Posted on 11/24/2005 8:54:11 AM PST by West Coast Conservative
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon Thursday decided to name his breakaway centrist political party Kadima, which is Hebrew for "Forward."
His strategists said the two other names considered, Hatikva, Hebrew for hope, and the National Responsibility lost out, the Jerusalem Post reported.
"Kadima broadcasts positive messages about momentum and moving forward," one Sharon strategist said. "It scored just as well in our focus groups and studies as the National Responsibility Party, but it is much less cumbersome."
Sharon also opened an office for the party in Tel Aviv Thursday, and was to meet with 14 members of the Knesset, or parliament, who followed him when he left the Likud party he helped found 30 years ago.
Let's face it: Aharayut Leumit (National Responsibility) was a mouthful. Kadima is probably better for a party name.
One prominent MK from Labour, Haim Ramon, has also joined Kadima, as has former Shas MK David Tal. Kadima is talking to two more Labour MKs, two Shinui MKs, and at least one more Likud MK. There will certainly be a lot of prominent Israeli politicians in the new party.
It is going to be an interesting election.
He should open a party office in Chelm..
Most polls in Israel now show Kadima winning the election in a close race with Labour. Likud is seen competing for third place with Shinui. Of course, all that can change in four months.
There is talk of Likud joining forces with National Union and Mafdal (National Religious Party) to form a true right wing bloc. That bloc wouldn't win but it would certainly get more mandates than what remains of Likud by itself.
A lot depends on who wins the Likud primary. If Binyamin Netanyahu, who was unpopular as Prime Minister, holds the slim lead that polls show he has I don't think Likud will do terribly well. If Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz (who was for disengagement) wins then it is entirely possible Likud wil be more competitive than anyone imagines right now. Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom, running third in most polls, also makes things interesting. In a five way primary race anything can happen.
In other words, the short answer is that it is way too early to tell anything just yet no matter what the press and pundits might say. Prime Minister Sharon is still very popular in Israel so the race is his (and Kadima's) to lose.
I think the name is significant. UPI calls the new party "centrist," which I am sure is the mantra Kadima itself puts forward.
But what does "Forward" really suggest? To me, I'm afraid, it sounds like just another variation on "Progressive," which is the ancient term for leftists, Communists, and various other believers in utopian "progress."
One would have hoped that the twentieth century would have revealed that "progress" is a pipe dream, and a very bloody one. But evidently not.
I'm sure there's no direct connection, but it reminds me of the leftist response to the "Take Back Vermont" movement. "Take Back Vermont" meant to take the state back from the hippies who supported Civil Contracts. And the leftist response was "Take Vermont Forward," which you still see all over the place on bumper stickers.
"Forward" is a loaded word. And it is distinctly loaded toward the left.
P.S. Another connection to the word just came to mind, "The Jewish Daily Forward." I fear Sharon intends to show his true colors, which are essentially leftist. At least the Labour party is honest about what it stands for.
Was he facing west when he decided on the name?
I'm sure Sharon thinks of it as facing the Future, with all the marxist implications that entails. Onward to Utopia.
Shouldn't it be the "Make Israel Disappear" Party ? Keep giving away the farm and you're not going to have bubkas left.
.Disagree. Since 9/11 the Bush foreign policy has been as idealistically liberal and progressive as this country has ever had.
Leftists like Chris Hitchens have recognized this nd by supporting Bush's policies, have been nothing but consistent.
I think Sharon and Bush have been on the same page from the get go.
Kadima? It's a good name because Sharon is not playing the status quo game of the Peres crowd; he's moving forward by disengaging Israel from their neighbors.
I don't think "Move America Forward" is a leftist group.
Sorry, no. The National Union/Mafdal/Likud Rebel give up nothing policy will result in an Arab majority with our borders and Arabs attacking us from within. It would result in the whole world backing the Palestinians, including the U.S. if the Bush administration is any measure. Disengagement is the only way.
I will remain a Likud member through the primaries (mainly to vote for Mofaz) but if Bibi wins the primary I will end up supporting Kadima.
You clearly do not know the Prime Minister or his history. He is a centrist or a moderate. Always has been, always was, even back when he was with the Liberal Party (merged into Likud) or his own Shlomtzion party.
Also, don't assume American political terminology (i.e.: that forward somehow equals progressive) applies in Hebrew. The only reason for the name change is that Aharayut Leumit was a mouthful.
How dare he steal my FR screen name without asking!
But he embraces the Leftist policies of the Marxist Labor party. Don't get me wrong, Amir Peretz the Union leader as Prime Minister would be 1-second National Suicide, but Sharon has always been a leftist. Like Hillary Arafat, he is a skilled politician so he can make it so he looks like a right winger. The Israeli version of Tom Tancredo is Itmar ben Gvir who is a leader of the Chayil (Valor) party. THAT is someone I want in the Knesset. Chayil is growing in support particularly the youth, and if it gains seats in the Knesset we could see some real Right-Wingers gain power.
I disagree with you, obviously, except about Peretz. Also, by Israeli standards, I am NOT a real right-winger and never have been. Center-right would be a better description.
To me the best possible outcome would be if Shaul Mofaz won the Likud primary and if Kadima and Likud finished 1-2 and formed a coalition government with either Shas or Shinui. I do NOT want to see Amir Peretz in government in any way, shape, or form. He has done more to hurt the Israeli economy than anyone I can think of. The only reason he hasn't hurt Israel's security is because he hasn't had the opportunity.
LOL. I think a newspaper has done it as well.
Well, I have some familiarity with Jewish involvement in progressive and revolutionary causes, and the word "forward" does tend to have progressive implications for Jews as well as others.
Many Jews still consider themselves to be progressive, New York and Miami Jews being obvious examples.
I'm familiar with the Jewish Daily Forward mostly because of Isaac Bashevis Singer, whose work I greatly admire, though not his politics.
I know Sharon was a military hero, and I know he belonged to the more conservative of the two main parties. But he seems to be one of those rare people who move left when they get older instead of getting more conservative. It's hard to be sure of that, but that's how I read his behavior since he assumed office this last time.
I agree that sometimes conservatives have used the word "forward." Indeed, any sensible conservative knows you can't return to the past. All movement in time is toward the future, and forward is a good term to appeal to America's characteristic optimism.
Still, this is mostly a matter of taking back a useful word from the progressives, who have a kind of Darwinian or Marxist religious belief in progress for the sake of progress. Conservatives should have no objections to real improvement, for example technological improvement, but the idea that we can progress toward some political Utopia has usually been the chief political meaning of the words forward and progress. When conservatives use such terms, they are mostly trying to wrestle them away from liberals for propaganda purposes.
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