Israeli Left's Shift From Zionism to Globalist Critique Highlighted by Venice Film Award

A lengthy ovation at the Venice Film Festival for Yuval Abraham and Rachel Shore's film "No Other Land" signifies a profound shift within the Israeli left, according to Professor Moshe Cohen-Eliya. He argues that the Israeli left has evolved from its early Zionist and socialist roots, exemplified by David Ben-Gurion, through a phase of legal liberalism championed by Aharon Barak, to a contemporary post-nationalist and sometimes anti-Zionist stance.

Cohen-Eliya contends that this new iteration of the left prioritizes the suffering of the "enemy" over that of its own people, seeking to dismantle aspects of Israel's military and political advantage in favor of addressing perceived Palestinian grievances. He criticizes "No Other Land" for downplaying the October 7th attacks, focusing solely on Palestinian suffering, and ignoring Hamas's use of civilian areas for military infrastructure. While acknowledging Abraham's right as a filmmaker to choose his perspective, Cohen-Eliya asserts that consistently portraying Israel as the accused and Palestinians as victims reveals the filmmaker's core values, which he sees as representative of the broader Israeli left.

The article traces this ideological evolution, contrasting Ben-Gurion's belief in a strong Jewish state with Barak's emphasis on judicial restraint and liberal rights. The current phase, represented by Abraham, is characterized by a moral compass oriented towards international perception, seeking validation from European festivals and media. The film's production, supported by entities like The Guardian and Norwegian institutions, is presented as part of a global ecosystem that rewards a specific narrative about Israel.

Cohen-Eliya draws a parallel to the 1940 Venice Film Festival, which screened the antisemitic propaganda film "The Eternal Jew" to applause, suggesting that applause from cultural elites is not a reliable moral indicator. He cites a July 2026 JPPI poll indicating that 66% of Israelis identify with the right, while only 19% identify with the left. This, he posits, is not due to a rejection of human rights or welfare, but because segments of the left have made Jewish nationalism something to apologize for, a stance increasingly unacceptable to Israelis, especially after October 7th.

In conclusion, Cohen-Eliya suggests that as the era of Aharon Barak's influence wanes, the left is searching for new moral authority. Yuval Abraham, with his international acclaim and ability to articulate a message resonant with globalist elites, is presented as a prototype for this new leadership, embodying a shift from building a state (Ben-Gurion) to scrutinizing it (Abraham).