"Understanding developments in Israel - a conversation with Sharren Haskell", 2nd April 2020

On the 2nd of April, Forward Thinking hosted a virtual workshop with Sharren Haskell, Member of Knesset (MK) for the Likud party in Israel, and one of the youngest MKs in the new Knesset. Sharren discussed recent political developments following the general election in March, the development of the COVID-19 pandemic in Israel and the Israeli response. The meeting brought together participants from the U.K., Sweden, Ireland, the U.S., including former ministers, diplomats and aid agencies.

There are currently 8,600 confirmed cases of Coronavirus in Israel. It is estimated that there may be as many as 70,000 more undetected cases in cities that were slow to adopt measures to prevent gatherings and encourage social distancing.

Israel limited international flights and imposed travel restrictions in early March. Since then lockdown measures have been implanted, limiting people to leaving the vicinity of their house only for essential reasons: to buy food, visit the pharmacy or seek healthcare. Religious communities have been slower to adapt to the danger posed by the virus, in part because of their disconnection from mainstream news outlets and the internet, and the tradition of gathering for group prayer. Recently more measures to reach these communities, and other vulnerable populations have been taken. For instance, mobile teams with messages in Hebrew and Arabic have visited remote communities to raise awareness of the new guidelines, and religious leaders from ultra-orthodox communities have called for communal prayer to stop.

At the same time as the COVID-19 outbreak, Israel’s parliament has been in the process of forming a government following the legislative elections held on March 2nd. Currently, the most likely government is a coalition of the 17 MKs supporting Gantz, and 57 MKs that make up the right-wing bloc led by Netanyahu, with Netanyahu as Prime Minister for the next year and a half. 

Negotiations as to the terms of the coalition agreement are ongoing. A key issue in the negotiations is the prospect of extending sovereignty over the Jordan Valley and areas of the West Bank, in line with the Trump Administration’s Peace Plan. The predominance of the right-wing bloc in the coalition makes this outcome increasingly likely.

Forward Thinking is committed to facilitating the necessary cooperation across Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza to make preparations for the growing outbreak of COVID-19 across the region, and promote an inclusive peace process. Forward Thinking will continue to host workshops and roundtables with key figures to inform how these challenges are approached.