On Sunday night, at a talk with Stav Shafir, number eight on the labor list and
renowned social protest leader, she was asked whether the Labor Party was
always her bayit politi (political home). As she responded about growing
up in Hanoar Haoved, being disappointed by Ehud Barak, and being inspired by
Shelli Yachimovich, I was reminded that this term, political home, so
ingrained in the Israeli political mindset, is perhaps its biggest flaw.
The term has come to mean a political party with a leader that looks like me,
talks like me, and thinks like me. This mindset has allowed Shas to
claim that they look out for the lower classes while really only representing
low income Mizrachi Jews, Yair Lapid to claim he represents the middle class
while actually representing high income Ashkenazi Jews, Avigdor Lieberman to
gain political clout by making fun of Polish women, and Hanin Zuabi to practice
her dedication to Israel by participating in the Marmara Flotilla.
In other words,
the Israeli search for a political home is what cultivates a political
landscape with dozens of little parties, each one happy to look out for (or at
least purport to look out for) whatever small sector of the population they
represent, while ignoring, offending, or otherwise neglecting the vast majority
of the country.
For Israeli democracy to grow up it will need to shed this
mindset. The electorate must realize that a legitimate political party worthy
of a vote must represent not a small group of people, but a coherent political
ideology and and a clear plan for a better Israel. All special interest parties
(including the party representing my own sector of society) are damaging to our
social fabric. In a healthy political system, political parties feel obligated to try to
represent and look out for the entire populace. Only parties such as these
should be worthy of a vote.
The Israeli left likes to pounce on Shelley Yachimovich for refusing to bash
the ultra-orthodox and settlers as cash-sucking enemies of the state. But a
closer look will show that while she may not agree with their life-style
choices, or the government decisions which support them, she sees herself as a
future prime minister and them as legitimate citizens of this Israel. Potential
future decisions about their fate in Israel will have to be done with a
balanced responsibility towards them and the rest of the citizenry. Hate and
character bashing will not help.
To
Ms. Yachimovich I say Kol Hakavod for offering the Labor Party
as a potential political home to nearly all Israelis.
To the Israeli
electorate, I say: stop searching for the leader who reminds you of yourself,
and start looking of the party who will take this country in a better
direction.
-Ilan, an oleh from
the United States
