Israel’s biggest threats demand unity, not partisan warfare - opinion

Israel urgently requires a national unity government to confront escalating external threats, despite ongoing internal debates on issues like religion and state, and judicial reform. The author argues that the distance between Israel's Center-Left and Center-Right on crucial strategic questions is far smaller than election rhetoric suggests.

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But these are not ordinary times.

On core national security matters, a significant consensus prevails across mainstream Israeli politics. There is widespread agreement that a sovereign Palestinian state is not feasible in the current Middle East landscape. The October 7 massacre further shattered any lingering belief that territorial withdrawals alone could bring peace. Key strategic pillars, including maintaining military superiority, fostering a strong free-market economy, expanding the Abraham Accords, deepening ties with India and pragmatic Arab states, and strengthening relations with supportive European countries, are broadly accepted across the Zionist spectrum.

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Almost nobody in mainstream Israeli politics genuinely believes that the current Middle East can sustain a sovereign Palestinian state in the foreseeable future.

While differences in tone and diplomatic approach exist between the Center-Left and Center-Right, their fundamental understanding of strategic realities is largely aligned. This alignment makes the persistent political warfare between them particularly dangerous. The author points to the visibly eroding bipartisan consensus in the United States, where factions within both parties increasingly view military aid as conditional on Palestinian statehood. The potential for a future U.S. president, whether a progressive Democrat or an "America First" nationalist, to demand concessions or curtail support poses a significant challenge.

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The horrors of the October 7 massacre shattered whatever remained of the Oslo-era illusion that territorial withdrawals and diplomatic formulas alone could bring peace.

Under such circumstances, Israel cannot afford to appear internally divided. A government formed by a narrow coalition, perceived as ruling against half the country, would project weakness to adversaries actively seeking signs of exhaustion and division. Conversely, a national unity government would signal that despite internal debates, Israelis stand together when fundamental national interests are at stake. This unity is presented as essential for navigating the complex geopolitical landscape and ensuring the Jewish state's security and stability.

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The bipartisan American consensus that sustained Israel for decades is visibly eroding.