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Likud members who caught on to what was happening and opposed the law. I think they realized that the
significance of the reform is the transfer of built-up and open spaces to private ownership."

Despite the multitude of organizations involved in the campaign, there was an orderly division of labor.
The youth movements' members were sent to speak to the MKs from the political camp to which the
youths belonged, and all pulled their weight. Some MKs do not recall any similar struggle with such strong
grass-roots opposition.

"This is a rare instance of values defeating politics," said Yachimovich. "These volunteers really care about
the state, and know how to bridge their differences. The grass-roots work directly influenced the ministers
and thinned the ranks of the coalition. The campaign against the privatization of land is a popular struggle,
devoid of economic interests."

Even so, Netanyahu's threat to fire ministers and deputy ministers who vote against the bill, and to block
approval of the "Smoliansky Law" [which will enable Nissan Smoliansky of the National Religious Party to
return to the Knesset and replace Science and Technology Minister Daniel Hershkowitz of Habayit
Hayehudi] could spur rebellious MKs ultimately to toe the line.
"The next battle will be harder," admits Yachimovich, "because the coalition is threatening the MKs who
object to the reform bill. Even if we have practically no chance of winning this struggle, we will fight to the
last second because this is a most just social struggle."
The prime minister wants to start the vote on the ILA reforms this Wednesday, and continue, if necessary,
next Monday.

Those who oppose the legislation claim that, according to the Knesset regulations, the vote cannot be held
on Wednesday, but rather only on Thursday, but the Knesset will be closed that day for the fast of Tisha
B'Av.

Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin (Likud) is examining legal opinions to determine whether the vote can be
held on Wednesday.
For his part, Ya'alon is looking for a compromise that would enable him and most of the Likud MKs to
support the bill. He is meeting with Likud and Habayit Hayehudi MKs, and has suggested altering the
legislation so that land will be leased it for 99 years or sold for only 50 years.
In the meantime, Labor Party chairman Ehud Barak has told Netanyahu that his party's MKs will support
the bill.

The Power of a Name
Opposition to the land reform proposal and other proposals that were undemocratically inserted in the
Economic Arrangements Law (chok hahesderim) for the 2009-10 budget has been growing in recent
months. Aside from the land reform, other drastic changes planned for Israeli society that are hidden in the
law include doubling university tuition for students pursuing sought-after majors such as law, accounting
and business administration, and eliminating funding for security guards for schools and preschools.
MK Michael Melchior (Labor), chairman of the Knesset Education, Culture and Sports Committee,
commented as follows: "the intention to raise tuition is part of the attempt to destroy public education,
which is getting worse every day. The treasury is taking every possible step to allow the gaps to grow and
to privatize everything that is proper and works in Israeli society."
How did Netanyahu government address the concerns raised by MKs?
They changed the law’s name to chok hahityaelut – “The Efficiency Law.”