The coalition that has ruled Israel is clearing its desk and preparing to hand over power. Their story is a story of political failure, but it is also a bold and moving story that deserves to be told.
It’s about an alliance of sworn political opponents who worked together. They offered an alternative to the zero-sum partisan struggles that have complicated democratic progress around the world, including in America.
why i wrote this
It occurs in democracies around the world. A majority agrees with the policy, but partisan warfare prevents action. The outgoing Israeli government models what can happen when the opposition prioritizes vision, generosity and courage.
In fact, they passed the government budget for the first time in three years, creating more jobs, overseeing a strong response to the pandemic and reducing the government’s deficit. However, the gladiatorial partisanship fought back, denouncing the compromise as betrayal.
Still, it’s a lesson in what can happen when cooperation takes precedence.
Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett called this the 70/70 rule. This is found in many democracies. That includes putting aside the hot-button issues that ultimately have to be addressed in favor of the remaining 70% issues of infrastructure, schools, crime, inflation, etc., which 70% of Israelis agree with. There was
“It’s time to neutralize the most politically sensitive issues,” Bennett wrote in the opinion piece. “
This is a bold and inspiring tale of political failure.
And it’s very much worth talking about, even as its creator, Israel’s breakaway coalition, prepares to clear its desk and hand over power.
That’s because over the past 18 months, an alliance of political rivals has united and worked together. They chose cooperation over political struggle. They decided that getting political points wasn’t as important as getting things done.
why i wrote this
It occurs in democracies around the world. A majority agrees with the policy, but partisan warfare prevents action. The outgoing Israeli government models what can happen when the opposition prioritizes vision, generosity and courage.
They showed that there is an alternative to the zero-sum factional fighting that increasingly hinders the day-to-day operations of governments, not only in Israel, but in other democracies around the world, including America.
And they will retire less than halfway through their four-year term. They have delivered on their promise to get democratic government working again, passing the government’s first annual budget in three years. They increased jobs, he oversaw one of the world’s most successful pandemic responses, and cut a growing government deficit.
They’re looking to pull back as gladiatorial partisanship strikes back, with protests and social media attacks denouncing the compromise as a betrayal.
The campaign was most vocal from the political right, and negotiations to form a coalition were even underway. One of his backers in parliament jumped ship quickly, and the government took office last June, in a 120-man Knesset with just one seat in which he won a majority.
When orthodox conservative MPs withdrew their support in April, the coalition no longer had a majority. In a string of other departures, new elections – Israel’s fifth in four years – took place at the beginning of November, paving the way for the return of right-wing populist Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
But if the early collapse of the coalition is a lesson, there are more hopeful lessons.
The first is that politics in the 21st century need not be fought in a partisan cage.there is teeth Another way, but it requires a politician’s vision, generosity of spirit and not a little courage.
For Israel, three such leaders were the key to making it possible.
Benny Gantz was the center-left politician who won the most seats of any coalition member in the 2021 election. But to seal the deal, and in hopes of quelling far-right anger, he agreed to let Naftali Bennett, the leader of a smaller right-wing party, hand over the reins as prime minister. Half term.
Among others was Mansur Abbas, leader of the Islamic Party. He became a member of the first governing coalition in the history of Israel, composed of Arab citizens who make up about one-fifth of the population.
Still, the alliance is noteworthy, albeit on a personal level – in a New York Times article a few days ago, Mr Bennett said he had met Mr Abbas and described him as “a brave leader about my age”. It turns out that “mensch” – the lesson with the most powerful repercussions for America and other divided democracies is more practical.
It’s about how they got things done.
Bennett calls it the 70/70 rule. It included controversial issues on which coalition partners and Israeli voters clearly could not agree: the future of relations with the Palestinians, the divide between religious Jews and secular Israeli his Jews. etc. was included.
The focus was on other 70% issues (transport and infrastructure, schools, crime, cost of living) with which 70% of Israelis agreed.
“When neutralizing the most politically sensitive issues, left and right ministers saw each other as decent people working for the good of Israel, not as the devils we have called each other. ,” Bennett wrote.
A compelling roadmap. And in at least one important way, it should provide reason for optimism. The 70/70 rule applies to other divided democracies as well.
For example, in the UK, the hot button equivalent of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians is Brexit, with the UK leaving the EU in a 2016 referendum. It’s still a political third rail. But recent polls show that a growing majority of people regret the messy divorce that ensued, or at least hope to restore key trade and other membership advantages with Europe post-Brexit. I hope
In the United States, polls consistently show a comfortable majority in favor of issues such as background checks for gun owners, the path to citizenship for “dreamers,” and the right to marry for same-sex couples, as well as better infrastructure. You can
As for same-sex marriage, it actually led to a 70/70 moment in the U.S. Senate, which relied on rare bipartisan support to pass a bill this week that would write that guarantee into federal law.
And in the recent midterm elections, many candidates won, backing promises just to address voters’ everyday concerns: roads, housing, cost of living, crime, Alaska’s only congressional election. , downplayed partisan issues. ,fishing.
Yet, as the short-lived Israeli coalition has shown, the headwinds to the politics of cooperation remain strong.
Mr. Bennett still has hope. “It imprinted a unique image and model of how a highly polarized society can work together,” he wrote. “Once a beautiful image is carved into your heart, it cannot be erased so easily.”
But that hope was perhaps best captured by Albert Einstein, perhaps a recognition of the times, the political vision and the grit that would be needed.
There is a famous saying, “Failure is success in progress.”