Oh, and the settlements are in very, very good hands. One of Israel’s leading sociologists, the late Baruch Kimmerling, is responsible for coining the term “Ahusalim (אחוס”לים),” to describe those who ruled Israel for decades. It is an acronym in Hebrew for “Ashkenazi, secular, old guard, socialists, and nationalists.” ASOSNs, for us English speakers. I guess Kimmerling was trying to find something similar to WASP, and although he came up with a term that became widely used, let’s face it - phonetically it’s a flop. As I write these lines, the coalition agreements between the Likud, Jewish Home and Yesh…

After Yisrael Beiteinu MK Anastasia Michaeli’s rant a few days ago against homosexuals (which will apparently continue in a lengthy interview later this week in Maariv) it was MK Uri Ariel's (National Union) turn to do some gay-bashing. On June 18 he was interviewed on the Knesset channel and said that gays should not be drafted into the IDF.   There’s a lot of buzz on the social networks, saying that Ariel and Michaeli’s statements are just an attempt to divert attention from the coalition’s bigger problems and crimes (the Ulpana neighborhood, Finance Minister Steinitz giving billions to the corporations,…

Knesset member joins other rightwing leaders in call for annexing West Bank, one state solution. One of the well known figures in the settler movement, Knesset Member Uri Ariel from the radical rightwing National Union Party, is publicly calling for a one-state solution as an alternative to the construction of a Palestinian state, the independent news site Srugim reported. Ariel is calling on Israel to annex the West Bank immediately and give all Palestinians living there the status of residents in Israel, similar to those of Palestinians in East Jerusalem, which was annexed to Israel in 1967. According to the…

Knesset pushes two more legislative pieces that would drive Israel further from democracy Last week, the Ministerial Legislative Committee – which is responsible for deciding whether a bill will receive government sponsorship, which will allow it to be speedily debated and almost assure its becoming a law – debated a bill, tabled by MK Uri Ariel (Ha’Ichud Ha’Leumi). The Committee decided to delay its decision regarding the bill, named “Bill for Defending the Values of the State of Israel” until next month. The bill – an Hebrew version of it can be read here (document) – is worrisome, as its…