Elections cannot produce change in Israel
Political change cannot come from within Israeli society. It can only come from the outside.
Throughout the Israeli election campaign, the focus has been on two “blocs” – one led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the other opposing him. To the outside observer, the “pro-Netanyahu” and “anti-Netanyahu” labels imply that there are two different visions for the country and that the policies of the next government will depend on which one wins the elections.
This assumption is not surprising. In countries across the world, different candidates offer different visions for their country during electoral races. But in Israel, and particularly as it pertains to the Palestinians, this cannot be further from the truth.
Foreign diplomats ask about the future of the mythical “two-state solution” and talk about reconstruction plans in Gaza. They assume that Netanyahu is the reason for the lack of progress. Without him, everything will change. We can only wish.
So, genocide and the “two-state solution” will not be on the ballot on October 27. Neither will Israel’s “forever wars”. Rather, the electoral battle will be over the details: whether the Haredim (ultra-Orthodox) Jews should participate in these wars and how much Palestinians should be punished.