What’s not on the ballot in Israel: Peace

In Israel's upcoming election on October 27th, peace is notably absent from the campaign discourse. Despite the Arab minority, comprising about 20% of the electorate, this issue is conspicuously absent from both Arab and Jewish candidate platforms. Both sides focus primarily on domestic affairs, personal issues, and former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's leadership.

Geopolitical analysts and scholars note an alarming trend of Israel's trajectory in foreign and security policies. Opposition politicians, while blaming Netanyahu for Israel's increasing diplomatic isolation, actually support his security policies in Gaza, West Bank, and Southern Lebanon. These politicians argue that their approach to these issues could have been better but still back Netanyahu's overall strategy.

The election campaign, as described by Michael Milshtein, a retired Israeli army colonel, has been bizarre and focused on domestic and personal issues, leaving the critical relations between Israel and Palestinians largely untouched. This lack of serious debate over potential solutions, such as a two-state solution or U.S. President Donald Trump's peace plan, has alarmed observers outside of Israel, particularly Arab leaders.

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert attributes this lack of peace discussions to the psychological trauma of the October 7th Hamas attack and the perceived political rightward shift in public opinion. He warns that delaying these discussions could further isolate Israel in terms of diplomatic relations and traditional alliances, potentially exacerbating its security concerns.

While Jewish-Israeli public support for military action against Iran, Hezbollah, and other security threats remains high, the absence of peace discussions remains a significant issue in the upcoming election.