Finding Common Ground! Israel’s Internal Politics!

Israel has always had its divisions within its political culture no different than other countries, yet today, the Jewish State is coming under immense pressure as its politicians and political activists undermine the cohesive national bond, which has, in one way or another, retained its integrity, remaining relatively unified and whole, under conditions of material hardship, internal disagreement, and external predation.

Our leaders find disagreement becomes an excuse for insult and anger, accusations and slanders proliferate, and when mistakes are made, there is no room for forgiveness, for our politicians and sections of Israel society have lost the capacity to think of the other as part of himself. As a consequence, when contempt has dissolved what unity existed within its society, the nation moves towards destabilisation as was seen on October 7, strangers appear at the perimeter, waiting for the right moment to attack the country and seek its destruction.

To be sure, Israel’s political culture involves the airing of disputes and differences in policies. However, the current expressions of loathing, wild accusations, conspiracy theories, and boycotts that have come to characterize Israeli public life should not be treated as an inevitable part of public life and government.

Instead, showing respect to one another can only strengthen the cohesiveness of the nation. While this should be obvious to all, the reality is one of fearmongering and hurling mud is what is constantly put forward to the public by the mainstream media and the political class. Very little respect and no shred of legitimation for the other side is permitted to enter discourse between rivals, but only expressions of contempt, disgust, distrust, and worst of all, hatred. This is a dissolute politics, in which concern for the Jewish State is subordinated to personal and party ambition, and the loyalty of the people is put at risk for short-term advantage. This must stop. If it were to continue, the nation would cease to regard the continued unity of the country as worth defending. This cannot be entertained under any circumstances, and unity must be rediscovered and respected by all factions, parties and the people at large if Israel is to find a way out of its present dilemma.

This is part and parcel of the spiritual and political revolution that is the Jewish State.