Israel needs elections now to prepare for what is to come - opinion

• Published date: 29 March 2024
• Author: YEDIDIA STERN
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

The first instinct is to dismiss this possibility. After all, election campaigns require vying political camps and identity groups to distinguish themselves, often while slinging mud at the "other." On the face of it, a political contest would undermine social solidarity, which is an essential element of our collective ability to confront our enemy. Calling national elections now would likely signal the collapse of the "Together We Will Win" ethos. Even so, there is solid justification for immediately turning to elections

We do not know if we are nearing the end of the war (against Hamas), or if the events of the last six months are only a first, preliminary round of the battle that awaits us, against Hezbollah, and perhaps others seeking our destruction. Can we expect a period of relative calm, while managing targeted operations in the Gaza Strip – a routine security mission, or are we headed for a serious escalation against Hezbollah?

A recent survey by the Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI) shows that a large majority (63%) of Israelis believe that Israel should launch a campaign in the North, either immediately (29%) or after gaining complete control of the Gaza Strip (34%). It is evident that there is widespread distrust in a political solution and considering that the communities in the North have been displaced for almost half a year, with all its stinging real and symbolic implications, Israelis want decisive action.

If this preference is realized, it is predicted that Israel will endure a daily barrage of about 3,000 missiles, some of them massive and precision guided, for an extended period of time. In this case, Israel will face a magnitude of damage it has never known before. It will require an enormity of mental and physical strength well beyond what the current generation has experienced.

We must ready ourselves for this not just in the obvious context of military preparation and civil defense, but also in terms of national resilience. In my view, this is the most crucial background for considering the question of moving to elections.

Currently, public confidence in the prime minister and the government is extremely low: 30%-35%. In other words, two-thirds of Israelis do not trust the supreme command charged with managing the difficult campaign that may befall us. This is a decisive figure that cannot be ignored.

The decision whether to launch a proactive war in the North or to avoid one is pivotal for our national existence, and its...