Strengthen Hadash (DFPE) in the 19th Knesset elections! 1/11/2013

The 19th general elections will be held shortly after additional criminal military offensive against the Palestinians in Gaza Strip. As part of the elections campaign threats are heard to "amend" the failure of last military operation by anew war which will be held short time after the elections and will include a ground invasion and reoccupation of Gaza. Such new war might lead to greater bloodshed than ever, and not only in the Palestinian side of the border. Until recently hysteric campaign was instigated concerning the "Iranian Threat". Although lately this campaign is mitigated, a "new-old" right-wing government, headed by Benjamin Netanyahu, might ignite the flames again, and by it bring a disaster for Israel and the entire region.

The wartime hysteria is used in order to transfer more and more billions of INS to military expenditures, and at the same time welfare budgets are cut again and again. As mentioned by all economic Media, a set of severe ant-social measures is expected immediately after the Elections. Despite the colossal massive social protests that took place in Israel, any real change in economic policy didn't occur – the government continued the policy which favors the interests of the tycoons over those of the poor and the vast majority of the people. Poverty scale is growing permanently.

Poverty scale among the Arab population, as confirmed by poverty reports published over the last month, far outweigh those of the general population. All this is a result of a policy of deliberate neglect and discrimination of this population. At the same time there is a continuing offensive against the political leadership of the Arab population and attempt to exclude it from the political arena. As in previous elections, again rose in the House Committee a proposals to disqualify some Arab lists, and proposal of disqualification of Balad MK Hanin Zoabi, was approved by the committee (later it was canceled by the Supreme Court).

The answer to these measures should be increased participation of the Arab population in the elections and enhancing the power of lists which are in consistent opposition to war, occupation, national discrimination and violating of democratic rights. In current political atmosphere situation it is important to wage a joint Jewish – Arab struggle against the policy of the government in all spheres.

In these conditions, we believe it is more important than ever to strengthen the most consistent political force who have been waging struggles against this ruling policy of Israeli establishment for many years – the Jewish-Arabic Hadash (DFPE) who always opposed all aggressive wars from the first day they broke out. Hadash is the political front which demands to divert billions of NIS from military budget to budgets of welfare services, health and education. Hadash was always leading the battle to protect democratic freedoms in the country and its faction in the Knesset has played an important role in thwarting the attempt to enact additional series of racist and anti-democratic laws. Hadash actively participated in social struggles and in struggles of the working people and trade unions.

Hadash is the only movement that opposes the policy of the U.S. and its allies, whose backup enables Israeli governments to continue the policy of occupation and war, and opposes  military imperialist intervention in any conflict in the region. All this while showing solidarity with peoples of the region who fought and are fighting for the establishment of a more democratic regimes, which will serve the true interests of the citizens of their countries. Hadash is the only movement in which there is a real active Jewish – Arab partnership, which is an example of unique form of struggle against national discrimination and racism.

ICF and DFPE

The Israeli Communist Forum welcomes the decision of the Hadash institutions to add Israeli Communist Forum as a part of the Front. The decision was published on the official site of Hadash http://www.aljabha.org/index.asp?i=73168 and Maki's daily Alethihad on 12.14.2011.

The Israeli Communist Forum advocated this step for a long time, and in the last half year accelerated negotiations took place, concerning this issue. In this process an active part was played by Hadash Chairman, MP Mokhammad Baraka, Chairman of the Communist Forum, Makhmoud Makhameed, MP Afu Agbaria, a member of the Chamber of Maki and Hadash, and other leaders of the DFPE, CPI and ICF. We are convinced that this step will contribute a lot to Hadash both in the coming elections and in the difficult political campaigns which are expected afterwards (we will elaborate on this issue after the election).