If one wishes to evaluate the level of intolerance and disdain for one another in Israel, one simply has to monitor the daily events surrounding the general elections set for 11 Shevat 5773. The usual level of intolerance is dwarfed by an unprecedented level of seeking to stifle the opponent’s voice. The desire to succeed in the general elections is manifest by the tenacious efforts to disqualify those who clutch a different hashkafa in life.
In the latest ‘take out your opponent’ move, the left-wing Meretz Party has turned to the Central Election Committee seeking to disqualify the election campaign of the right-wing HaBayit HaYehudi Party. Meretz feels that by showing IDF soldiers in its ad campaign, Bayit Yehudi “is seeking to capitalize on military service for its own gain.”
“Bennett’s and his party’s attempt to identify exclusively with the IDF compromises the strength of the military, representing it as a political army that identifies only with the political right-wing”, Party director-general Yariv Oppenheim stated.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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One Response
The problem is that most Israelis, including Meretz (with its roots in 19th century Marxism), don’t believe in “Democracy”. They have no experience with it. Elections are what you do if you haven’t been able to get rid of the opposition by other means – and for the most part, that means they are something Israel has to put up with.