National Religious Sector Criticized for Political Fragmentation
Translated & summarized from Srugim by baba
The national religious sector in Israel is criticized for political fragmentation, likened to a "disguised egg" unable to unite. Parties like Noam and Am Israel, along with Itamar Ben Gvir's Otzma Yehudit, have failed to consolidate support, leading to wasted votes. Commentator Amit Segal notes this lack of political maturity, while Bezalel Smotrich is praised for pursuing unity. The article urges the sector to embrace its identity and unite for greater political impact.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- The national religious sector is criticized for political fragmentation and wasted votes.
- Parties like Noam and Am Israel failed to consolidate support.
- Ittamar Ben Gvir's Otzma Yehudit is noted for its primarily national religious base.
- Commentator Amit Segal calls the sector politically immature.
- Bezalel Smotrich is praised for his efforts to unite various factions.
- The article urges the sector to embrace its identity and unite.
The national religious (Srugim) sector in Israel is being criticized for its political fragmentation and failure to unite, likened to a "disguised egg" that cannot find its true form. The article argues that this sector, despite its significant contributions, particularly evident since the October 7th attacks, has repeatedly fractured into small parties, leading to wasted votes and missed opportunities.
Several examples are cited, including the "Noam" party, which garnered only 6,000 votes, and the "Am Israel" movement, which aimed to unite various factions but ultimately failed. Ittamar Ben Gvir's "Otzma Yehudit" party is also mentioned, with the author pointing out that despite Ben Gvir's claims of appealing to all sectors, his party's support base is primarily from the national religious community. The article criticizes Ben Gvir for not forming surplus vote agreements, potentially leading to tens of thousands of right-wing votes being lost.
Commentator Amit Segal is quoted as saying that the national religious sector has not matured politically, highlighting the significant vote wastage from this sector in recent elections, including parties led by Feiglin, Bennett, Ben Gvir, Winter, and Noam. The piece emphasizes that the core values of this sector, such as love for the Land of Israel and settlement, are shared, questioning the need for such division.
Bezalel Smotrich is presented as the only leader who consistently sought unity, proposing mergers and inviting other parties to join him. While Smotrich eventually ran with Feiglin, the article suggests that this union was beneficial for both. The author concludes that the national religious sector needs to recognize its identity and unite, comparing its current state to an egg that, if it accepts itself, can hatch into a strong chick, implying political success through unity.
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