HaMedinat Yisrael
23-04-2008, 07:19
Prime Minister Ehud Shamir was in a good political situation. His ruling coalition held 74 of the Knesset's 120 seats. A surge in Zionist nationalism had ensured that the victory would be easy.
However, coalition governments were never as unified as they needed to be. Ehud Shamir's coalition included 29 MKs who were members of the three main religious parties. They weren't the type of friends that Shamir needed if he was going to keep the state from becoming a theocracy.
As a result of this precarious political situation, it was necessary for Shamir and his party to reach across the middle of the aisle and agree on terms with opposition parties in order to gain their favor and ensure that their vote would be there for some crucial upcoming votes.
The issue today was energy policy. Attached to this legislative issue also came the side effect issues of the economy, environment, and of course foreign trade and relations. Ehud Shamir was a right winger on the political spectrum, but he was smart enough to know that fossil fuels had to go eventually. The global supply of oil was running out and G-d's land was being ravaged by the side effects of climate change, smog, and other horrible side effects of fossil fuel burning.
Shamir was a forward thinker, but his own Likud Party and the allied Beitenu Party were not on board. A possible fracture in the coalition was possible. IN order to preserve the coalition, Shamir needed to give a lot on the environmental issue so that leftists would jump to his coalition if Beitenu or another right wing party bailed on him.
A meeting was set up in one of the board rooms of the new wing in the Knesset. The wing was brand new when Israel lost its last war and was forced into occupation. It had been the site of a massive battle in the Second War of Independence. Over two hundred Jewish fighters gave their life to retake this building in the opening hours of the Rebellion. The new wing had to be heavily refurbished following the battle. A memorial marked a place in the hall outside the room where a dozen had died.
Present at the meeting were some of the top men in HaMedinat Yisrael's politics. Many were either politicians from the "old days" or newly elected heroes of the Second War of Independence.
The meeting's record would show the following in attendence
Prime Minister Ehud Shamir, Head of the Likud Party
President Shimon Peres, Head of the Kadima Party: Peres was an elderly man in his 80s who had been involved in politics since the founding of the first state. He had served three stints as PM in the first state and one interim term in the second state during the war. He was the wise old man who carried a lot of clout in both HaMedinat Yisrael and the world. A Nobel prize had that sort of effect.
MK Doron Cohen, Head of Meretz-Yachad: Mr. Cohen was Persian born. His parents had made Aliyah when he was a young child. He was raised on a Kibbutz and was a true socialist. He was a leftist, but was always a Zionist at heart. He was also a proud supporter of the environment. While his party was neither large or small, they were important allies of Shamir and would be needed if Beitenu jumped ship.
MK Rabbi Itzhak Yetzman, Head of Shas: Rabbi Yetzman was a Hassidic Orthodox Rabbi who represented the largest of the three main religious parties in Israel. He was right wing, but his study of Torah and Talmud had taught him to respect the earth. Shas and the other religious parties would be important in the formation of energy and environmental policy.
Other MKs present were MK Ran Goldstein of Labour, Rabbi Yoni Ravinsky of UTJ, and MK Avigdor Shmuelson of Beitenu. Shmuelson would be a hard sell, but at least he accepted the invitation to the meeting. His party's head rejected the very idea of this meeting being held.
The meeting began with an invocation from Rabbi Yetzman. He selected an appropriate verse from the Torah, which described the beauty of the land. The men were then seated and Shamir spoke.
"Gentlemen, you all know why you are here," began Shamir. "Our country faces a crisis that stands to do us more damage than the Arab armies caused us in the past. This crisis will not only affect us, but it will affect the entire world. As good citizens on G-d's own earth, we have an obligation to leave this earth better than it was when we entered it. Tikkun Olam is an important mitzvot that G-d has commanded us to fulfill. Today we will start the formation of a policy that will bring us closer to restoring the world to the luster it had when G-d created it." Shamir invoked G-d in his first statement to better influence the two Rabbis who's parties represented 22 of the 61 votes needed to squeak the energy policy through. Politics was an easy game if you knew how to reach people.
"Oil is not the way of the future. Coal is not the way of the future. These are two very finite resources that have allowed our enemies to hold us hostage. They have polluted this world which G-d gave us to look over. G-d gave us dominion over the earth with the hope that we would continue its beauty. We have destroyed that trust G-d put in us. Now it is up to us to show that G-d’s trust in us was not misplaced. It is time for us to stand and make this world a better place.”
With the introduction done, Shamir continued. “I have talked with scientists from our government, the private sector, and at our acclaimed universities throughout the country. We have many options available to us. Neither option alone will bring us to our goal, but a combined effort to reduce our consumption of fossil fuels will allow us to make this world a better place.” Shamir moved over towards the white screen on the wall. He used the wireless clicker to bring up figures and statistics to support his latter points.
“Earthquakes have long been an issue for us and the rest of our region. We have long had the misfortune of sitting by a tectonic plate boundary. It is this rift that formed the Jordan Rift Valley. This misfortune is actually a blessing in disguise.”
“We have the chance to use the escaping heat and steam power from the earth in the form of Geothermal Power. This can only power a portion of our nation, but this is a renewable and clean source of energy. The steam coming up from the earth can be used to heat fresh water which in turn will turn turbines, heat buildings, and be used as a source of hot water in homes. While some geothermal plants produce carbon emissions, we will use technologies available to put these levels at 0.1% of the carbon levels produced by a standard fossil fuel powered plant. The gains here in energy independence, reliability, and of course emissions are outstanding in the use of Geothermal Power.”
“Solar power is another route for us to follow. Our Mediterranean climate is another blessing. It means that we rarely have clouds or rain with the exception of 3 and a half months during the year. We can use solar power in the desert year round. Radiation from the sun is bringing power to this earth constantly for twelve hours a day. It is time for us to go and harness this power. I propose the construction of massive solar collection sites throughout the Negev and Judean Deserts. These two large regions have sparse populations and large empty grounds. Few will be inconvenienced and high voltage transformers can allow us to provide the power to distant cities like Tel Aviv.”
“Our third power option is one which might now go over as well as the previous two,” Shamir was careful in prefacing this next one. “Nuclear power is a necessity.” Shamir already saw the non-verbal reactions from some in the room. This was going to be a tough sell. “With reprocessing of Uranium, we can get rid of over 90% of nuclear waste. Our only emissions will be steam. Security will be important, but we can see to that. We also have proper disposal sites set up for the waste. Exporting the waste for a fee is another option we can consider, but I would not recommend it as the best course of action at this time.”
“With our power generation covered with those three forms of power, I bring us to vehicular transportation. Fossil fuels are not the way to go. Hybrids are a nice novelty, but they are still reliant on fossil fuels in the end. Bio-fuels are another stop-gap that must not lure us into a position of false hope. They drive up global food prices and still use fossil fuels.” There was nodding of agreement in the room.
“Hydrogen Fuel Cell technology is the future for our cars. Many submarines have already used this technology successfully. The transition will be expensive and will take time, but it is possible. We shall have to discuss a time table during the actual drawing up of the final bill presented to the Knesset, but we need programs to train workers in proper handling and storage. This is not an impossibility, but it will be a taxing few years as we make the transition. Cars will need to be replaced, but there are ways to force the private sector to see things our ways. There are always gas taxes, subsidies for fuel cell cars, and of course limited fossil fuel imports.”
“Our rail transportation will be easier. We will convert all of our tracks to electric power or even consider Maglev. Whether we do overhead wires or a 3rd rail is inconsequential at this time and isn’t for us to decide. With that said, I open discussion on this issues presented.”
Doron Cohen was the first to speak. “We can’t have nuclear power!” he protested. “I like most of what you said, but I just cannot in good conscience vote for nuclear power.”
“Doron, your complaint is noted,” stated a calm Shamir. “Nuclear power is being offered for a reason besides what I already stated. Solar and geothermal power are generally reliable, but unforeseen events can interrupt them. Nuclear power is a constant that leaves a small footprint with reprocessing. There is also the fact that we do have a nuclear program. We do need a means to ensure we have weapons grade material and a nuclear power system will do just that.”
Doron continued his protests, but both he and everyone else around the table knew that he would eventually cave on the issue. Doron Cohen was a man in his 70s. He knew politics well. He was not going to win this issue. The eventual bill would meet most of Cohen’s desires. For someone in an opposition coalition, that was quite a victory. He would later overstate his role in the bill, as this truly was a political coup for his party. Their green platform would be largely fulfilled.
Other protests were made over the conversion to fuel cells. The argument went back and forth for hours. It was going to be a tough sell. A decision was made to halt the meeting for the night and to reconvene the next afternoon.
However, coalition governments were never as unified as they needed to be. Ehud Shamir's coalition included 29 MKs who were members of the three main religious parties. They weren't the type of friends that Shamir needed if he was going to keep the state from becoming a theocracy.
As a result of this precarious political situation, it was necessary for Shamir and his party to reach across the middle of the aisle and agree on terms with opposition parties in order to gain their favor and ensure that their vote would be there for some crucial upcoming votes.
The issue today was energy policy. Attached to this legislative issue also came the side effect issues of the economy, environment, and of course foreign trade and relations. Ehud Shamir was a right winger on the political spectrum, but he was smart enough to know that fossil fuels had to go eventually. The global supply of oil was running out and G-d's land was being ravaged by the side effects of climate change, smog, and other horrible side effects of fossil fuel burning.
Shamir was a forward thinker, but his own Likud Party and the allied Beitenu Party were not on board. A possible fracture in the coalition was possible. IN order to preserve the coalition, Shamir needed to give a lot on the environmental issue so that leftists would jump to his coalition if Beitenu or another right wing party bailed on him.
A meeting was set up in one of the board rooms of the new wing in the Knesset. The wing was brand new when Israel lost its last war and was forced into occupation. It had been the site of a massive battle in the Second War of Independence. Over two hundred Jewish fighters gave their life to retake this building in the opening hours of the Rebellion. The new wing had to be heavily refurbished following the battle. A memorial marked a place in the hall outside the room where a dozen had died.
Present at the meeting were some of the top men in HaMedinat Yisrael's politics. Many were either politicians from the "old days" or newly elected heroes of the Second War of Independence.
The meeting's record would show the following in attendence
Prime Minister Ehud Shamir, Head of the Likud Party
President Shimon Peres, Head of the Kadima Party: Peres was an elderly man in his 80s who had been involved in politics since the founding of the first state. He had served three stints as PM in the first state and one interim term in the second state during the war. He was the wise old man who carried a lot of clout in both HaMedinat Yisrael and the world. A Nobel prize had that sort of effect.
MK Doron Cohen, Head of Meretz-Yachad: Mr. Cohen was Persian born. His parents had made Aliyah when he was a young child. He was raised on a Kibbutz and was a true socialist. He was a leftist, but was always a Zionist at heart. He was also a proud supporter of the environment. While his party was neither large or small, they were important allies of Shamir and would be needed if Beitenu jumped ship.
MK Rabbi Itzhak Yetzman, Head of Shas: Rabbi Yetzman was a Hassidic Orthodox Rabbi who represented the largest of the three main religious parties in Israel. He was right wing, but his study of Torah and Talmud had taught him to respect the earth. Shas and the other religious parties would be important in the formation of energy and environmental policy.
Other MKs present were MK Ran Goldstein of Labour, Rabbi Yoni Ravinsky of UTJ, and MK Avigdor Shmuelson of Beitenu. Shmuelson would be a hard sell, but at least he accepted the invitation to the meeting. His party's head rejected the very idea of this meeting being held.
The meeting began with an invocation from Rabbi Yetzman. He selected an appropriate verse from the Torah, which described the beauty of the land. The men were then seated and Shamir spoke.
"Gentlemen, you all know why you are here," began Shamir. "Our country faces a crisis that stands to do us more damage than the Arab armies caused us in the past. This crisis will not only affect us, but it will affect the entire world. As good citizens on G-d's own earth, we have an obligation to leave this earth better than it was when we entered it. Tikkun Olam is an important mitzvot that G-d has commanded us to fulfill. Today we will start the formation of a policy that will bring us closer to restoring the world to the luster it had when G-d created it." Shamir invoked G-d in his first statement to better influence the two Rabbis who's parties represented 22 of the 61 votes needed to squeak the energy policy through. Politics was an easy game if you knew how to reach people.
"Oil is not the way of the future. Coal is not the way of the future. These are two very finite resources that have allowed our enemies to hold us hostage. They have polluted this world which G-d gave us to look over. G-d gave us dominion over the earth with the hope that we would continue its beauty. We have destroyed that trust G-d put in us. Now it is up to us to show that G-d’s trust in us was not misplaced. It is time for us to stand and make this world a better place.”
With the introduction done, Shamir continued. “I have talked with scientists from our government, the private sector, and at our acclaimed universities throughout the country. We have many options available to us. Neither option alone will bring us to our goal, but a combined effort to reduce our consumption of fossil fuels will allow us to make this world a better place.” Shamir moved over towards the white screen on the wall. He used the wireless clicker to bring up figures and statistics to support his latter points.
“Earthquakes have long been an issue for us and the rest of our region. We have long had the misfortune of sitting by a tectonic plate boundary. It is this rift that formed the Jordan Rift Valley. This misfortune is actually a blessing in disguise.”
“We have the chance to use the escaping heat and steam power from the earth in the form of Geothermal Power. This can only power a portion of our nation, but this is a renewable and clean source of energy. The steam coming up from the earth can be used to heat fresh water which in turn will turn turbines, heat buildings, and be used as a source of hot water in homes. While some geothermal plants produce carbon emissions, we will use technologies available to put these levels at 0.1% of the carbon levels produced by a standard fossil fuel powered plant. The gains here in energy independence, reliability, and of course emissions are outstanding in the use of Geothermal Power.”
“Solar power is another route for us to follow. Our Mediterranean climate is another blessing. It means that we rarely have clouds or rain with the exception of 3 and a half months during the year. We can use solar power in the desert year round. Radiation from the sun is bringing power to this earth constantly for twelve hours a day. It is time for us to go and harness this power. I propose the construction of massive solar collection sites throughout the Negev and Judean Deserts. These two large regions have sparse populations and large empty grounds. Few will be inconvenienced and high voltage transformers can allow us to provide the power to distant cities like Tel Aviv.”
“Our third power option is one which might now go over as well as the previous two,” Shamir was careful in prefacing this next one. “Nuclear power is a necessity.” Shamir already saw the non-verbal reactions from some in the room. This was going to be a tough sell. “With reprocessing of Uranium, we can get rid of over 90% of nuclear waste. Our only emissions will be steam. Security will be important, but we can see to that. We also have proper disposal sites set up for the waste. Exporting the waste for a fee is another option we can consider, but I would not recommend it as the best course of action at this time.”
“With our power generation covered with those three forms of power, I bring us to vehicular transportation. Fossil fuels are not the way to go. Hybrids are a nice novelty, but they are still reliant on fossil fuels in the end. Bio-fuels are another stop-gap that must not lure us into a position of false hope. They drive up global food prices and still use fossil fuels.” There was nodding of agreement in the room.
“Hydrogen Fuel Cell technology is the future for our cars. Many submarines have already used this technology successfully. The transition will be expensive and will take time, but it is possible. We shall have to discuss a time table during the actual drawing up of the final bill presented to the Knesset, but we need programs to train workers in proper handling and storage. This is not an impossibility, but it will be a taxing few years as we make the transition. Cars will need to be replaced, but there are ways to force the private sector to see things our ways. There are always gas taxes, subsidies for fuel cell cars, and of course limited fossil fuel imports.”
“Our rail transportation will be easier. We will convert all of our tracks to electric power or even consider Maglev. Whether we do overhead wires or a 3rd rail is inconsequential at this time and isn’t for us to decide. With that said, I open discussion on this issues presented.”
Doron Cohen was the first to speak. “We can’t have nuclear power!” he protested. “I like most of what you said, but I just cannot in good conscience vote for nuclear power.”
“Doron, your complaint is noted,” stated a calm Shamir. “Nuclear power is being offered for a reason besides what I already stated. Solar and geothermal power are generally reliable, but unforeseen events can interrupt them. Nuclear power is a constant that leaves a small footprint with reprocessing. There is also the fact that we do have a nuclear program. We do need a means to ensure we have weapons grade material and a nuclear power system will do just that.”
Doron continued his protests, but both he and everyone else around the table knew that he would eventually cave on the issue. Doron Cohen was a man in his 70s. He knew politics well. He was not going to win this issue. The eventual bill would meet most of Cohen’s desires. For someone in an opposition coalition, that was quite a victory. He would later overstate his role in the bill, as this truly was a political coup for his party. Their green platform would be largely fulfilled.
Other protests were made over the conversion to fuel cells. The argument went back and forth for hours. It was going to be a tough sell. A decision was made to halt the meeting for the night and to reconvene the next afternoon.