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December 22, 2000/Kislev 25, 5761, Vol. 53, No.13
Borders could ease conflict, expert says
BARRY COHEN
Community Editor
The latest Palestinian uprising is beginning to burn itself out, and the best solution to the conflict is the creation of a Palestinian state.
Professor Nathan Yanai shared his assessment of Middle East politics at Beth El Congregation's "Reconciliations" lecture series on Dec. 16.
A state with clear borders "would end the notion of 'David versus Goliath,' " said Yanai, a notion that characterizes the Palestinians are the former and the Israelis the latter.
At breakneck speed, Yanai addressed the Palestinian-Israeli violence, the genesis of the power of the ultra-Orthodox, the complexity of Israel's parliamentary system and the upcoming Israeli election.
He shared his expertise just hours before leaving for Israel, after a semester at Arizona State University as the Rabbi Albert Plotkin Visiting Professor in Jewish Studies.
Yanai, who earned his Ph.D. from Columbia University, returns to his teaching position at Haifa University's political science department. He is an authority of Israeli-Arab relations and the Israeli political system.
In his talk, he said too much emphasis has been placed on the special interest of the ultra-Orthodox parties. A true parliamentary democracy, Yanai explained, has to listen to the voices of every special interest.
He said such voices exist across the political spectrum. From 1990-91, he said, representatives from the kibbutz and moshav movement got massive government aid - almost 1.8 million NIS (new Israeli shekelim) - to solve a financial crisis from bad investments in the Israeli stock market.
Yanai also explained the origin of the power of the ultra-Orthodox parties. Until the 1970s, in order to gain a coalition representing the requisite 61 Knesset votes, the Labor party only needed 10 or 11 votes from parties controlling 50-60 Knesset seats.
However, once Likud became an opposition force in the early 1970s, the same 10 or 11 votes came from parties controlling 20 to 30 seats. Leaders of religious parties, once minor players, gained power beyond their numbers to grant Labor or Likud Knesset control - or take it away.
In a phone interview, Yanai said the Israeli people have a "dual attitude" of advocating the peace initiative offered at the Camp David talks last July but opposing the leader who offered the peace initiative, Prime Minister Ehud Barak.
"The Israelis, despite the intifada... close to 70 percent, are still ready to go back to Camp David and sign a peace agreement involving major Israeli concessions," said Yanai.
A majority of Israelis are opposed to Barak, he said, because he has failed a crucial leadership test.
"Democratic leaders are judged primarily whether they are capable of fulfilling their promises and commitments, that they themselves define," said Yanai.
Barak said he would withdraw from Lebanon with a peace agreement but then withdrew Israeli troops without one, Yanai explained. Arafat perceived the move as a sign of weakness, and this led to the resumption of violence after the failed Camp David talks.
Many in the Labor party, according to Yanai, are alienated and frustrated by Barak. For this reason, Shimon Peres is considering running for prime minister in the Feb. 6 election.
Yanai predicted that the Shas ultra-Orthodox party will lose Knesset seats, but that the Labor and Likud parties will still depend upon their support to gain power.
He also said "because of the new secular awakening of Israeli society," the secular party Shinui will gain more seats, as a counter-balance to the ultra-Orthodox.
"I was very impressed by him," said Rabbi Michael Wasserman of Beth El Congregation in Phoenix. "He is a very detached observer of Israeli politics with his academic standing, but he is also an impassioned advocate of Israel's legitimacy."
Steve Novakoff of Scottsdale said Yanai taught a lesson he had never heard from anyone else, that "one of the reasons Arabs do not like Israel is not just because it is a Jewish state, but because of its democracy."
The freedom of movement, access to information, rights of self-expression and economic strength are all "bad examples" for the people of the Arab nations, added Novakoff.
"In order for (Arafat) to stay in power," said Harry Adler of Phoenix, "he has to continue the Intifada."
Adler said Yanai taught him that the Arafat seems to be telling the world he is fighting for Palestinian and Arab rights and that "Israel is a thorn in the Arab side." But Arafat is actually struggling for power and control over the Palestinian people.
The next "Reconcilations" lecture will be Jan. 6. Professor Jack Kugelmass, director of the ASU Jewish studies program, will speak about Auschwitz.
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