If there was ever a need for a unifier in Israel’s political arena, it is now.
The rampant polarization here in 2023 had the potential to tear us apart while compromise seemed totally out of both our reach and mentality.
We thought, given the terrible massacre of 1,200 of our best and brightest by Hamas on October 7, 2023 that this was destiny’s way of demonstrating that we, as a community, had to come together and unify.
For a short time, that seemed to be the case. In the face of an incredible lack of direction by the government in the first months after the war, Israel’s community stepped forward and filled the gap… and did so in unity.
Yet, here we are, almost 500 days later, and, for all practical purposes, we seem to be back where we were on October 6, with seemingly no one willing and capable of being the benevolent unifier so sorely needed for us to move forward.
On the one hand, we all believe that once this war is really over, Israel has the capacity to regain its economic, international, social, and technological strength once again. As an optimist, I believe that to the core of my bones.
Yet that success will remain elusive without someone or some group stepping forward with a unifying vision for the country and our people. If we cannot make that happen, polarization has the capacity to destroy the commonwealth yet again.
History has provided plenty of examples. A little over two millennia ago, the Romans, after defeating all their major rivals in war, succumbed to internal warfare. The demise of the Roman Republic shows the perils of extreme partisanship – and its logic.
In the republic’s last decades, the Romans faced challenges that resonate today.
Social unrest in the face of severe challenges in day-to-day life was common. An ongoing dispute over where political power should rest, whether in the Senate of several hundred lifelong members or the far more democratic Plebeian Assembly, was handicapping the government’s functioning.
Two leaders, Cato and Caesar, both had large followings but could not find a way to function amicably. Their inability to find compromise finally led to a civil war, at the end of which terrorized Romans had to accept autocracy.
We also have our own history of internal conflict. Wikipedia lists the following civil wars that occurred during the Second Temple period:
- Hasmonean-Samaritan conflict (113-110 BCE)
- Jewish-Samaritan conflict (First century CE)
- Sicarii and Zealot rebels (6-73 CE)
As a result of the internecine battles of those times, yet another Jewish Commonwealth ended in failure.
Unifiers, when they do arise, are not always beneficial to the population over which they rule; history has provided plenty of those examples as well. Leaders come into power and make their fellow countrymen feel positive about the future, only to become authoritarian and often abuse human rights once they achieve the position for which they fought.
President Vladimir Putin in Russia, Xi in China, and Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Hungary are some current examples. Unification has to be controlled so that it does not end up worse than polarization.
THE QUESTION then becomes how do we, as a country, move forward and encourage those among us who have the talent and capability to actually become part of our future leadership when those currently in power seem willing to do all they can to keep their positions, regardless of the cost to society?
It would seem there is little chance to cause large shifts in the power structure through new elections. In a time of polarization, as we saw in the recent US elections, people in both camps are seemingly unmovable. Perhaps the approach needs to be one of developing a vision for Israel after the war from which new leadership will emerge.
Given that we know a significant part of the population was involved in fighting the Israel-Hamas War and has returned from the frontlines committed to making changes in Israel, why not engage with them on the subject of what happens next?
We also know there are thousands of successful businesspeople in Israel, many of whom have the capacity to apply what they have learned in building world-class companies. Why not engage with them on the matter?
It is also clear that there are some, perhaps not enough, clear-thinking and experienced people in the political sphere who, if they were not afraid of the whiplash of party politics, have what it takes to help create this new vision. Why not engage with them as well?
The one person who can unify Israel
To me, there is only one person in the country who can extend an invitation to people in all three of these groups and bring them together to address Israel’s future – President Isaac Herzog.
As an apolitical head of state close to the end of his term, who has represented us well worldwide during this trying period, he is uniquely positioned to convene an assembly of Israelis to hammer out a new vision for Israel in the Middle East and direct the country to the next level of growth and prosperity.
It should be clear to every person that the status quo cannot be maintained, that the current leadership cannot make the required changes to ensure future progress, and that the existing political process is not one that will lead to an operational plan for Israel’s future growth.
The polarization must end, realistic leadership is required, and the president of Israel can be the catalyst for change. We deserve nothing less, and we should urge an early convening of a planning group to assist us in realizing our full potential as we move forward. Our future as a country depends on it.
The writer has lived in Israel for 41 years, is founder and chair of Atid EDI Ltd., an international business development consultancy. He is also the founder and chair of the American State Offices Association, former national president of the Association of Americans and Canadians in Israel, and a past chairperson of the board of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies.