On Tisha B'Av, Israel's politics must reject hatred over unity - editorial

An Israeli political campaign video has ignited controversy, particularly as it emerged on Tisha B'Av, a day of Jewish mourning. The video, created by the Likud party, initially featured an AI-generated figure resembling Gal Eisenkot, the son of political opponent Gadi Eisenkot, who was killed fighting in Gaza in December 2023. The visual appeared to show Gadi Eisenkot turning away from a figure representing Israeli unity to embrace Mansour Abbas, leader of the Arab party Ra'am, suggesting a political alliance over national cohesion.

Many Israelis perceived the resemblance to Gal Eisenkot as deeply cruel, turning a father's grief into political ammunition. Likud denied that the figure was intended to represent Gal Eisenkot, subsequently releasing a revised version that replaced the figure with a woman. However, this revision did not address the core issue of using bereavement as a campaign tactic.

The timing of the incident is particularly sensitive, occurring during Israel's first election campaign since the October 7 Hamas massacre. Tisha B'Av is a day when Jews traditionally mourn the destruction of the Temples and reflect on the dangers of baseless hatred among Jews, a concept known as 'sinat hinam.' The use of personal tragedy in political messaging starkly contrasts with the national calls for unity that emerged after the October 7 attacks.

The editorial argues that the events of October 7 should have prompted a national reckoning, emphasizing how Israelis from all sectors united against a common enemy. It questions where that reflection and unity have gone, urging all parties to examine their pre-October 7 failures and their roles in deepening societal mistrust. The piece concludes that such a reckoning is impossible when bereavement is exploited for political gain, stressing that while political scrutiny is necessary, it should not descend into cruelty.

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