Editorial: Next Knesset Should Belong to Those Who Serve

The Jerusalem Post's editorial forcefully argues that the upcoming Israeli elections must center on a fundamental question: will the next government be led by parties whose voters share the burden of national defense, or will it continue to include those who benefit from exemptions? This editorial champions the idea of a "covenant of those who serve" (Brit hameshartim), a concept that transcends left-right political divides and speaks to the core of Zionist identity.

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The covenant is not a left-wing or right-wing idea. It is a Zionist idea. It says, in its simplest form, that those who govern Israel must come from communities that serve it.

After years of conflict and significant sacrifice, particularly since October 7th, Israeli society is no longer willing to accept an arrangement where a portion of the population serves extensively while another portion receives state-funded exemptions for study. The editorial highlights the efforts of figures like Benny Gantz, Gadi Eisenkot, and Chili Tropper in bringing this issue to the forefront, emphasizing that true national unity requires shared responsibility.

This perspective is particularly resonant within Israel, where military service is a deeply ingrained aspect of national life and identity. The editorial calls upon all factions, including those within Likud and Religious Zionism, whose constituents serve and sacrifice, to align with this principle. It celebrates the fact that the war itself has broken down the pretense that nationalism and a belief in equal service are mutually exclusive.

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After two and a half years of war, with reservists who have spent over 300 days in uniform since October 7, and families who buried sons and brothers, Israelis no longer accept the old arrangement in which one half of the country fights and the other half receives a state-funded exemption to study.

The core message is clear: any party whose political contract with its voters involves protecting broad exemptions from service has no place in the government that governs Israel. The Jerusalem Post advocates for a government that truly represents the nation's defenders and their families, ensuring that those who govern are those who also serve.

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The national camp has its servants; it has its bereaved. The pretense that one cannot be both nationalist and a believer in equal service has been broken by the war itself.