Elections in Israel May Not Bring Policy Change

An analysis published by Al Jazeera suggests that elections in Israel are unlikely to bring about genuine political change from within the country. The piece argues that the competition between the bloc led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the opposing bloc does not present fundamentally different visions regarding policies towards Palestinians. Contrary to what external observers might assume, the article claims that the typical offering of diverse national visions by different candidates does not apply in the Israeli context.

Highlights

• The analysis suggests that political parties competing in the Israeli elections do not offer significant differences in their policies towards Palestinians.
• It states that candidates from both the ruling and opposition camps support the continued denial of freedom for Palestinians, the annexation of the West Bank, and operations in Gaza.
• Key issues such as the "two-state solution" or the establishment of a Palestinian state are reportedly absent from the election agenda.
• The international community's silence and accommodating stance towards Israel are cited as factors enabling the lack of internal policy change.
• True change, it is argued, can only come from external pressures, such as sanctions.

Details

The analysis asserts that the vast majority of the Israeli political spectrum supports restricting Palestinian freedoms, expanding settlements in the West Bank, and military operations in Gaza. Examples are given of candidates supporting Netanyahu calling for Gaza to be flattened, while opposition figures have argued that there are "no innocents in Gaza." Even opposition members considered leftists have reportedly criticized the international recognition of Palestine and support Israel's illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.

Campaign slogans, such as "Occupy. Expel. Settle," are highlighted as indicative of the normalization of actions against Palestinians within Israeli society, where the desire to commit what are described as war crimes can be openly expressed. The article claims that since its establishment, Israel has not faced consequences for its actions, and the international community has condoned this situation.

Why it matters

This analysis suggests that Israeli elections will merely change the face of the government, not its fundamental policies towards Palestinians, urging the international community to adopt a more decisive stance against Israel. It posits that external pressures, such as sanctions, could bring about real policy change. Otherwise, the current policies are expected to continue and potentially escalate.