RAMALLAH, Friday, April 5, 2019 (WAFA) – Israeli citizens go to the polls. Aside from the progressive Meretz party, the ailing Labor party, and Palestinian Israeli parties, all other competing lists oppose Palestinian rights, reject the two-state solution, and have vowed to ensure that the rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination and freedom are quashed.
In this context of hostility against Palestinian rights, candidates and party lists have engaged in a fierce competition on who can be more aggressive against the Palestinian people, which party can exact more violence, and which party list or coalition is more capable of preventing the realization of Palestinian rights.
To that end, this Israeli elections season has been infested with racism, Islamophobia, incitement to violence, open calls for murder, and other gravely worrying signs of anti-Palestinian hatred.
This exposé explores the platforms of the various Zionist parties competing in the upcoming elections specifically on Palestine and Palestinian rights. It demonstrates that the only issue Israeli parties agree on is how to deny the Palestinian people their rights. The parties are listed in accordance with their forecasted ranking according to the latest poll conducted by Israeli daily Ha’aretz on April 3, 2019.
LIKUD
“A Palestinian state will endanger our existence,” Benjamin Netanyahu, party leader.
- Palestinians cannot establish a state, only a form of ed autonomy.
- Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory must be strengthened and expanded.
- Jerusalem is the “eternal united capital” of the state of Israel and only of Israel.
- The Jordan Valley and surrounding areas will be Israel’s eastern border.
- Palestinian refugees have no right of return.
KAHOL LAVAN PARTY (BLUE AND WHITE)
“We will strengthen the settlement blocs and the Golan Heights, from which we will never retreat. The Jordan Valley will remain our eastern security border,” Benny Gantz, party co-founder
- Palestinians have no right to national self-determination in historic Palestine.
- Israel will separate from Palestinians without withdrawing from the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
- Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory must be strengthened.
- A united Jerusalem as Israel’s “eternal capital”.
- The Jordan Valley will be Israel’s eastern border.
- Palestinian refugees have no right of return.
LABOR PARTY
- “Our job is to separate from the Palestinians on the basis of a two-state solution with us responsible for security,” Avi Gabbay, leader of Labor
- Supports a two-state formula that ensures “Israel’s future as a Jewish and democratic state” through a regional agreement.
- Israel must annex “settlement blocs” in the West Bank.
- Jerusalem must remain under Israeli control.
- To ensure that Jerusalem remains capital of the “nationstate of the Jewish people”, fate of Palestinian residents in City’s refugee camps must be decided by referendum.
- Israeli settlement blocs must become part of Israel.
UNION OF RIGHT WING
PARTIES:
Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party:
“Not all the Arabs are disloyal, some of them are loyal and I extend a hand of peace to them. But anyone who is not loyal should not be here in this country, ” Itamar Ben Gvir, leading member
- Palestinians don’t have the right to establish a state.
- Israel should annex and establish sovereignty over occupied Palestinian and Syrian territories.
- Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank must be expanded.
- The enemies of Israel [Palestinians] must be expelled to Arab countries.
- Jerusalem must be exclusively under Israeli control, including the Aqsa Mosque Compound.
More platforms of Israeli parties may be obtained via this link.
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