Conference Call with Meretz Chairman Chaim Oron - April 14th, 2007
On April 14th, Meretz USA held a public conference call with recently-elected Meretz Chairman Chaim Oron, known as "Jumes." Prior to answering questions, Jumes gave a brief summary of the issues the Meretz party is facing. He listed the fight for peace; socio-economic disparities in Israel; and religion-state issues as critical. Noting that neither Kadima nor Labor currently have coherent political stances on these issues, he expressed the belief that Meretz holds a special place in the Israeli political system and the confidence in the potential for Meretz to dramatically increase its influence.
Are you considering making Meretz part of the government?
It's extremely unlikely that Meretz will join the government. [Prime Minister] Olmert has made nice-sounding speeches, but what has happened on the ground doesn't match what he has said. The political situation would have to change greatly in order for this to happen. It's better for Meretz to push the government on issues like the peace process from the opposition.
What do you think about President Carter's meeting with Hamas officials?
I believe that Carter's behavior was appropriate. I don't agree with every sentence that he says or writes, but I think the fact that he spoke with [Hamas leader Khaled] Misha'al is positive. Nevertheless, Israel should speak with Hamas only about a ceasefire. If the government wants to further the peace process, it must conduct actual diplomatic negotiations only with [PA President Mahmoud] Abbas.
You've had a lot of contact with Marwan Barghouti. What will it take to free him, and what contribution might he make if freed?
I've met with Marwan Barghouti many times. He's an important figure in Fatah and fully supports their activities to achieve peace with Israel. He has a very strong influence on Palestinian public opinion - even from jail. Israel should release him ASAP - hopefully as part of an agreement to release Gilad Shalit.
What will it take to push Ehud Barak and Ehud Olmert to do what they've promised to do in terms of removing checkpoints and halting settlement construction?
All we can do is push and tell them that now is the time to do these things. We are trying to push all those with influence inside the Labor party, and we hope that these activities will bear fruit.
An institute on counter-terrorism in Israel recently released a study, suggesting a scenario in which Israel could be attacked from three sides.
Israel needs to be prepared for the worst case scenario, so these scenarios are put on the table all the time. It's more important to think about how to address and prevent these scenarios from happening. One way is to talk to Hamas about a ceasefire.
Has Meretz taken a position on the Iranian threat?
The Iranian issue is serious and real, and it's one that Israel needs to face alongside the international community. Israel is part of this community, but it shouldn't try to handle this alone.
How can Meretz influence the human rights situation in Israel?
Meretz is, in many respects, the only party that stresses the (un)ethical dimension of the occupation. Many other parties speak about the occupation's impact on demographics and economics within Israel, but Meretz stresses the moral price that Israel pays by continuing the occupation. I want to focus on this as a party.
There was a recent article about a report citing internal financial problems for Meretz. Can you give us an idea about what is going on?
The financial problems were portrayed as much more serious than they actually are. Although Meretz has a debt, this debt is paid every month and it is much lower than that of almost every other Israeli political party. The party's checks never bounce!
How can Meretz expand its base?
A: There are thousands and thousands of people who were once part of Meretz, then moved to Labor, and maybe even to Kadima. We have to try to call them back home. We also need to work to strengthen our presence in Russian and Arab communities and in small cities and towns.