Fear, Power, and the Fragile Path to Peace

I have tried to stay quiet about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict over the past few years, out of both caution and concern. It has been a frightening and painful time to be Jewish. But now that all of the living hostages have been returned, I feel a bit more ready to speak.

First, let me be clear: I am deeply opposed to Israel’s current coalition government. While I have long respected Bibi Netanyahu for his intelligence and innovative leadership, I believe this government has pushed him—and the country—in troubling directions. I hope that Israelis will soon elect a more pragmatic leader capable of forming a rational, centrist coalition.

In recent years, I have heard too many people say some version of, “See what happens when Jews govern themselves? They form illiberal governments. They shouldn’t be allowed to have their own state.” Those words have angered and saddened me more than I can express.

If, in 1948, the Arab League had focused on building a thriving Palestinian state instead of destroying Israel, we might be living in a very different world today. Israel’s right wing would be far weaker. The strength of the right in Israel has grown out of fear—fear born from decades of threats and attacks. History has shown us that when people feel unsafe, the political right gains power.

I want peace between Israelis and Palestinians so much. But how do we move forward from here? Can the two peoples ever rebuild trust? Can the international community separate Zionism and Israel itself from the actions of this particular government—something too many have used as a pretext for antisemitism?

I don’t know. But I do know this: lasting peace requires understanding the roots of the problem. The Israeli right only thrives because of constant external threats. If those threats ever ceased, the right’s grip on power would weaken—and with it, perhaps, the barriers to peace.