Buzzby

Legalise Cannabis Party Seeking Arab Vote
Ben Lynfield | The Scotsman | 03/24/2006

WHILE the main parties compete over who can best handle the Palestinian issue and the economy, Israel's Green Leaf Party is seeking entry into the Knesset on a legalise cannabis platform.

Polls show that young voters, disillusioned with the main parties, may give Green Leaf its first foothold in parliament during the elections on Tuesday.

However, the ruling Kadima Party is expected to win easily a mandate for withdrawing from parts of the occupied West Bank while annexing the large settlements and their environs.

Green Leaf's mastermind is the party chairman Boaz Wachtel, 47, a grass aficionado, inventor and satellite television operator.

He views cannabis as "a vitamin for the soul, a companion, a way to relax, a natural aphrodisiac, a pain reducer, an inspiration and a creativity booster". Mr Wachtel would like the estimated 16 per cent of the Israeli population who admit to having smoked it to be able to get the drug openly, without worrying about the police.

Mr Watchel is serious, even idealistic when it comes to the question of adopting a Dutch-style liberal drug policy for Israel. This, he insists, would help addicts and open new vistas for Israeli society as a whole.

"Addicts are stigmatised," he said. "Their addiction is not a failure of will or character as some people would say. These people must be helped to a greater extent than they are now."

Green Leaf's campaign has irked the veteran Israeli politician Shimon Peres, who, according to Yediot Ahronoth newspaper, condemned it at a recent Kadima gathering.

"They want to spread illusions, but we have no drugs and no illusions," Mr Peres said. "We have both feet on the ground."

In response, Mr Wachtel termed Mr Peres, 82, "a little senile".

Likud party politician Silvan Shalom also criticised Green Leaf, saying "legalising drugs is insane. It starts with a cigarette, leads to a joint and ends with cocaine."

During the campaign, Green Leaf has taken pains to bill itself as more than just a one-issue party, stressing that it will push to protect the environment and civil liberties, boost higher education, separate religion and state and lobby for gay and minority rights.

Green Leaf is dovish on the Palestinian issue and it seeks to attract votes among Arab citizens of Israel.

According to Sam Lehman-Wilzig, a political scientist at Bar Ilan University near Tel Aviv, "at least half of Green Leaf voters are completely disenchanted and alienated from the political system.

"They don't care much about politics. Legalising grass is the only thing that moves them. They probably wouldn't go to the polls at all if they didn't have Green Leaf to vote for," he said.

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