Commentary

Israeli Election Results Ensure Continued Instability in the Region

While it is still not clear what kind of coalition government Likud leader Ariel Sharon can put together, what is clear is that the Israeli election results ensure continued violence and instability in the region.

Many commentators have pointed to the fact that this was the lowest turnout in Israeli electoral history, with only 68.5 per cent of the 3.2 million eligible voters casting ballots. This is down from a turnout of 79 per cent in 1999. While fewer Israelis voted, those who did, voted in increased numbers for parties that support the continued military occupation of the Palestinian people.

Likud, for example, received 400,000 more votes than in 1999, bringing the number of seats it will hold in the 120-seat Israeli Knesset to 37 from 19. Ariel Sharon is now talking openly about negotiating peace with the Palestinians only after they have a change in leadership. (It would seem the Americans have gone far in establishing "regime change" as a fundamental of international relations).

Shinui, which surprised many to emerge as the third largest party in the Knesset, went from six seats to 15. While the party's main platform is to oppose the rise of the religious parties and their influence in Israel, its leader Yosef (Tommy) Lapid has made it clear that his party supports taking a "hard line" on the Palestinian question. The Labour Party and Meretz, both traditionally associated with support for the peace process, saw their votes tumble, with Labour losing 237,000 votes and dropping to 19 seats from 25 (an all-time low) and Meretz losing 100,000 votes and dropping to six seats from 10.

The election results do not, as some right-wing commentators have tried to suggest, mean the Israeli peace movement has collapsed. In fact, the peace movement in many ways is at its most active in the 37 years since occupation. Despite the barrage of propaganda equating any criticism of Sharon's policies with support for suicide bombers, tens of thousands of Israelis continue to take a stand for justice, peace and genuine democracy.

The numbers of refusniks, many of whom have now been jailed for refusing to serve in the occupied territories, continues to grow. Groups like Mashom (Checkpoint) Watch document the human rights abuses being committed by members of the Israeli Defence Forces against Palestinian civilians. Peace groups continue to organize mass demonstrations, as well as to participate in community organizing to ensure that some food, medical supplies, school supplies and other necessities trickle in to Palestinians living under occupation.

However, the majority of Israelis seem to have bought into the lie that violence and militarism will win them security, regardless of the fact that the experience of the last two years of intifada has been the exact opposite. The more curfews, the more extra-judicial killings, the more bombs, the more home demolitions, the more the humiliation of Palestinians trying to live their day-to-day lives has increased, the more suicide attacks there have been against Israeli civilians.

The first step in ending this cycle of violence is the immediate Israeli withdrawal from the occupied territories. However, given the election results this seems less and less likely, which means the violence can only increase in the weeks and months ahead, to the detriment of all peoples in the region.