Israeli army for the possibility of a (new) conflict.
We will intensify and escalate our ongoing efforts against Iran and Hezbollah, and we will complement them with political engagement with Russia to achieve Israel's demand of removing Iran and its proxies from Syrian territory. The Blue and White Alliance will seriously consider and make continuous efforts to repatriate prisoners and missing persons, driven by our commitment to them, their families, and the entire Israeli society.
In accordance with the concept of national security, it is Israel's responsibility to deepen and solidify its foreign relations anywhere in the world. We will repair and strengthen the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and establish its position as the leading executive body in the field of foreign policy and public diplomacy through legal provisions. Israel is a great power in the realm of innovation and creativity, and the whole world looks to it. We will leverage this position to create a new political momentum. We will increase investment in assisting developing countries as part of our efforts to build a strong foundation for long-term relationships.
We will maintain strategic cooperation and the special relationship between us and the United States. We will return to the days when Israel was beyond the political divisions in American politics. We will strengthen political and economic relations with European, Asian, African, and South American countries.
We will heal the wounds caused by the current government in the relations with Jews worldwide, especially in the United States. Israel is the national homeland for the entire Jewish people. An Israeli government that takes initiative both externally and internally will consider, in any action it takes, its effects and implications on Jews around the world. This is the key to strengthening this vital relationship.
Equality of minorities and their integration into Israeli society.
And among the points mentioned in the program under the above title:
Despite the continuous progress made in integrating Arab-Israelis and the Druze community into Israeli society and the labor market in the State of Israel, the road to fully integrate them and achieve complete equality in Israeli society and economy remains long and filled with obstacles. The integration of Arab men and women and improving their personal and professional conditions is of vital importance for growth, social strength, and reducing poverty and disparities in Israel.
There are some central obstacles that hinder the integration of Arab and Bedouin populations into the labor market: education and the lack of vocational skills; religious barriers; language and preconceived notions; social traditions that prevent Arab women from entering the workforce in large numbers, and transportation shortages to workplaces.
In order to improve the quality of life in the Arab and Bedouin communities and enhance their integration into Israeli society, there is a need for solutions in other areas as well: reducing levels of violence and illegal weapons in these communities; addressing the shortage of approved structural plans and dealing with unauthorized construction; increasing road safety and developing infrastructure in the field of transportation, in addition to promoting a healthy lifestyle through education.
The Blue and White alliance will lead a multi-year plan to deepen the integration of minorities into Israeli society and economy, and to increase the participation of women in the labor market with high-income levels. It will also focus on investing in education to provide high professional skills, as well as investing in physical infrastructure.
Regarding the "Nation-State Law," the program states the following: We will uphold the value of equality and enshrine it in a fundamental law, as stated in the "Judiciary and Legislation" chapter of this program. In the specific section referenced here from the "Judiciary and Legislation" chapter, it states: We will enshrine the principle of equality in the individual's rights in Israel's basic law. The "Nation-State Law" affirms Israel as the national state of the Jewish people, where their national self-determination is uniquely realized. However, the principle of equality in individual rights was omitted from this law. Therefore, we will legislate the principle of equality in the basic law, in the spirit of the "Declaration of Independence."
"Blue and White" will do everything that Netanyahu does, but with the colors of the flag!
Several analysts have suggested that this program affirms that the "Blue and White" alliance will only do what Netanyahu does, but with the colors of the Israeli flag, blue and white.
According to Haim Levinson, the political affairs correspondent for "Haaretz" newspaper (6/3/2019), it is difficult to determine the opinions of this joint alliance through the program. He emphasized that the program consists of statements that sound good but lack any ideological connection, concrete plans, or clear objectives. In his opinion, this might be what the majority of centrist voters want: good individuals with moral values rather than fiery ideologies that clash with reality.
Levinson added that the political part of the program is ambiguous. While the alliance declares its intention to take political steps, the precise nature of these steps remains undisclosed and secretive. It states that it will cooperate with moderate Arab states, opposes extremist Islam, and allows for a normal life in all settlements, but it does not specify the exact meaning of a normal life. The alliance will not pursue a separation from the occupied territories, will initiate a regional conference, and will maintain control over East Jerusalem. In reality, it will do everything that Benjamin Netanyahu does, just with the colors blue and white, the colors of the flag.
On another note, analyses suggest that Gantz and the leadership of Blue and White continue to cooperate with the campaign to delegitimize the political representation of Arabs in the Knesset, led by Netanyahu. In the context of the interviews given by Gantz to the three Israeli television channels on March 21, 2019, he stated that he would not engage in any political dialogue with representatives of Arab parties. He further added to the "Kan" TV channel that "the political leadership of Arabs in Israel has made a grave mistake. They speak against the State of Israel, and therefore, I cannot engage in political dialogue with them."
In response to that, the newspaper "Haaretz" published an editorial titled "Refusing to be an Alternative," stating that Gantz has so far failed in two fundamental issues that cannot be compromised. The first issue is his evasion of providing a clear answer on whether his list supports the two-state solution. The newspaper wondered, "Why doesn't the person who claims to be an alternative to Benjamin Netanyahu show willingness to reveal his position on the crucial issue of the Palestinian problem?" Why doesn't the person who claims to be an alternative to Netanyahu and more moderate than him dare to express support for a solution that Netanyahu himself endorsed? In the newspaper's view, the only alternative to the two-state solution is the one-state solution, and there are doubts whether Gantz embraces it. Avoiding support for the remaining viable solution does not inspire much hope in the political courage of someone who claims to be an alternative.
As for the second and more serious issue, according to the newspaper, it is Gantz's stance towards Arab parties, which it described as "making us doubt whether Gantz seriously intends to bring down Netanyahu."
Overall
The performance of the "Blue and White" alliance so far indicates that they are not truly committed to ousting Netanyahu. The biggest evidence of this is their pre-programmed reluctance to present any alternative to their general policies, especially regarding the Palestinian issue and Arab citizens.
The alliance's program, announced in early March 2019, affirmed that there would be no unilateral Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Palestinian territories as was done in 2005 during the disengagement plan, when Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank. It pledged that any peaceful process with the Palestinians would be subject to popular referendum approval. However, the program did not provide any details about this peaceful process, nor did it mention the two-state solution or the expression of a Palestinian state. According to the program, the "Blue and White" list would work to strengthen the settlement blocs in the West Bank and preserve a unified Jerusalem as the eternal capital of Israel.
Even if we hypothetically assume that the "Blue and White" alliance succeeds in replacing Netanyahu, it would not lead to a change that extends beyond right-wing rule, which seems to continue dominating Israeli politics, albeit perhaps without Netanyahu.
