The Left in Israel Is Agonizing in a Coma

At the end of the 18th century, during the French Revolution, the ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity promised a new dawn for humanity. But those same banners were soon stained with mass executions, terror, and oppression. What began as a revolution against tyranny turned into another form of authoritarianism, showing that no matter how noble the intentions, unchecked power and fear can corrupt even the purest dreams. The guillotine, a symbol of popular justice, became a machine of indiscriminate death. Those who fought for freedom found themselves trapped in cycles of revenge and paranoia, revealing the age-old human pattern: the struggle for power can turn any utopia into a dystopia.

Centuries have passed, yet the same pattern repeats. Ideologies born from a desire for justice, freedom, and equality end up consumed by the relentless pursuit of control, of holding onto power at any cost. Israel, in its brief history as a state, has already experienced these cycles. Movements that once embodied hope for a more just future have become parodies of themselves, crushed by political realities and the fear of compromise. Today, the Israeli left, which once represented the spirit of questioning and social justice, isn’t dead, but it agonizes on a hospital bed, each breath weaker than the last.

Politics in Israel has been reduced to a simplistic theater: Bibi or anti-Bibi. But both blind support for Netanyahu and obsessive opposition to him fail in one crucial aspect: taking care of the people. The constant focus on Netanyahu’s figure overshadows the real challenges facing society. While the spotlight remains on this power game, Israel grapples with rising inflation and a skyrocketing cost of living. Thirty years ago, owning a home and supporting a family with dignity was a reality within reach of the middle class; today, it is a distant dream for most.

What happened to the promise of a country where social justice and security go hand in hand? Where economic progress would benefit everyone, not just a privileged elite? The numbers don’t lie: the cost of living in Israel has increased by over 60% in the past two decades. The average price of a home nearly doubled in a decade, and rents in central areas have become a privilege for the few who can afford them. Meanwhile, social inequality is relentlessly growing: Israel’s Gini index, which measures income inequality, ranks among the highest in the OECD. In the streets, the stark contrast between the luxury of central cities and the deprivation of the periphery is an open wound that many prefer to ignore.

Adding to this, Israel’s ranking in key indicators paints a bleak picture. In education, Israel ranks poorly among developed countries, consistently placing below the OECD average in reading, math, and science assessments like the PISA tests. The healthcare system, once a source of national pride, has also seen its standing decline; Israel now ranks 28th globally according to the World Health Organization, a far cry from its earlier position among the top. On social inequality, Israel’s standing is among the worst in the OECD, with one of the highest levels of income disparity. Even in terms of democracy, Israel has slipped in global rankings, with organizations like Freedom House and the Economist Intelligence Unit noting declines in key democratic indicators, such as government transparency and civil liberties.

But no one talks about this. There are no serious discussions on how to address inflation, how to fight inequality, or how to make the cost of living remotely sustainable. Instead, the discourse has devolved into a binary game: either you’re with Netanyahu, or you’re against him. And neither side truly cares about the needs of ordinary citizens. Who speaks about the struggles of families barely making ends meet? Who proposes solutions for young people working two or three jobs just to survive? The answer is: no one.

The true left—if it still exists—agonizes in a vegetative state, sustained by fading memories and a sense of defeat. Gantz, Lapid, and even Lieberman, labeled as “opposition” leaders, have drowned in mediocrity. There are no leaders courageous enough to propose structural changes, nor movements that dream of a more just Israel. What remains are fragments of a utopia worn down by time and harsh realities.

Meanwhile, Netanyahu conducts his symphony of fear and division with perverse skill. Any attempt at change is labeled as treason, keeping the population hostage to a narrative where he is the sole savior. The left? It survives on life support, while the present devours the future without mercy.

We are trapped in a land where cynicism reigns, where dreams are mocked, and where the very idea of justice has been replaced by mere survival. The greatest tragedy is not just the left’s agony, but the complacency with which we watch this decadent spectacle. We are burying not just an ideology but the very capacity of a nation to care about something bigger than the next election.

Mistakes repeat because we fail to learn from them. Just as in the French Revolution, where noble ideals became instruments of oppression, today we see Israeli politics trapped in cycles of power and authoritarianism, while justice and hope remain sidelined. History teaches us, but only if we are willing to listen—and to recognize that the gravest errors are not those we commit once, but those we repeat endlessly.