That was the point of the optimistic end of my piece. But if there are elections now there will be no "new" - there will only be the same old, same old.
Election in 1H25 will give enough time to organize a "new".
Replacing old with new is not a bad idea, but it is not the solution. We can recruit exactly the same politicians as now, only younger, and what will this give us? Two more decades of what we have.
Besides the fact that young politicians are younger than old ones, they must be different.
You ask me, how will they be different? (even if you don't ask, I will answer).
Well, at least because they will understand why Israeli society is so polarized, and this polarization will not disappear by simply replacing one with another.
And also because they will understand that extremism, regardless of whether it is right or left, whether it is aimed at the benefit of one part of society or for the benefit of another part of society, is extremism and with its help it is impossible to build the future of the people.
So far I have not heard such an understanding from either old or young politicians. But I'm an optimist.
Thank you, and the hope for the future is not by voting.
Let me be blunt, and just speaking as an American, although our gerontocracy has infected the entire western world.
I’m American and a 57 year old combat veteran. American soldiers to clarify swore allegiance to the Constitution (a dead letter) and never democracy… or… any government or politician.
Elections are… over… at least here… and if your children want to live they’ll elect a rifle. A gun means what it says.
Of all the evils of the West, the Worst is the cropping and crippling of the younger generation’s potential, so that the old Boomers and the rest could turn the world into a Florida retirement community.
If the young men marched on them all now killing all in their path they would not be wrong, for what did these wretches do but sell all their descendants into debt slavery or as you saw death… except for some of the pretty girls. But no, an aging electorate will NOT do the right thing, agreed.
So whatever your young men do, I have told you what the young American men should do, I shall march with them, or they may kill me if I’m in the way. Call it duty.
…. (Not many could say this and be believed, those who went to war with me would, and also I am you know a humble person, yes I mean it).
Ergo: Fuck Politicians, Fuck Voting, and Fuck Democracy.
Fuck to Death and Hell a “democracy” where the Retirement Home sells the young into slavery or death so they can buy another house, or pad their accounts, that being “democracy” now.
The Fraud is up. Choose your young… or your neighbors young.
Unless you’re young men, not given more time to delay the choice…. Make up everyone’s mind.
A very comprehensive analysis of the current political situation.
My choice for the next PM would be Bennet, though I believe it will be Gantz who will succeed Bibi.
I have one thought about your reference to the change in leadership after the Yom Kippur War. Menachem Begin's victory came nearly four years after the YK War. In my estimation, it had little to do with that war & everything to do with the awakening of the Sephardic voters who left the Labor Party & voted en masse for Likud.
The war was the trigger. The first election after the war was just months afterwards. It was a confusing time. The first real election after the war was the one Begin won. Had Golda and Dayan mobilized the troops that never would have happened.
Sephardic voters resented being taken for granted by the Labor Party which continued to be dominated by the European elite. Begin was very shrewd in tapping into that resentment & convincing them that both their simmering resentment & right wing political tendencies made them natural Likud voters. Begin's strategy would have been successful regardless of the YK War failures as the awakening of the Sephardi giant began with the emergence of the Black Panthers in 1971.
You are correct about Sephardi voters - but wrong that the war was irrelevant. It was the main cause of the Begin victory. Without it there would not have been the DASH party which got 15 seats and allowed Begin to win.
Most interesting, especially as regards the depth of involvement of the IDF in politics—so different than the situation in the United States. Sure we have the occasional former flag officer in the Oval Office or the cabinet, but as an institution the US armed forced steer clear of politics.
It is a big problem here as the Generals are always looking ahead to what political party they want to join or support. Also, they are all sent on scholarships by the Wexner Foundation to Harvard - so we all know how their politics turn out.
The IDF has incredible officers from the rank of Colonel and down. A few fantastic Brigadier Generals. If you want to be promoted above that, you need to tow the line.
The main problem with the IDF's involvement in politics is that the re is no "commander in chief" as there is in the US. The IDF general staff report to the Defense Minister who, more often than not was a member of the General Staff. While the entire government has to approve the IDF Chief of Staff, he, together with the Defense Minister can appoint all other officers and therefore appoint their replacements.
I sometimes observe the statements and actions of senior military leaders. There is a very noticeable line where a military professional ends and a politician begins. They begin to prepare themselves for politics while still serving in the army. It is very difficult for me to trust a general who thinks about politics, and after that it is even more difficult to trust a politician who was recently a general.
Well, that's true to an extent in the US armed forces. You have to play politics—internal military politics—to get ahead once reaching flag rank. But most don't go on to a post-military political career. We haven't had a former general as president since Eisenhower, and it can be argued that he was a special case.
Israel is a small country with major security problems and an army that's large for the country's size. It was inevitable, perhaps, that the generals would come to play an over-mighty role in politics.
Being a small country with nearly everyone having served in the army does make for problems in politics in that many of the best people are senior officers. The problem however is that there is a "friend brings a friend" mentality when you get to the topmost levels. Also - the Qirya (Israel's Pentagon) is in Tel-Aviv - which is the left wing city par excellence - San Francisco without the homeless and crap on the streets. This is where they socialize. As combat officers they didn't have much time to think about politics so when they get to a point where they can they are influenced by the Tel-Aviv milieu as well as the free conference trips they get to American left-wing think tanks.
I noticed this problem, but it is not the biggest or even very significant problem for a democratic society. Moreover, this is a temporary problem, which (I hope) will pass after society becomes disillusioned with far-left ideas and the left wing becomes moderate and abandons its obsession with its opponents.
The destruction of Labor is a remarkable political story. Who is the PM to simultaneously protect Israel and bring about civil reform vis a vis the Haredi, secular etc?
We 🇺🇸 need the young to replace the old, not later, now. Just here 🇺🇸 - fuck “democracy” if it won’t get out of the way.
I’m 57. We should fight as needed (I have and today I still will) but it’s time to toss the gerontocracy that’s “democracy.”
You 🇮🇱 may want to consider what I said too. They are all too old.
That was the point of the optimistic end of my piece. But if there are elections now there will be no "new" - there will only be the same old, same old.
Election in 1H25 will give enough time to organize a "new".
Replacing old with new is not a bad idea, but it is not the solution. We can recruit exactly the same politicians as now, only younger, and what will this give us? Two more decades of what we have.
Besides the fact that young politicians are younger than old ones, they must be different.
You ask me, how will they be different? (even if you don't ask, I will answer).
Well, at least because they will understand why Israeli society is so polarized, and this polarization will not disappear by simply replacing one with another.
And also because they will understand that extremism, regardless of whether it is right or left, whether it is aimed at the benefit of one part of society or for the benefit of another part of society, is extremism and with its help it is impossible to build the future of the people.
So far I have not heard such an understanding from either old or young politicians. But I'm an optimist.
Thank you, and the hope for the future is not by voting.
Let me be blunt, and just speaking as an American, although our gerontocracy has infected the entire western world.
I’m American and a 57 year old combat veteran. American soldiers to clarify swore allegiance to the Constitution (a dead letter) and never democracy… or… any government or politician.
Elections are… over… at least here… and if your children want to live they’ll elect a rifle. A gun means what it says.
Of all the evils of the West, the Worst is the cropping and crippling of the younger generation’s potential, so that the old Boomers and the rest could turn the world into a Florida retirement community.
If the young men marched on them all now killing all in their path they would not be wrong, for what did these wretches do but sell all their descendants into debt slavery or as you saw death… except for some of the pretty girls. But no, an aging electorate will NOT do the right thing, agreed.
So whatever your young men do, I have told you what the young American men should do, I shall march with them, or they may kill me if I’m in the way. Call it duty.
…. (Not many could say this and be believed, those who went to war with me would, and also I am you know a humble person, yes I mean it).
Ergo: Fuck Politicians, Fuck Voting, and Fuck Democracy.
Fuck to Death and Hell a “democracy” where the Retirement Home sells the young into slavery or death so they can buy another house, or pad their accounts, that being “democracy” now.
The Fraud is up. Choose your young… or your neighbors young.
Unless you’re young men, not given more time to delay the choice…. Make up everyone’s mind.
But democracy is done.
It’s only a question of how many die with it…
This offers a clearer understanding than I had before, or from anything else I've read. I share your pessimism, which is cold comfort, I know.
Security Security Security!
A very comprehensive analysis of the current political situation.
My choice for the next PM would be Bennet, though I believe it will be Gantz who will succeed Bibi.
I have one thought about your reference to the change in leadership after the Yom Kippur War. Menachem Begin's victory came nearly four years after the YK War. In my estimation, it had little to do with that war & everything to do with the awakening of the Sephardic voters who left the Labor Party & voted en masse for Likud.
The war was the trigger. The first election after the war was just months afterwards. It was a confusing time. The first real election after the war was the one Begin won. Had Golda and Dayan mobilized the troops that never would have happened.
Sephardic voters resented being taken for granted by the Labor Party which continued to be dominated by the European elite. Begin was very shrewd in tapping into that resentment & convincing them that both their simmering resentment & right wing political tendencies made them natural Likud voters. Begin's strategy would have been successful regardless of the YK War failures as the awakening of the Sephardi giant began with the emergence of the Black Panthers in 1971.
You are correct about Sephardi voters - but wrong that the war was irrelevant. It was the main cause of the Begin victory. Without it there would not have been the DASH party which got 15 seats and allowed Begin to win.
Very well balanced analysis. I agree with all the main points, although I really like to argue.
I'll read it again, maybe I'll find something.
Most interesting, especially as regards the depth of involvement of the IDF in politics—so different than the situation in the United States. Sure we have the occasional former flag officer in the Oval Office or the cabinet, but as an institution the US armed forced steer clear of politics.
It is a big problem here as the Generals are always looking ahead to what political party they want to join or support. Also, they are all sent on scholarships by the Wexner Foundation to Harvard - so we all know how their politics turn out.
The IDF has incredible officers from the rank of Colonel and down. A few fantastic Brigadier Generals. If you want to be promoted above that, you need to tow the line.
The main problem with the IDF's involvement in politics is that the re is no "commander in chief" as there is in the US. The IDF general staff report to the Defense Minister who, more often than not was a member of the General Staff. While the entire government has to approve the IDF Chief of Staff, he, together with the Defense Minister can appoint all other officers and therefore appoint their replacements.
The PM has no say in these appointments.
I sometimes observe the statements and actions of senior military leaders. There is a very noticeable line where a military professional ends and a politician begins. They begin to prepare themselves for politics while still serving in the army. It is very difficult for me to trust a general who thinks about politics, and after that it is even more difficult to trust a politician who was recently a general.
see my respond to Thomas Gregg below....
Well, that's true to an extent in the US armed forces. You have to play politics—internal military politics—to get ahead once reaching flag rank. But most don't go on to a post-military political career. We haven't had a former general as president since Eisenhower, and it can be argued that he was a special case.
Israel is a small country with major security problems and an army that's large for the country's size. It was inevitable, perhaps, that the generals would come to play an over-mighty role in politics.
Being a small country with nearly everyone having served in the army does make for problems in politics in that many of the best people are senior officers. The problem however is that there is a "friend brings a friend" mentality when you get to the topmost levels. Also - the Qirya (Israel's Pentagon) is in Tel-Aviv - which is the left wing city par excellence - San Francisco without the homeless and crap on the streets. This is where they socialize. As combat officers they didn't have much time to think about politics so when they get to a point where they can they are influenced by the Tel-Aviv milieu as well as the free conference trips they get to American left-wing think tanks.
I noticed this problem, but it is not the biggest or even very significant problem for a democratic society. Moreover, this is a temporary problem, which (I hope) will pass after society becomes disillusioned with far-left ideas and the left wing becomes moderate and abandons its obsession with its opponents.
The destruction of Labor is a remarkable political story. Who is the PM to simultaneously protect Israel and bring about civil reform vis a vis the Haredi, secular etc?
It could have been Netanyahu- but he got too caught up in himself.
There are others ... but we don't know their names yet.
As they say "what can't go on forever, won't go on forever"
Ike I think. Before that Grant? one a century?
Bush Sr. was the CIA director, not quite the same but given how the cold war was fought in practice it's pretty close.