What are some features of the past year we would like to leave behind?
It started in Israel with the 2019 elections, and in 2022, three years and five rounds later, we still have no guarantee that a stable government will emerge. We should all hope that the parties find a way to form a stable government that will not only represent the country but also be able to govern. Government is important not just for its ceremonies and symbols, but also for more mundane things, such as ensuring that local authorities are adequately funded. And when instability becomes chronic, this trickles down into the public consciousness and leads to lasting tensions.
Another feature of the past year we pray won’t stay with us is the war in Ukraine. Launched without justification and without the slightest provocation on Ukraine’s part, the war is still referred to in Russia as a “special military operation.” Well, there’s nothing special about this operation. The war has led to the deaths of many women and children, caused a wave of refugees, and torn apart families and communities. The war has also caused a drastic slowdown in global wheat exports and a hike in energy costs in Europe.
This trend is accelerating, in Israel, America, and many other countries, and it’s time we let it go. In recent years, politics has been gravitating to the poles, with both right and left turning to extremes and forcing us, the voters, to pick a side. Those in the middle have found themselves in an awkward position in this era of zero-sum politics. The two sides not only refuse to cooperate, but deny each other’s very legitimacy.
This is very bad news for Israel, by the way, since for decades it enjoyed support from both Democrats and Republicans. But what remains of Washington bipartisanship? Every issue is now an ideological battleground. It’s okay to hold different opinions, and it’s okay to lean in on those differences during a campaign and argue heatedly. But it’s worth remembering that the day after the vote, those elected to govern have to find the broadest common denominator, and in many cases this means working with the other side, even if it doesn’t serve your narrow short-term political interests.
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