Fear Campaign Has Already Won the Election
Translated & summarized from Makor Rishon by baba
Ahead of elections, the author argues that a "fear campaign" has already decided the outcome by preventing the formation of a broad unity government. He critiques claims by right-wing parties like Religious Zionism and Shas about potential left-wing government actions, deeming them baseless. The author contends that the Israeli public has shifted rightward and opposes a Palestinian state, making fears of such outcomes unfounded. He concludes that pervasive anxiety, rather than substantive policy differences, has dominated the election, hindering rational discourse and choice.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- A "fear campaign" has already determined the election outcome by preventing a broad unity government, the author claims.
- Right-wing parties' claims about potential left-wing government actions are dismissed as baseless panic.
- The Israeli public has shifted rightward, with a majority opposing a Palestinian state, according to the author.
- The author criticizes the pervasive anxiety that has overshadowed rational political discourse.
- He argues that no incoming government will fundamentally alter Israel's character or establish a Palestinian state.
As elections approach, the author reflects on the pervasive atmosphere of fear and anxiety influencing the political discourse, drawing parallels between the summer of 2023 and the current pre-election period. In July 2023, the Knesset passed a law revoking the reasonableness standard, which allowed courts to strike down Knesset legislation deemed unreasonable. This sparked large protests, with some major roads blocked. The author recalls a conversation with a secular, liberal friend who was deeply distressed by the law, fearing Israel would cease to be democratic. The author attempted to reassure him that his secular, liberal lifestyle would not change, but found it difficult to alleviate his profound anxiety.
Five months later, during the war, the Supreme Court overturned the Knesset's amendment. The author remains convinced that even without the court's intervention, Israel would not have stopped being a democracy. Now, ahead of the upcoming elections, the author observes a similar level of fear and panic among right-wing individuals regarding the potential formation of a different government. He struggles to understand the basis for this alarm, just as he did with his liberal friend's fears.
The author clarifies that he will not vote for the "change bloc" parties due to their stated refusal to cooperate with Benjamin Netanyahu and other parties in the current government, advocating instead for a broad-based government. He then critically examines the "panic campaign" waged by coalition parties. He questions claims by Bezalel Smotrich that a left-wing government would close the Eli pre-military academy, and dismisses Shas party's depiction of a government erasing God's name and turning Israel into a secular state. The author argues that the Israeli public is becoming more traditional, and that parties like Yisrael Beiteinu, led by Avigdor Lieberman, would ensure a right-wing stance in any "change bloc" government, making fears of establishing a Palestinian state unfounded.
The author contends that the coalition's fear-mongering, citing the 1992 election precedent where the Rabin government signed the Oslo Accords, is baseless given the current political landscape. He notes the significant decline in support for left-wing parties compared to the early 1990s and the general rightward shift of the Israeli public, especially post-October 7th, with a majority opposing a Palestinian state. The author concludes that the "fear campaign" has already determined the election's outcome by stifling the possibility of a broad unity government, as parties advocating for such a coalition have faltered. He observes that this pervasive fear, once characteristic of the Haredi public, has become widespread, overshadowing rational discourse and preventing a focus on genuine national challenges. The author asserts that the upcoming election is not as critical as portrayed, as no government will fundamentally alter Israel's character or establish a Palestinian state, urging voters not to let fear dictate their choice.
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