the invitation
About two weeks ago, I received an invitation to register for the "Rules of the Game" conference of the "Fourth Quarter" movement. I had heard the name "Fourth Quarter" before. I knew it was a civil movement that works for unity in Israeli society, but I didn't know what was hidden behind it.
Out of curiosity, I decided to check out what it was all about. I signed up. I received an invitation with an attached schedule, which made me raise an eyebrow – it turned out that it was a conference that was expected to last about 5 hours (!). On Thursday, 25/2/25, I showed up for a meeting at the "Kinor" hall on Halutzi Hata'a Street.
I am a skeptic by nature. I am also interested in unity, but sometimes I wonder a little how it can be done. In recent years I have experienced real difficulty identifying with certain parts of the Israeli public. So I came prepared to be disappointed.
The "Fourth Quarter" Movement
A crowd of what I estimated to be several hundred people gathered in the hall. It was a fairly diverse crowd, women and men, old and young, religious and secular. First, I was sent to sit at one of the tables, alongside other people, most of whom, like me, had no prior acquaintance with "The Quarter," and we had random conversations about the situation (the consensus: on the surface).
We then gathered for an opening conversation. The speaker was Yoav Heller, one of the founders of the movement, who explained to us what the movement he founded was and why we had gathered. He spoke with confidence and self-convincingness, and within a few minutes I removed my armor of skepticism and began to listen.
He described the "Fourth Quarter" movement as a non-partisan political movement that was established with the aim of reducing polarization and increasing cohesion in Israeli society and politics.
The movement was founded in 2022, during the Bennett government, long before the protests, before the "reform," and before 7/10. The movement's founders recognized that Israel was facing one of the most serious crises in its history – a crisis of internal trust, which could dismantle Israeli society and weaken its ability to withstand its enemies.
Yoa Heller himself is a major in the reserves, holds a BA in Political Science and Middle East Studies and a MA in Educational Administration and Policy, both from Tel Aviv University, and a PhD in History from the University of London. He is a graduate of the Executive Leadership Course at Harvard University's Business School. The list of public service positions he has held is extraordinary. Among other things, he founded the Branko Weiss Institute's (Tachlit) Programs Unit to promote educational achievement and social mobility among disadvantaged populations.
He established service year groups for youth from the periphery in several locations in Israel. Yoav was also previously chairman of the Wingate Institute. He currently serves as chairman of the "Fourth Quarter" movement on a voluntary basis and devotes most of his time to it. With such a record of accomplishment (and due to the short-term nature of the project, I only followed a small portion of it), I believe it is possible to listen to him seriously and recognize the sincerity of his intentions.
Where does the name "fourth quarter" come from?
Both times in history when full Israeli sovereignty was established in the Land of Israel – in the Kingdom of Solomon and the Hasmonean Kingdom – it fell apart in the fourth quarter of its establishment, between 75 and 100 AD. Both times this happened because of internal strife, which eroded social resilience and allowed external enemies to destroy the Jewish state. The story of the fall apart in the fourth quarter is not unique to Israeli society; over 30 countries faced civil war or came close to civil war in the fourth quarter of its establishment.
David Ben-Gurion once said when asked if he was satisfied with the State of Israel that he was one of its founders: Ask me when the State of Israel is 75 years old. Then the children who will be born will no longer meet the Holocaust survivors or the founding generation, and confidence in the righteousness of the path will require a new definition, not on the basis of what was, but on the basis of what will be.
And this is the mission that the movement has set for itself: to ensure that the State of Israel prospers in the fourth quarter of its existence and reaches its 100th year, in accordance with the vision of the Declaration of Independence – as a national home for the Jewish people, and as a model state that is a light to the nations of the world.
"The Fourth Quarter" sees itself as a democratic grassroots movement, whose members include citizens from all ends of the political spectrum and sectors of society, all of whom recognize the need to maintain a shared society together with those who hold different views.
"Rewriting the rules of the game"
The meeting itself was dedicated to the movement's "Three Steps" plan. This is a plan that attempts to rewrite the rules of the democratic game in the country. It is a document that was built on the basis of a team of lawyers who are members of the movement, and it is a "breathing" document, undergoing changes based on comments from the movement's activists.
And indeed, we devoted the next part of the meeting to examining the document in working groups and collecting comments. The facilitators assigned to each work table encouraged the participants to continue reviewing the document at home and to send their comments. The document speaks of three steps on the path to change. The first step is to address the current crisis of legal and political trust. To this end, the document presents a number of basic rules of the game that will allow the state to continue to function.
At the first level they offer:
- A mechanism for enacting basic laws by a qualified majority and, in return, a limitation on the Supreme Court's ability to invalidate them
- Regulating the status of legal advice.
- Proposal to improve the mechanism for selecting judges
In the second stage – changes to the electoral system and strengthening the Knesset:
- Strengthening the connection between Knesset candidates and voters: Possibility to mark 5 candidates on the selected list on the ballot and bump the candidates up in ranking accordingly.
- Limiting the term of office of a prime minister to 8 years, with a restriction on criminal proceedings against him during that period.
- Approval of the government's annual work plans by the Knesset
The third level deals with creating a complete constitution, centered on a Bill of Human Rights inspired by the Declaration of Independence, and the foundations of freedom, justice, and peace in light of the vision of the prophets of Israel.
- Ensuring basic human rights – equality, freedom of expression and freedom of religion.
- Reducing the right to appeal to the High Court on issues related to the government – only those who are personally affected will be able to petition.
- Reducing the High Court's ability to intervene in government decisions.
So far I have brought the things as they were presented at the conference.
The need for new rules of the game
In recent years, we have suffered a structural collapse of the constitutional system on which the State of Israel was founded. As a result of a historical omission by the founders of the state, we have been left without a constitution, and with rules of the game that rely on statehood and the tendency for "fair play" of the forces at work.
Here are some examples:
Separation of powers
In the current situation, the Knesset has lost its place as an independent authority, and its ability to criticize the government that controls it through an automatic coalition majority.
The ease with which a Basic Law can be changed
A Basic Law can be enacted by a simple majority. In terms of ease of passage, the "Human Dignity and Liberty" Law is the same as the "Rest Hours Between Two and Four," for example. On the other hand, a Basic Law is supposed to be a privileged law that strives for the status of a part of the Constitution.
A government can enact any illusory law, using its majority in the Knesset, as a basic law. This did not happen until recent years, because governments maintained unwritten rules of the game and a certain statehood. Therefore, the High Court did not even consider invalidating basic laws. But in recent years, governments have removed any pretense of statehood, exposing the weakness of the system.
The ease with which a Basic Law can be invalidated
The High Court enjoys tools that allow it to invalidate any decision by the government. Today, when the government behaves irresponsibly, there is an advantage in that, but this situation can be reversed, and therefore a balance must be reached in the long term.
There is no doubt – the need to change the rules of the game is real. Does the "Fourth Quarter" document provide a complete solution to this? I admit that I am not convinced that it is mature enough yet.
The thing is, neither do they, which is why they are opening it up for discussion in every possible forum, asking people to make comments for improvement and correction, so that the document reflects a broad public consensus. A large part of us has despaired of the situation. Since the announcement of the coup in January 2023, about 130,000 Israelis have left the country, mostly families of people who bore the burden and paid taxes.
But, as they say, despair is not a work plan. Civic movements like "The Fourth Quarter" and others (who should join hands later) are trying to present a work plan that comes from below. In a situation where we live under failed, opaque, and destructive politics, this seems a fairly logical path.
Can the movement really have an impact?
The "Fourth Quarter" and similar movements represent a new trend in the State of Israel. It is a trend that has been very prominent since October 7, or rather since the declaration of the coup d'état on January 23. Following the events of recent years, the public has come to understand that our politics are broken and corrupt, and that they cannot be expected to improve the situation in the country. The obvious conclusion from this is that change must come from below, from the people and from civil movements. This is a hopeful phenomenon, which I think is unique to Israeli society.
Informative in this regard is the response of Yoav Heller, the movement's chairman, to one of the questions raised during the conference. When asked whether the movement intends to run as a political force, he answered categorically no. According to him, the movement is a mass movement, which builds its messages on a popular Israeli consensus. When its messages take shape, and when the movement reaches a critical mass, he expects that politicians will naturally come to it. The movement will then demand that the politicians who wish to follow its recommendations adopt the tools it has formulated as part of their platform.
The left's hatred of all sectors of the right and everyone who represents them and their ideas will not allow for dialogue. Even those who are ready for dialogue are dogmatic to the point of ridicule and immediately accuse you of being an Iranian bot or a troll or a BIBist or other nonsense that disguises their being severely incited, and most of these are relatives of lawyers or judges from within the system, meaning - they are called upon to be guards from the Supreme Court, even if they understood its heavy damage, including a severe division, a division that the more extreme left is striving for and deliberately leading to out of a desire to collapse the country through those demonstrations and encouraging polarization. It is clear that the beneficiaries of recent years are the extreme right and extreme left parties, and from their perspective, as long as it continues like this, each of their desires to collapse and incite.
Because punishments that I thought were light-hearted and open to discussion have become a machine for hateful insults and one-sided slander – including you – I see no chance of that.
They are in favor of uniformity, not unity.
A clear blurring of identities.
Once they determined that there had been a political coup, and that the politicians were corrupt, it was clear who was meant.
Will they agree to the separation of powers and the return of power to the Knesset, even if the majority is right-wing?
Because everything begins and ends with the inability to accept the decision of the right-wing majority, of course!!!!
Hi Ilanit, there is no blurring of identities in the fourth quarter. On the contrary, everyone is there, right and left, it's just that these are people who decided that it's better to talk to the other side, and not just with themselves or with those who think exactly like them. In the quarter, we want to build a different politics, one in which we can build together, everyone. Regarding your question, yes, it's clear that the outline is valid in the entire composition of the Knesset, regardless of whether there is a right or left majority. The quarter strives to change politics, so that coalitions will be broad and based on broad agreements. You are invited to come to the meeting and see for yourself!
Only none of the sidewalks address the fact that the Knesset is a non-independent authority and there is an attempt here for symmetry between looters and donors. A constitution that will grant human rights but a weakened High Court that will not be able to enforce this constitution. Term limits that will of course only come into effect after Bibi and a freeze on criminal charges that will of course come into effect immediately. The Kohelet Forum and its ilk are behind this organization even if some of its founders have genuine goodwill.
Is there a connection between "the fourth quarter" and "Koheleth"?
Does the movement appeal to all Israelis, Jews, Christians, Muslims, those without religion, or only to Jews? Is the movement non-political? The lack of reference to the occupied territories is political, and more…
I didn't notice any reference on their website either, but these are already political issues, and we hope that those Gazan occupiers will slowly leave according to the US President's orderly outline, and we hope that after them the rest of the Palestinians will also be motivated and will leave of their own free will and choice. They have 22 states, and the time has come for them to be free to choose an orderly state from among the 22 for themselves, and there will be peace, freedom, and prosperity for all the peoples of the region, and we will live in our only country in security that respects the minorities who are loyal to and recognize it as Israel.
The movement appeals to everyone.
The goals and the carve-out – 10. However, experience suggests that the movement will in some way become a political movement, or that its individuals or leaders will spill over into politics. There is nothing wrong with this, but it is advisable to clarify.
Does the imposition of their political system that requires erasing the identities of others on what appears to be neutral make them apolitical?
And unity, in my opinion, is the last thing they will probably achieve.
There is no erasure of others' identities.
Come and see for yourself.
Congratulations to you, my friend Yoram Katz, for the article on the Haifa website. Happy and blessed Shabbat.