Merav Mijaeli (Petah Tikva, 56 years old) heads the Israeli Labor Party. Unlike other opposition formations, he did not add them to the concentration government created a month ago for the war in Gaza because he distrusts Netanyahu. “There is no need to support the right measures,” he justifies himself, referring to the invasion of Gaza and the intention to eradicate Hamas after the surprise attack that, according to the Israeli government’s latest estimate, claimed around 1,200 lives on September 7. October. He receives EL PAÍS at his home in Tel Aviv, on the eve of his trip to Malaga to attend this weekend’s Congress of the European Socialist Party, where Iratxe García, leader of the Socialist Group in the European Parliament, has criticized the “punishment collective” according to Gaza and which will also include the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez. Labor has observer member status. “I hope to convince you of our truth. And that it is not just an Israeli battle,” he emphasizes, after criticizing the fact that “everyone” is talking about the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, but not about the situation of the more than 240 hostages there, including babies and the elderly . The biggest difference today from the Netanyahu executive’s strategy toward the Gaza Strip is that “the destruction of the Hamas and Islamic Jihad terror base in Gaza” must be followed by the search for a peace agreement that includes the creation of a Palestinian state.
The feminist and secular Mijaeli, a well-known former journalist and former radio and television presenter, took the reins at the lowest times in 2021 of the formation that ruled the country in the first three decades of its history, with names like David Ben-Gurión or Golda Meir . In the last elections last November, he failed to get out of the coma in which he had been for 20 years: he fell from seven to at least four MPs in a Knesset of 120. Mijaeli, who held the transport portfolio in the previous and other government against Netanyahu claims during the interview the legacy of another Labor member: Isaac Rabin, the prime minister who was assassinated by an ultra-nationalist over the Oslo Accords he signed with Yasir Arafat in 1993.
Questions. Why did you decide not to join the concentration government?
Answer. I said from the beginning that we would support all measures to restore security and destroy the terrorist base in Gaza, and we do. But I didn’t see the need to be part of a government that… I don’t have confidence in Netanyahu. Throughout my political career, I have never agreed to a government with Netanyahu and have always been in opposition to him. And that hasn’t changed.
Q And if [los ministros ultraderechistas] Ben Gvir, Smotrich or Eliyahu weren’t there, but Bibi was there [Netanyahu]?
R. In this crisis, it is not necessary to be in government to support the right measures. And there’s no reason to work with people you don’t trust.
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Q He has indicated that Netanyahu must go now. Why now and not at the end of the war, as they say?
R. Because I think that, even as the war progresses, he is primarily concerned with his own interests, not necessarily those of the state. And precisely because we are at war, it must be replaced now. It would be good for the state. I wouldn’t put him in danger. On the contrary, it would strengthen it.
Q And elections?
R. No. We have the legal ability to do this with the Knesset itself. You just have to do it [el resto de] The coalition politicians understand that it is the right thing and have the courage to do it.
Q Are you disappointed with the part of the opposition that has moved into the government?
R. I voted for his inclusion. It gives many people in the State of Israel a feeling of greater security. Unfortunately, it also gives Netanyahu legitimacy. But within the options I voted for it and hope it helps.
Q He is in favor of eliminating Hamas and marching into the Gaza Strip despite all the deaths. What are the nuances and differences between what you are proposing and what the government is doing?
R. We are the Labor Party and I follow the path of Isaac Rabin, which is the right one for the State of Israel. And Rabin fought against Hamas, which is not a partner [para la paz]Nor does he dream of recognizing Israel. It is a terrorist organization that, as we have now seen, is more like ISIS than anything else. And I have always thought that we should not allow the terrorist and terrible power of Hamas to build up, but that we should work with the Palestinian Authority and reach a political agreement, a peaceful solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. So yes, I believe without a doubt that the Hamas and Islamic Jihad terror base in Gaza will be destroyed. There is no reason for Israel to allow this.
The next day, and this is my main difference with the government, I think we have to reach an agreement. These include the Palestinian Authority (PNA) and the Arab partner countries, of which there are many. Above all, of course, Jordan and Egypt. Today the Labor Party is the only one to say this clearly. This doesn’t beat around the bush or twist the language.
Unfortunately, the price of the war in Gaza, even in just and unelected wars, is high because it was forced upon us. Especially when a terrorist organization uses its citizens as a human shield. And I look forward to research that shows how much Hamas is using its population as a human shield.
Q I then understand that the main difference lies in the day after and not so much in the way the army conducts the war. It left more than 10,000 dead…
R. I do not take it lightly or with indifference. But I know that the Israeli army is doing everything in its power to distinguish between Hamas and the civilian population. And also like that [los civiles en el norte] Go south and don’t let any harm come to you. But in the end we must eliminate Hamas’ terrorist base. We can no longer allow him to threaten us like this.
Union leader Meirav Michaeli during the interview. Alvaro García
Q What relationship do you see with the Palestinians when the war ends?
R. I believe in the two-state solution. Nobody came with anyone else. You can talk about different ways to get there, but in general everyone knows what the solution is.
Q And didn’t the October 7th massacre change that?
R. Netanyahu strengthened Hamas. And the right-wing campaign is to say there is no difference between them [Hamás y la ANP]. Which in my opinion is not correct. If the massacre showed anything, it is that Hamas is not a partner. The ANP is far from perfect. The behavior of the two parties was neither good nor constructive for many years. But they are both here and have to find a way to live together. It is a shared interest to find a solution that provides security for everyone. It’s not an emotional problem. Do you want the entire area? Of course I would like more territory. Am I angry, hurt, disappointed, burning? [de rabia]? Yes. And I feel terrible about this massacre. But does that change my view of Israel’s interest and what it needs to do? The answer is no. On the contrary, it reinforces it.
Q How responsible is Netanyahu for what happened?
R. Of the last 15 years, he has been Prime Minister for 13.5 years. I have always spoken out against his politics. What is most important now is how we emerge stronger from this terrible crisis. I say that it must be replaced not with what was, but with what will be now. We talk about what happened. As for drawing conclusions and all that, it’s not urgent now.
Q Omer Bar Lev [exministro laborista] He recently said that Labor had exhausted its historic role. What do you think?
R. What has been said many times. And I think it’s not correct. Which plays a very important role. And today it is the only democratic Zionist party in parliament and must be the basis for rebuilding a center-left governing coalition.
Q What message would you like to convey to the European socialist partners in Málaga?
R. It is a very important journey for me. I have significantly strengthened relations with fraternal parties. I believe that feminist social democracy is the right path. That’s why this connection and the opportunity to be heard first hand and up close is very important to me. Let them hear from me our truth, that of the Israelis. It surprises me that everyone talks about “humanitarian, humanitarian” and not about having babies [rehenes en Gaza] ten months without his mother. And dozens of children, old people, seriously ill people and people with special needs. Nobody knows how they are doing, the Red Cross hasn’t seen them. And it doesn’t count. It surprises me. And I’ll be talking to key leaders about all of this. I hope to convince you of our truth. And that it’s not just Israel’s fight. Hamas has really shown that it is like ISIS and there must now be a global coalition against Hamas because it is not just in Gaza. Unfortunately, this murderous ideology can be found in many places, and it is not only in Israel’s interest to eradicate its violent and terrorist capabilities.
Q Do you feel that Israel’s struggle is not understood in Europe?
R. I think what happened on October 7th has led many people to better understand what Israel is facing and what is threatening it.
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