At a time when the Jewish state is engaged in a struggle against the murderous terrorist regime in Iran and its proxies across the Middle East, there are those within Israel’s political system who have forgotten how to act with national responsibility.
Instead of rallying behind what may be the most critical campaign in the history of Zionism, some have chosen to weaken Israeli society during this decisive moment – and even to tarnish Israel’s image in the eyes of the world.
Indeed, Israel is a democracy in a region where freedom of expression is little more than a distant dream, and it is both legitimate and necessary to conduct vigorous public debate.
However, even this discourse must have its limits, and it should be conducted with the understanding that we do not have a “spare” country – as former prime minister and president Shimon Peres was fond of saying.
While in the current era anyone with a large social media following can disseminate their views widely, the central discourse is ultimately shaped by the leaders of the political system.
Because their words carry significant influence, they bear a heightened responsibility to maintain a unifying – not divisive – tone, even in times of deep disagreement. Much like the heated discourse surrounding the judicial reform in 2023 – when, among others, former prime minister and defense minister Ehud Barak expressed support for the phenomenon of reservists refusing to report for duty and called for civil disobedience on the grounds that Israel was becoming a dictatorship – there are, even today, those who harm Israel’s standing in the international arena, which is already far from sympathetic for various reasons, some of them rooted in outright antisemitism.
Just days ago, former prime minister Ehud Olmert – under whose leadership Israel destroyed the Syrian nuclear reactor, thereby removing an existential threat (much as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is doing today in confronting Iran) – called on the international community to act against settler violence in the West Bank. There is no doubt that the security of the Jewish state is of great importance to Barak and Olmert. However, statements of this kind undermine Israel’s just struggle.
While Olmert and Barak are regarded as figures of the past and no longer play an active role in Israeli politics, contemporary political actors are choosing to act with national irresponsibility in the name of petty politics. Chief among them is Opposition Leader Yair Lapid, who repeatedly employs divisive and inflammatory rhetoric.
Israeli leaders have made inappropriate and divisive statements in the past. One recalls Yitzhak Rabin remarking during the Oslo era that he “couldn’t care less” about the settlers, as well as Netanyahu whispering in 1997 to Rabbi Yitzhak Kaduri that “the left has forgotten what it means to be Jewish.”
Lapid’s rhetoric and its impact on national unity
It appears that Lapid surpasses them all in the dubious distinction of being the most divisive senior politician in Israel’s history. His record includes statements during the 2020 elections in which he referred to the right-wing bloc as “scum” and claimed “they stole the country from us,” as well as remarks during his brief tenure as prime minister asserting that “we will not allow the forces of darkness to tear us apart from within.”
Alongside his conduct during protests against judicial reform, Lapid continues, even now, to weaken Israeli society by claiming that the government – currently leading the campaign against Iran and its terrorist proxies – is endangering national security over the conscription law.
There is no doubt that the Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir’s warning regarding a manpower crisis in the IDF must be taken seriously and that tens of thousands of additional soldiers are needed, especially during such a complex security period. However, Lapid’s statements in response to these warnings risk signaling to Israel’s enemies that Israeli society is weak – precisely the message that must not be conveyed in wartime.
In conclusion, the words and conduct of the Leader of the Opposition play a crucial role in the resilience of Israeli society.
While Lapid and his party have long since lost political relevance – having declined from 24 mandates in the 2022 elections to polls now predicting a collapse to just six – he would do well to internalize the importance of national responsibility. It is incumbent upon him to adopt a more statesmanlike approach, rather than seeking attention merely to preserve his political relevance.
The writer is a lecturer and research fellow at the University of South Wales, UK, and is the author of Collapse: Israeli Labor Party 1992-2024.