Ashkenazi Dominance Marginalizes Mizrahi Politicians Across Israeli Parties

The article criticizes the persistent marginalization of Mizrahi politicians within Israeli political parties, highlighting recent events in the Likud primaries where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and senior Ashkenazi party members secured reserved spots, leaving many Mizrahi Knesset members and ministers to compete fiercely for fewer realistic positions. This practice, whether intentional or due to internal party pressure, sidelines Mizrahi representatives and alienates significant segments of the party's base.

The author argues that blaming Netanyahu alone is insufficient, as this phenomenon of using Mizrahim as political tools exists across all major Israeli parties, rooted in a broader issue of Ashkenazi supremacy. For example, in the Democratic Party, which severely lacks Mizrahi representation, Yair Golan promised a safe spot to Einav Tsanguaqar, a prominent Mizrahi woman, only to exclude her from the list after she helped him gain votes in the primaries.

Similarly, Avigdor Lieberman recruits Mizrahi figures who reject their origins or use their Mizrahi identity superficially. The article cites former MK Dan Illouz, who claims to be the "real Mizrahi" despite his Canadian upbringing, while disparaging other Mizrahi Likud members. Even Benny Gantz, himself Mizrahi, is criticized for never addressing Mizrahi or peripheral issues publicly.

The piece also condemns the rampant racism in ultra-Orthodox Lithuanian parties and calls for Netanyahu to be challenged on this issue. However, it stresses that the systemic sidelining and cynical exploitation of Mizrahim as a voting bloc is a widespread problem in Israeli politics, not limited to one leader or party, and must be acknowledged and addressed more broadly.