Do we have an Israeli Caeser?
More problems with the government party than with the opposition.
INA FRIEDMAN ISRAEL CORRESPONDENT
It should have been his moment of triumph, but it was not Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's finest hour. The dark horse who created the greatest electoral upset in Israel's history stood before the Knesset and read out the names of his ministers. But a rumble of puzzlement spread through the chamber and packed galleries above.
"Did he say he was prime minister and foreign minister?" people whispered. "Where's David Levy? What's going on? There must have been a blow-up between them."
That was an exaggeration. But considering the high-flown rhetoric of the post-election days, ones in which the press promised a "revolution" in the government's substance and style and touted Mr. Netanyahu as everything from a conqueror to a cae-sar, the hyperbole can be understood.
Mr. Netanyahu had acquired new powers from the law that provided for the direct election of the prime minister. Yet, he seemed using them less to curb the appetites of his coalition partr ners (as the authors of the law had intended) than to lord his strength over the members of his own party.
In a ploy that threw the Likud offbalance, Mr. Netanyahu kept most of the party's leading lights — from rival "princes" like Benny Begin and Dan Meridor to young but hard-core loyalists like Limor Livnat and Tsachi Haneg-bi — anxiously waiting to hear if they had a role in the new government. Caught in an 11th-hour coalition crunch, he even left veteran king-maker Ariel Sharon out of the cabinet.
In the end, long-time rival David Levy (whose appointment as foreign minister was a shoe-in from the start) retaliated. Literally at the last minute, he infromed Mr. Netanyahu that he would not serve in a government that did not include Mr. Sharon.
For lack of choice, Mr. Netanyahu presented the government without either. But within hours the crisis was solved by a promise to cobble together a special ministry for Mr. Sharon. But Mr. Levy, whom Mr. Netanyahu
Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu (right) seated next to Foreign iVIinister David Levy (centre) and Justice Minister Yaalcov Neeman.
had humiliated and virtually booted out of the Likud 18 months earlier, had taught the new prime minister a lesson about the "arrogance of power."
And there were other members of Likud's "Old Guard" battered in the fray. The powerful Defence Ministry was awarded to newcomer Yitzhak Mordechai and the Treasury was offered to apolitical Bank of Israel Governor Ya'acov Frenkel (who was slated to be Mr. Netanyahu's chief "technocrat"). The Justice Ministry went to another outsider, Ya'akov Ne'eman.
The rest of the Likud's candidates were offered the "leftovers" after other coalition partners had taken their pick of ministries. (Mr. Meridor ultimately landed the Treasury, but only after considerable pressure from Mr. Begin.)
A parallel storm raged in the party over the plum position of Speaker of the Knesset. Four Likud deputies had aimoimced their candidacies, but Mr. Netanyahu threw his backing behind a fifth figure, Ovadiah Eli, who hadn't even made it into the Knesset. To get around that problem, Mr. Netanyahu asked that the election of the speaker be postponed until after the passage of the so-called Norwegian Law, which would enable ministers to resign from parliament and have other deputies (in-
cluding Mr. Eli) enter in their place.
"Not a single important parliamentary committee remains in our hands," complained Dan Tichon, arguably the Likud's most outstanding parliamentarian. He was so disgruntled by the coalition talks that he boycotted the session at which the government was presented to the Knesset.
Mr. Tichon was concerned that the chairmanship of the powerful Finance Committee (which had not one Likud representative). It had been granted to the United Torah Judaism Party, giving the smallest member of the coalition enormous leverage. In a similar move, the chairmanship of the strategically important House Committee (which, can recommend lifting the immunity of Knesset members) was granted to Shas, whose leader is under the cloud of potential indictment from the state prosectur for misusing funds.
"The bargaining was conducted in a very amateurish way, out of a lack of acquaintance with the political system," snapped Likud deputy Silvan Shalom. "It's true that Bibi has the authority of a prime minister elected by direct vote, but the Knesset has the same authority and power it had in the past. The opposition is going to have a ball." □
Your
Jewisii Federation of Greater Vancouver #200-950 West 41st Avenue, Vancouver, V5Z 2N7 Tel: (604)257-5100 • Fax:(604)257-5110 littp://web.ucs.ubc.ca/jrgv
L 'hitraot Federation, Shalom HaKol
At the end of May, we publislied an "under construction" edition of Federation magazine wiiile we made the transition from free-standing publication into our new home as an insert into tlie Jewish Bullelin.
We're pleased to announce that the renovations are complete and we are looking forward to presenting our "new look" magazine to the community at the end of August. Renamed HaKol, the magazine will include feature stories about our community, in-deplh articles on Federation activities, and our ever-popular IlaLuach--Calendar page.
In addition to our new look, the magazine board has grown. Heather & Jonathan Berkowitz and Diane Switzer are still actively involved and we're delighted that seven talented newcomers have joined the team: Paula Brook, Peter Caulfield, Debby Koffman, Mada Levy, Gila Tal, Anita Willson, and Anna Zytkiewicz.
July 12, 1996 is the deadline for submission of calendar items to HaKol. For more information, call Jennie Virtue.
Some of the creative team behind HaKol, Federation's new magazine L-R: Heather Berkowitz (seated), Gila Tal, Debby Koffman, Peter Caulfield, Paula Brook, Drew Staffenberg, Anna Zytkiewicz, and Maria Levy.
B&P Elects New Chairs
At their closing meeting for the year, the Jewish Business and Professional Women's Group elected Yael Israel and Tracey Cohen as co-chairs for 1996-1998.
Serving along with Yael and Tracey are Executive Committee members Marilyn Chandler, Aimee Gabor, Raquel Hirsch, Lauragaye Jackson, Evelyn Lazare, Marcela Manes, Laiia Marks-Pulver, Melody Robens-Paradise, Julie Smollen, Rhoda Thow, Randi Winter, and Gail James.
Watch for more information on B&Ps first event of the fall season and mark Thursday, September 26th on your calendar now!
Endorsed Community Campaigns (July)
The following fundraising events have been approved by the Council of Presidents and JFGV Calendar Officer.
July 10     Hadassah-WIZO's Pro-Am Golf Tournament July 17     Jewish Family Service Agency's Stay-at-home Dinner July 28     Canadian Friends of the Hebrew University's Garden Party by the Sea