‘Netanyahuism’ Can Only Be Defeated If We Remain True to Our Values

Within the coalition of anti-Netanyahu parties in Israel, we often hear from our centrist partners that we need to be wise and strategic rather than just and principled. The coalition that calls itself “liberal” tells itself that the alliance of the corrupt, the messianic, and the draft dodgers led by Netanyahu cannot be beaten if we talk about our values, Heaven forbid.

They try to convince us that the government is not popular with the public, and we are pushed into acting “tough,” hence narrowing the difference between us and Netanyahu.

There is no doubt in politics that it is important to act strategically to win elections. As such, we are compelled to cooperate with parties that hold views that differ from our own in order to build power and influence. But it is also important to remember why we want to win. In an era in which voters easily recognize hogwash when they encounter it, we must remain true to our values and reject the impetus to behave like vacillating petty politicians. Even if we are electorally victorious, without a moral compass we will have achieved nothing more than simple vanity.

The centrist motto “together and united we will defeat Netanyahu” too often mirrors the manipulative slogan of the right-wing “together and united we will defeat Hamas,” which is nothing more than a ruse to silence criticism of its policies.

The struggle over the character of Israel is still raging, but if we abandon our values of justice, equality, and peace, the right will totally dominate the political discourse. The settlers and their extremist supporters are doing their utmost to thwart any possibility of a future Palestinian state through de facto annexation of the West Bank, harassment and displacement of Palestinian communities, and recruiting the entire government to accept their terrifying vision of remaining in the Gaza Strip. And yet there is almost complete silence from the center and the left. While the right tries to portray Arab citizens of Israel as supporters of terrorism, the center remains mute. Voters will see this as acquiescence and even cowardice and will not reward it.

In September 2022, then-Prime Minister Yair Lapid took to the podium at the UN General Assembly and correctly declared that “an agreement with the Palestinians based on two states is the right thing to do.”

The elections a month and a half later, the rise of the far-right government led by Netanyahu, the October 7 massacre, and the endless war that followed it have turned this statement into a distant memory. Today, not even the leaders of the center entertain the idea of a two-state solution.

The clearest expression of the center’s fear of being perceived as supporting a peace agreement based on two states was in July 2024, with the vote on a decision for “the Knesset’s opposition to a Palestinian State.” While Gantz and most of his party joined the right and supported the decision, the members of Lapid’s Yesh Atid party chose not to participate in the vote. The stigma of being labeled as a “leftist” made them feel threatened.

Israeli politicians almost unanimously condemned the intention of many countries to recognize a Palestinian state, despite it being a clear Israeli interest. Even when faced with the absurd, racist, and anti-democratic initiative to remove Arab List leader Ayman Odeh from the Knesset, the center largely equivocated.

Netanyahu persists in his efforts to make the two-state solution unfeasible, which is why we must vigorously advocate for it. It is not only the correct thing to do, but it presents a compelling alternative vision to Netanyahu’s endless cycle of war, retribution, terror, and international isolation.

Political scientist Joseph Overton coined the term “Overton Window,” or “Window of Discourse,” according to which the political viability of an idea does not depend on the preferences of politicians but rather on its presence within the range of opinions acceptable to the public. Due to the Israeli political system’s avoidance of crucial issues, such as seeking a political solution with the Palestinians and integrating Arab Israelis along with their political representatives as legitimate partners, individuals and organizations in Israeli civil society must take on the task of preserving these ideas within public opinion and strengthening the few courageous politicians who advocate for them.

The prime objective of the far-right is for us to be silent. It wishes for us to remain silent as construction continues in the Palestinian areas referred to as E1, and to ignore the institutionalized violence in the West Bank, which is frequently carried out in the presence of the army and occasionally even with the encouragement of extremist elements within it. It aims to prevent us from speaking out against the establishment of more and more outposts and farms in the West Bank that are focal points of violence against Palestinians and to overlook their intention to transform Arab politicians into public enemies.

And back to the “Overton Window.” Unlike the political system, the issue of a Palestinian state is still well within the range of opinions acceptable to the Israeli public. According to public opinion polls conducted by the Accord Center, despite the trauma of October 7 and the subsequent war, 53% of the Israeli public still support a political-security arrangement that will include agreeing to the establishment of a Palestinian state within the framework of normalization with Arab countries and recognition of the State of Israel.

Prior to October 7, the Jewish public in Israel did not include the Israeli-Palestinian conflict among the five most important issues to address. Today, in the post-October 7 era, 90% of the left, 74% of centrist voters, and 47% of the right believe that ignoring the Palestinian issue was a significant factor in the causes that led to October 7th.

Unlike the Israeli political leadership, which has retreated even further in its stance against the establishment of a Palestinian state, the wound that has opened in the heart of Israeli society has made it more sober about the importance of finding a solution in the understanding that it is no longer possible to “manage” a conflict that has already spiraled out of control.

While the political echelons continue to speak in a weak and muffled voice, civil society must continue with all its might to bring the injustices of the occupation to public attention, to call out the consequences of the government’s policies on our future, and to recognize the vital importance of the participation of Arab citizens of Israel in shaping its future as equals. A democracy that is directed only toward Jews is not one.

We must redouble our efforts to convince the Israeli public that the only way to preserve the Zionist enterprise of a democratic national home for the Jewish people is through the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside the State of Israel as part of a regional settlement and full equality for Arab citizens of Israel. And we must reiterate time and time again the horrific consequences for Israelis and Palestinians alike if we allow Netanyahu and his far-right allies to continue down the immoral and anti-democratic path of endless war and isolation.