Tel-Chai Nation

The families living in Beit Shapira in Hebron were evicted today. Guess who's fault it is? The National Union party's fault. Because they had to base the bulk of their election campaign for Knesset on hatemongering against the Likud, and act whiny and go the sob-story route, not giving any attention to the residents of Ashkelon, Ashdod and Sderot whose own houses are in danger of kassam rockets. Thanks to this, they alienated tons of voters without bringing them over to their own party, and one of the explanations for that is the fact that, if the National Religious Party with whom they formed a joint list continued to stay in the government during 2004 even after two of its members left and joined National Union, so as a result, who could really take them seriously? Especially as they weren't addressing a whole bunch of other problems and issues Israel faces, such as that the government could be hiring a bunch of violent little thugs for the army to wage war against Jews (via Shiloh Musings).

For those angry about what happened today, do not blind yourselves - this was and is the National Union's fault, because they put out some of the most bottom-of-the-barrel advertisements, more than any other party. And they are among the first ones to owe an apology to the public.

Which is why I'd like to tell them, if they're reading this: OWN UP!

The party they presumably take after, HaTechiya, did something very similarly stupid in 1992, when leader Elyakim HaEtzni acted ludicrously vengeful and relentlessly attacked the Likud in his campaign for Knesset back then (he lost). In 1999, when the National Union itself first turned up, they repeated this mistake, when they focused the bulk of their campaign on attacking the National Religious Party. Crummy as they are, that's still no replacement for an informative campaign, which they did not give. In 2003, they refrained from these kind of tactics(!), but now, in 2006, they did it a third time. Three strikes and they're out. The members whom I'd blame for this are Rabbi Benny Elon, Effi Eitam and Tzvi Hendel, who were particularly nasty and dishonest.

If the Israeli nationa camp is to repair itself, that's why they're going to have to distance themselves from either members like whom I cited above, or from the entire party altogether. The NU's incompetance risks leading to a civil war, and we can't afford that. Those in Israel who understand the damage they caused and want to work on repairing things ASAP would be advised to contact the National Union and give them a piece of your mind. Website, e-mail address, zevinzion@yahoo.com, and phone number, 1-800-20-33-22.

As soon as political reps who know when it pays to show some manners and avoid being sleazy can be found, that's when the right in Israel will be able to repair itself.

Labels: Israel