Editor’s Notes: I believed in Israel’s third bloc until pollsters proved me wrong - comment
After the October 7 massacre and the war, I thought that it was possible for moderate parties of the Center-Right and Center-Left to form a broad unity government. Now, I'm reconsidering.
The author, who once believed in Israel's third bloc, now finds that the polling has forced a reconsideration of that belief. Initially, the author wanted a politically strong force capable of uniting moderate parties on the Right and Left to form a broad unity government. However, the October 7 massacre and subsequent war made the author confident that such a government could be possible, prompting numerous columns explaining the reasoning behind this belief.
Despite the polling numbers, the author still regarded a broad government as a reasonable position. But the polling data proved the author wrong, and a third bloc, expected to take shape, failed to materialize. The author had to ask how much wanting a broad government influenced their judgment. After August, conversations revealed people who had voted the same way for years were reconsidering their choices, moving further to the Right.
The author had also shifted their stance on the issue of conscription, supporting financial consequences for those who avoided military service during the war. They realized how far they had moved on this question, even if they had repeatedly written about it.
A third bloc was imagined to have specific demands, such as remaining united, supporting a broad government, and making the larger parties dependent on that support. However, the negotiations and political landscape exposed a familiar problem: leaders were incapable of compromising themselves. The order of names on a political list mattered, and the failed talks highlighted the politicians' decisions alongside the voters' choices.
In the end, the author underestimated the impact of the Netanyahu question after October 7. While the scale of the catastrophe and the demands of the war could create pressure for a broad government, a voter's choice of prime minister could still be influenced by their assessment of Netanyahu's performance on security matters. Unity calls alone could not resolve these disagreements, and parties seeking to force a broad government had to explain their willingness to serve under Netanyahu, set conditions, and handle rejection.
The election is still ahead, and poll numbers can change. However, the weak numbers and failed attempts to build a common political force are now evidence that the author must take seriously. A columnist cannot keep extending the deadline for their argument. The author still wants a broad government of moderate Center-Right and Center-Left parties, believing it would give Israel a better chance at making lasting decisions on military service, rebuilding, and securing October 7 responsibility.
However, the route expected to achieve this has failed in this campaign, and the author hopes for another chance in future elections.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
