Professor Yuval Elbashan Says October 7 Redefined His Identity and Shattered the Left

Professor Yuval Elbashan, a lawyer, author and media commentator, gave an intimate interview to Oded Harush about the personal and political changes he has gone through, especially since the October 7 attack. He said that what used to be clear to him, being first Israeli and then Jewish, has reversed. "Today it is clear to me that it is the other way around," he said.

Elbashan was sharply critical of what he called "today's left," arguing that anti-Zionist elements have taken over the label and "destroyed" it. He said the modern left no longer reflects classic left-wing values, neither economically, socially, nor democratically. He also described his childhood in modest circumstances in Bat Yam and told the story of his father, who exposed corruption at work, paid a heavy personal price, and died of a heart attack at 44. Elbashan said that loss left a lasting mark on him: "I stand before you as a man who will always be a 12-year-old orphan."

Although he grew up in a Revisionist home, he leaned left as a young man because he was drawn to the weaker side. He referred to the Elor Azaria case and said that, despite being on the left, he defended Azaria because he felt society and the system had abandoned him. He also discussed the judicial overhaul crisis, saying he took part in efforts to craft a compromise, but believed both sides were responsible while the more extreme groups set the tone and blocked agreement.

Elbashan said his relationship with Aharon Barak remains respectful, even though he criticized some of Barak's recent remarks. He added that the October 7 massacre led him to rethink his identity and deepen his connection to Judaism and the Jewish people. That shift inspired his book, "The Drop and the Tear," and changed his writing style, making it slower and more deliberate. "I very much want to wear a kippah, it is important to me that people know I am Jewish," he said.