Fear as a Governing Method: Israel Needs Leadership to Calm the Nation
Translated & summarized from Maariv by baba
Author Lilach Sigal argues that fear has become a governing strategy in Israel, fueled by divisive media narratives and social media, leading to extreme polarization. She calls for new leadership to reduce public fear and restore tranquility, criticizing current political discourse, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's approach. Sigal suggests that genuine unity requires a shift in style, compromise, and a willingness from those in power to build trust with opponents, rather than exploiting fear for political gain.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Fear has become a governing method in Israel, driving polarization and preventing rational discourse.
- The media and social media are criticized for amplifying divisive narratives and fostering public fear.
- Author Lilach Sigal calls for new leadership to reduce fear and restore tranquility to Israeli society.
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's calls for unity are seen as attempts to undermine opposition governments.
- True unity requires a change in political style, compromise, and building trust with opposing factions.
- The ability of leadership to reduce fear, not exploit it, is presented as the key test.
The article argues that fear has become a primary tool of governance in Israel, driving political polarization and preventing rational discourse. Author Lilach Sigal contends that Israel in 2026 must find a way to dismantle narratives that push people to extremes, justify violence, and hinder complex understanding. She criticizes the media for often prioritizing sensationalism and influence over objective truth, creating echo chambers that reinforce divisive narratives and demonize opposing groups. This dynamic, amplified by social media, fosters a pervasive sense of existential threat among the public, making compromise seem like recklessness and listening to the other side akin to betrayal.
Sigal highlights that supporters of change harbor their own fears, including concerns about a governmental revolution, politically motivated wars, and a state that disregards their needs. She emphasizes that the mutual fear between Arabs and Jews, and between religious and secular communities, exacerbates the problem. Restoring trust, she posits, requires reducing fear levels, a significant challenge in the current media landscape. The author suggests that the next government's crucial task should be to lower overall fear and restore a minimal level of tranquility to Israelis' lives, which have become less peaceful due to both security realities and political toxicity.
The piece criticizes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's approach, suggesting he underestimates the deep-seated fear many citizens have of him, his priorities, and his actions. Sigal argues that Netanyahu's calls for unity are perceived as attempts to undermine alternative governments rather than genuine efforts to bridge divides. She asserts that a broken political system, reliant on constantly triggering survival instincts, has exhausted itself. True unity, according to Sigal, requires a fundamental shift in style, starting with goodwill and a willingness to compromise and limit one's own power. The responsibility lies heavily with those in power to demonstrate trustworthiness to their opponents, ensuring their safety and future. The article concludes that until one camp's victory is not perceived as an existential threat to the other, unity will remain elusive, and the true test of leadership will be its ability to reduce fear, not exploit it.