JERUSALEM — There are several reasons to call this a commentary on extremes.
Most prominent is the coronavirus. We’re close to being locked in our homes, and it’s promised to get worse.
Unemployment has gone from less than 4 percent to above 20 percent. Restaurants and bars are closed, as are virtually all shops except for food markets and drug stores. Individuals are advised to stay at home, except for buying food, medicines, medical emergencies, and if they work in what are defined as crucial jobs. We’re allowed to be within 100 meters of our homes for personal exercise. Police are stopping and questioning, and issuing fines to those considered violators.
There are no longer inter-city trains. Police are stopping cars and demanding explanations. Televised pictures show empty beaches, nearly empty streets and sidewalks, and “rush hour” reports of streaming traffic on main roads.
There are several thousand tests of individuals having coronavirus each day. Those with the disease are now well above 4,000, and so far less than 20 deaths, mostly the elderly who also suffered from poor health.
There are prominent foci of the disease in the ultra-Orthodox communities of Jerusalem, Bnei Brak, Modiin Ilit, and Beit Shemesh. It took the police several days to close the shops in those areas, and to stop weddings, yeshiva study, and crowds in the streets. Explanations focused on the large families, small homes, and people not tuned in to television, radio, or other sources of news. And the stubbornness of various rabbis who insisted on the priority of life as it was.
There remains police reluctance to stop the huge funerals for revered rabbis, sure to increase the incidence of illness in coming days.
We’re urged to stay at home for small Passover Seders, without inviting extended families.
This will not pass lightly.
Some supermarkets are screening those entering, to keep out those with fever and to limit crowding. It takes a while to enter the web sites of markets that send products to our homes, and then a two-week wait for the promised delivery. In advance of Passover, there are reports of shortages of eggs.
The economy, like that of other countries, is reeling under high unemployment. Our government, like others, is offering delayed tax collection and a number of loans and grants, not all of which have been finally defined. The airports, virtually closed, have laid off workers and reduced the salaries of those still employed. Internet connections are allowing many to work at home.
Individual stories on the media, but hard to judge the reality of economic hardship and suffering. And family tensions of being closed off, with children, exposed only to media fare.
Like many elsewhere.
Bnei Brak and Jerusalem are converting empty hotels to hostels for those forced to live at home, or for those who are not seriously ill. Institutions are helping the stay at home elderly, with deliveries of food and medicines.
Politics is no less amazing.
Benny Gantz has broken Blue and White, and with his party, Hosen Lisrael (Strength for Israel) has entered negotiations to join Benjamin Netanyahu and his political block.
Gantz’s speech explaining his action was a well crafted defense of no choice. He couldn’t form a government, despite having the nominal support of 61 Knesset Members, three of whom would not agree to coalesce with the United Arab List. Moreover, the coronavirus has created a national emergency that works against yet another national election, that would not likely produce a clear national majority and would keep the country without a real government for additional months.
Despite his defense, Gantz’s action has been met with strong opposition from former colleagues in Blue and White, especially Yair Lapid and Moshe Yaalon. They and their supporters are sticking with “anybody but Bibi,” and accusing Gantz of going against what he campaigned for in three national elections.
Yet polls are showing a majority of the public, and a majority of those who supported Blue and White as supporting Gantz.
As I’m writing this, there’s still work to be done in deciding who will get which ministries and who will be the Speaker of the Knesset.
The agreement so far is that Bibi will be prime minister for a year and one half; then turn over the task to Gantz. Gantz will get to name about one-half of the ministers although he will bring to the government the support of something less than half of Blue and White. Arguments are focusing on the people named as Justice Minister, Foreign Minister, and the Knesset Speaker.
So far nothing on Bibi’s trial, or demands to enact legislation against an indicted person being named Prime Minister.
There have been demonstrations against Gantz, and the continuation of Bibi, which the police have been reluctant to stop, given the importance of democracy.
And reports of commotion within Likud and its right wing block, over who will get favored ministries and other appointments.
We’ll see how all of this passes. And then for how long the new government remains in office.
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Ira Sharkansky, Ph.D., is professor emeritus of political science at Hebrew University. he may be contacted via ira.sharkansky@sdjewishworld.com
Thank you for this comprehensive and concise summary of events in Israel.