Left, right, and the war in Israel
The facts don’t always back stereotypes or what we would like reality to be
Don’t read this if you don’t want to be confused with the facts.
Even in a mere overview, there are so many details, more than I like.
What is Israeli Left and Right?
In many countries, right-wing means let the richer get richer and the poor fend for themselves. This is what is meant by: people vote via their wallets.
It can also mean that the left fights for equality (and democracy) and change and the right for the elites and even bigotry and regression.
I Israel, both notions exist but the principle meaning of left and right here is that the left is more secular and the right more religious or traditional, but mostly, that the right is not naïve about the chances to ever live safely surrounded by Gentiles while the left is somewhat hopeful despite it all.
He’s left-wing or she’s right-wing has been used to degrade others. Let’s not do that. We can look at the situation without looking down on ‘the other.’ Reb Shlomo Carlebach said: ‘Left-wing and right-wing in Israel are as from a bird. It needs both wings to fly.’ Only unity will bring peace.
Generalities in Israel
The following ignores exceptions that exist in every group.
Victims of October 7: Mostly left-wingers, both who lived in kibbutzes around Gaza and the party-goers to the ambushed Nova festival. Most of the hostages’ families demand the government negotiate their release no matter the price. The Rabbis don’t all agree. Neither do all family members. For the too few soldiers at the Gaza border, see conscripts.
Conscripts: Young, idealistic, mostly left-wing and secular, with Mizrachic roots mostly traditional, but also Chardal (see there).
Professional soldiers: Mostly conscripts who stayed extra years, mostly right-wing. It used to be that only left-wingers would rise to the top.
Reserve soldiers: Mostly older (until 40), left-wing and right-wing present.
Security Leaders: The army top and heads of security organizations are—unique in the world—almost exclusively secular left-wingers. However, the next generation of IDF leaders seems to head toward Chardal soldiers.
White Elite: In the whole world, the rich vote right-wing. Not in Israel. Ultra-left, secular-humanistic, hardly connected to Jewish Law and the Holy Land. Many of their kids live quietly and peacefully abroad.
Barak, Olmert: Ultra-Elite-rich, ultra-left-wing, ultra-passé-irrelevant.
High Court: In the last decades, it had to be left-wing to protect minority rights. Sparred with and angered right-wing government. Left anti-democrats (anti-Zionists, Antisemites, Muslim-haters, and homophobes) stand in elections and even sit in government. (Misguided tolerance.) Upcoming because of many retirements is a majority right-wing Court!
Netanyahu: Painted as ultra-right-wing. However, while Mr. Capitalist, he prioritized saving lives over saving the economy (the opposite of Trump) and slashed the number of deaths in Israel by 70% or so. He’s a humanist but pragmatist. Will reign with ultra-Orthodox parties and homophobes while praising and supporting the first openly Gay Likud Knesset member. Does make racist comments and forgets to charm non-Jews like the Bedouin. Called a hawk by all anti-Zionist journalists but always the first to stop building the West Bank and the first to leave Gazan terrorists alone and not press on to total victory, which was dovish but turned out stupid.
Unity Government: A coalition. Presently, with Gantz, who is slightly left of the center as the most prominent minister (in the polls) and two token Arab-haters (see Ben Gevir and Smotrich) so, journalists focus on them.
Ben Gvir and Smotrich: These proud bigots should have been banned for politics in a democracy. Yet, only one institution is to blame: The High Court that, in misplaced tolerance, allowed them, against steady protests.
Chareidi: Most still don’t go to the army but study Judaism all day instead. Yet, everybody expects that the number of Ultra-Orthodox conscripts will skyrocket soon on a voluntary basis, which is good for Israel’s unity.
Chardal: Ultra-Orthodox and connected to Zionism, most are the most principled and dedicated Israelis. Now, they’re rediscovering pluralism.
Traditional: Ashkenazics tend to super divide in levels of ‘observance,’ but Mizrachi Jews don’t. Many are traditional, also when in secular dress.
Secular: It is questionable if any Jew in Israel is fully secular. In some form, 95% celebrate Passover Night, 80%+ Friday Night (Shabbat), and all of them do one of the greatest Commandments that one does with one’s whole body, to live in and walk the Holy Land. Those who want to live quietly and prosperously often left for greener pastures.
Arab Jews: The older generation has a language and much culture in common with Arab Gentiles. Yet, they are often also less naïve than Ashkenazics about the dangers of living in the Middle East, but also have more hurt about how their supposed Muslim friends betrayed them.
Muslims: Most Jews and Muslims prefer to live in separate quarters. Especially in cities in the North that are not always safe for Jews. Many mix at work, in university, in the health care system, and transportation.
Druze: Fully committed to Zionism. Sacrifice greatly in the IDF.
Bedouin: It depends on from which clan or area. Some are fully committed to Zionism and sacrifice greatly in the IDF. Some are hostile.
Christians: The common believer living here (and tourists) seems to be appreciative of Jews, though often dreaming of converting us. They know we support them while the Palestinian Authority has chased them away. But they often seem stuck in a religious rivalry with Muslims, convinced that Jews are on their side. Generally, they don’t know that Islam, in many aspects, is closer to Judaism than Christianity. Christian leaders in the Holy Land often peddle in anti-Jewish lies trying to placate Palestinian leaders.
University: Universities in Muslim-terrorist-occupied Palestine are off-limit to Jews. Israeli universities have Jews and Gentiles study together. When Muslim students expressed hatred for Jews, Houston, we have a problem.
Mixed Cities: When tensions are low, Jews and Muslims get used to each other, and that’s nice. With outside incitement, life could be dangerous.
Health Care: Muslim-terrorist-occupied Palestine hospitals are off-limit to Jews. But democratic-Israeli hospitals don’t discriminate. It doesn’t matter if it’s in predominately Muslim areas in the North or the rest of Israel. Physicians, nurses, staff, patients, and visitors will be mixed, and ethnicity is ignored as much as possible. One meets as humans. Someone who hates Muslims or Jews has a problem because they won’t get one-religion-only healthcare. It just doesn’t exist in Israel.
Tel Aviv: Left-wing, secular, with 25% LGBTQ. Secular and traditional Jews fleeing a hostile Diaspora often settle there.
Jerusalem: Tradition to Ultra-Orthodox, though, even in the most religious neighborhoods 20% are secular or traditional. Not enough place for the abundance of children to start their own families, so many new villages and suburbs are flourishing. The Arab part of the Old City is mostly unsafe for recognizable Jews.
West Bank: The liberated West Bank is fully democratic Israel. The part still occupied by the terrorist organization has no democracy or safety.
