BICOM

Israel’s 2015 will be defined by the March 17 election and the formation of a new government, which will not be completed before May. That we have another election, after just two years, is in part a symptom of Israel’s deepest challenge: the conflicting visions within its society about its very character, in particular where to balance between being the nation-state of the Jewish people, and the state of all its citizens. This question lurks behind internal debates on both socio-economic and diplomatic issues.

That Israel’s weak coalitions struggle to take long-term decisions addressing the needs of its society as a whole, is not simply due to its electoral system. It is because Israel is a still a young country, with a diverse population, which is yet to successfully define a common vision for a shared society. Politicians of all backgrounds contribute to this failure with populist stances appealing to the prejudices of their own sectors.

This year’s election may only exacerbate this. Larger parties, vying for volatile centre ground voters, will emphasise the capacity of their leaders to cope with the issues felt most widely and immediately: national security and the cost of living. Meanwhile, smaller parties will gravitate to the narrow interests of their base. The centre-left will accuse the right of extremism which polarises Israel and isolates it internationally. The right will accuse the centre-left of naivety and weakness in the face of regional threats and international pressure.

As this continues, the big decisions wait a little longer.

To read more, go to the Jewish Chronicle.