The rapidly growing demonstrations against Netanyahu have yet to draw a connection between his personal abuses of office and the systemic corruption of Israeli politics, with the occupation its beating heart.
Arabs and Muslims have always struggled to gain entry to Israel. Palestinians are routinely abused at the borders, and thousands, especially from Jerusalem, have been stripped of the right to return home after living abroad. But new figures show entry denials have increased nine-fold in the past five years. Among those increasingly turned away are political activists.
A new peace movement, Decision at 50, stuffed with former political and security leaders, is demanding the Israeli government hold a referendum next year – to mark the 50th anniversary of the occupation – on whether it is time to leave the territories. Whatever its proponents imply, the referendum is about neither peace nor the Palestinians’ best interests. Its assumption is that yet again Israel should determine unilaterally the Palestinians’ fate.
