The final results of the elections, in which it became clear that 19 MKs from 'Arab' parties would serve in the next Knesset, were received with astonishment precisely in the 'Change Bloc', whose leaders claimed throughout that they would not sit with Arab parties in a coalition and that they would strive to establish a 'Zionist coalition'.
'Zionist coalition' in full swing
These statements should now be examined in a completely different light. Both in terms of values and morality, and tactically and practically. The Change Bloc, which is also made up of various ideological rifts, will not be able to form a fully-fledged 'Zionist coalition' unless half of the Likud's elected officials, or the ultra-Orthodox lists that are clearly not 'Zionist', defect to it. So what's your point, Change Bloc?
The purpose of the formation of the bloc was, first and foremost, to end Netanyahu's time in power, to prevent the continuation of the coup d'état, to establish a state investigation committee into what happened before and after October 7, 2023, and also, yes, to fix the country - "You destroyed the country and we will fix it," we shouted in a hoarse voice at every march and demonstration.
The opportunity to fix the country
So here, Gadi & Co., you have the opportunity to fix the country, repeal laws that undermine democracy, serve all citizens and residents of the country, and bring it back prosperity, growth, and existence in security, both within it and with its neighbors.
This opportunity can be realized in several ways, and many are the tacticians who publish articles in the media on how to do so. The right way at this stage is to quickly establish a coalition of consensus between all the leaders of the bloc and the leaders of the Arab parties, completely change the attitude towards Israeli Arabs, and uphold the vision of the fathers of Zionism regarding the place of the Arabs in the Jewish state.
Herzl: "Elements of the Moral Character of Society"
In the utopian novel 'Altneuland', in which the 'new society' [i.e.: the national home/state of the Jews] is described, Herzl presents, among other elements of the moral character of the society, the governmental structure in which Jewish and Arab heads of society alternate, one serving as the deputy of the other. Incidentally, Herzl's Zionist vision is described in the image of Haifa even then, although Herzl had never been there...
But it is most important to point out to Messrs. Bennett and Lieberman that the father of the Zionist 'right', Ze'ev Jabotinsky, who was a clear Herzlian, a liberal and a democrat in his own right, actually founded this idea: Jabotinsky proposed a constitution for the Jewish state, which defines values of equality among the country's residents, sharing in power, prohibiting the encouragement of Arab immigration [transfer], and other humane and universal values that will be implemented in a state that will spread its light to the Gentiles: equal rights and obligations for all sectors and communities; proportional representation in parliament, joint tenure of the prime minister and his deputy on an alternating basis, equality between the official languages of Hebrew and Arabic, and more.
We live in a country where more than a fifth of its residents are Arabs.
Although many years, wars and terror have passed since then, and a belief like that of Herzl or Jabotinsky seems an unrealistic idea, at the heart of things we live in a country where more than a fifth of its residents are Arabs, of various ethnicities, a significant number of whom also serve in the IDF and security forces, and the vast majority of whom actually participated in the literal construction of the Jewish state. We all encounter them in all public services, in hospitals, clinics, pharmacies and research fields, and not only in these. The vast majority of young Arabs are interested in exactly the same things that the younger Jewish generation is interested in, and not only them. There is a clear aspiration to integrate, to be partners, to lead a normal life in security. The Arabs of the State of Israel are an integral part of society, and it is impossible to disqualify a fifth of the state's citizens from participating in the management of the state and being members of its government.
The mandates of the Arab parties
Eisenkot and the Change Bloc did not win the elections alone; on the contrary, without the mandates of the Arab parties, they lost to Netanyahu's bloc. They need a clear expression of support from the Arab parties before the president in order to assign them the task of forming a government, and for this reason alone they are entitled to receive an invitation to participate, a promise of representation and fulfillment of duties. If they do not express explicit support, due to their disqualification in advance, Netanyahu will receive greater support when they appear before the president and he is forced to assign him the task of forming a government.
An act that goes against the spirit of the Declaration of Independence
The a priori opposition to the participation of the Arab lists in the front of the necessary correction for the state constitutes not only a tactical error, at this stage, but an act that goes against the spirit blowing from the Declaration of Independence, which starred during the coup d'état and was carried by voice as the fundamental document of a huge camp that fought against it. The leaders of the protest and its spokesmen called on the Arabs to come out, to participate in the protest and in the elections - and now what? If the members of the 'Change Bloc' make a mistake, and reject the participation of these lists in the establishment of the coalition for the correction of the state, they will be found to be traitors to the spirit of the struggle that has been waged here by hundreds of thousands for more than 3 years, in all weathers and with immense determination not to allow Netanyahu, the most destructive leader to arise in the people of Israel since the false messiah Shabtai Zvi, to continue to run a tyrannical, distorted regime here, and one that is contrary to all the values of Zionism and the State of Israel.
On the other hand, they have a historic opportunity to change direction in the life of the country, to break conventions of discrimination and exclusion, and to give a chance to realize the dream of the fathers of the nation and the founders of the state.
Public courage
"Courage for change before disaster," Yitzhak Ben Aharon once called in a related context, and now public courage, determined leadership, and a far-sighted historical vision from the leaders of the "Bloc," as well as pragmatism from all partners and all parties who have joined together to bring an end to the coalition of destruction, devastation, and cover-up, are needed.
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Yossi, your article must be taught in schools. It's just a shame that the leaders of change are too small for the task before them.
I agree word for word with Professor Ben-Artzi in the country and every day in personal and public contact in the public space in hospitals, pharmacies, stores, commerce, public transportation, taxis, buses, trains, government offices,,,,In the disaster of 7/10/23, there was no uprising and we spent the years together. Also for the sake of visibility in the world, integrating the Knesset into the Knesset, the Knesset, ministers of environmental quality, I am convinced, will be better than Sarah Silman,,,And certainly in most government offices they will serve with knowledge and dedication. In this way, young people should be encouraged to integrate into the country because their cousins have no other country than the Land of Israel. They know. !!!
Real
Arab citizens of Israel have demonstrated loyalty to the state in their commitment to staffing civilian aid and thousands of essential jobs in the economy, from truck drivers to medical staff.
Only a Jewish-Arab partnership will save our country.
Especially in the October events, in the wall watch and in the doctors who turned out to be Hamas operatives in Soroka.. It was clearly stated – this is not a partnership when all the parties they choose produce is hatred of the state and a lack of integration into their platform. This is proof that they do not want a partnership. They want radicalization and incitement propaganda in the sector.
You can't convince the racists, paranoids, and fascists that their kind among the "chosen" people have miraculously risen.
But you have no problem sitting with exactly those in the sector parties. So you are hypocrites. If you haven't read the articles and haven't heard what they say in their internal rallies, you are probably deaf, blind, and willfully impotent.
You destroyed the University of Haifa with the push of the sector and the radical student agitation of Ra'em Hadash and the joint effort to the point where they call Haifa University Bir Zeit on the Carmel and many from the center are not interested in studying there because of the enemy's supporters. Thank you Yossi. Now let's also destroy what little is left of the State of Israel.
When it suits you, you bring in Jabotinsky and bring out what suits you. The 48 Arab Knesset members are working against the state in every area, incessant incitement, encouraging hatred in the world and especially in the Arab world against Israel, calls to boycott it and to issue arrest warrants for IDF soldiers, defaming them, preventing national service, singing praises to murderous terrorists, admiring the martyrs who murdered Israelis as their "sublime elevation." Yossi Ben-Artzi and his friends, who led to the Oslo disaster, led to the Hamastan disaster in the escape from Gaza, are now leading to the disaster of the loss of the Zionist state at the hands of a group of Qatari and Turkish emissaries. Shameful. Embarrassing. Of course, while ignoring all the promises to the voters of the parties on the Zionist left - they are allowed to lie to the voters, turn their backs on the reservists, and they will remain patriots because they are "in the right camp."