Israeli Election Discourse Ignores Palestinian Issue Amidst War

Despite Israel currently being engaged in a prolonged, multi-front war, the upcoming Israeli elections are largely bypassing the Palestinian issue, which traditionally sits at the core of the nation's political-security discourse. Instead, debates are focused on the nature of the state, the relationship between religion and state, the role of the judiciary, and the boundaries of democracy. This internal Israeli debate, which predated the October 7th attacks, has somewhat subsided amidst the ongoing conflict in Gaza and other fronts, yet it has not prevented political parties, from the right to the remnants of the left, from uniting behind the government's war efforts.

None of the opposition parties contesting the elections have opposed the war in Gaza, nor have they called for withdrawal from Lebanese or Syrian territories occupied by Israel. They also do not publicly condemn settler violence in the West Bank, which occurs with the support and protection of the Israeli military. Furthermore, these parties have not challenged policies that marginalize and undermine the Palestinian Authority, aiming to annex the West Bank. This broad consensus extends to the suppression of freedoms and democratic space for Palestinians within Israel, including the actions of National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's police force.

After three years of conflict, opposition parties are not presenting political solutions that involve withdrawal from occupied territories or acknowledging Palestinian rights. The article suggests that the primary difference between Prime Minister Netanyahu's coalition and the opposition regarding Palestinians and Arabs is merely stylistic, not substantive. It warns against placing excessive hope in the opposition, citing the Bennett-Lapid government's actions, which, despite support from Mansour Abbas, waged a campaign against the Negev and maintained policies of home demolitions and prioritizing Jewish settlement, even when considering the Palestinian issue.

The article further notes that the fall of the Bennett-Lapid government was due to the withdrawal of two members, Idit Silman and Amichai Chikli, who were later rewarded with ministerial positions in Netanyahu's government. Post-October 7th, there is a strengthened conviction among Zionist parties to form a purely Zionist government, avoiding reliance on Arab votes, even if Arab citizens were to renounce their identity and support the Jewish state. The author posits that Mansour Abbas is mistaken if he believes an alliance with Segalovich will legitimize him, as such validation would need to come from the far-right, given Netanyahu's past reliance on right-wing support. Historical precedents, like Benny Gantz and Isaac Herzog joining emergency governments or Shimon Peres's decision to withdraw from elections after Yitzhak Rabin's assassination, suggest a trend towards unity governments in Israel to manage internal and external affairs, a path the religious-settler right-wing might be alone in defying.