Protest Leader Slams Gadi Eisenkot's New Party for 'Value Dilution'

Prominent protest leader Professor Shaked Bressler has launched a scathing attack on Gadi Eisenkot's new "Yashar" party, accusing it of diluting core values and reverting to old political habits. Bressler, a key figure in the Kaplan protest movement, expressed deep disappointment with the inclusion of figures like former minister Chili Tropper and Elisaf Peretz, whom she characterized as representing a conciliatory, state-oriented approach.

In a pointed video, Bressler urged supporters to pressure Eisenkot, stating, "Pull his coat lapel, because we can really go crazy." She argued that a significant majority of Israelis desire a safe and prosperous nation based on the Declaration of Independence, not an extreme, zealous state. Bressler demanded that the Yashar party commit to these foundational values explicitly, not in obscure platform sections.

Bressler criticized individuals within the party for having previously "saved Netanyahu too many times," thereby preventing changes that could have saved lives. She also accused some members of failing to distinguish between those fighting for the Declaration's values and "zealots who broke into the Tzfia field base," and between the struggle for equality and the struggle for racism.

She further contended that Eisenkot's conciliatory approach perpetuates a political misconception that has plagued Israeli society and politics for 30 years. According to Bressler, this value dilution is responsible for the rise of Netanyahu, the perception of Hamas as an asset, perpetual wars, the recent massacre, international isolation, and educational failures. She concluded by warning that Yashar should not become another "Gantz-Ness" (referencing Benny Gantz's political trajectory), implying a loss of principles.