Trump proved what Netanyahu must learn: Incitement doesn't win elections
Could President Donald Trump’s loss and President-elect Joe Biden’s victory indicate a global change toward more moderate leaders that could also be felt here in Israel?
By YAYA FINKA DEMONSTRATOR takes part in a protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu amid Israel’s second nationwide lockdown, in Jerusalem on October 10.(photo credit: RONEN ZVULUN/REUTERS)
Over the last few years, it seems, we have become accustomed to candidates who promote incitement and violent discourse winning electoral races.While US President Donald J. Trump did some good things for Israel, the bottom line is that a chauvinistic leader who incites and divides the public cannot be seen as a positive force by those who believe in the values of justice and equality.While there is no doubt that using fear and incitement against entire sectors of the public brings voters to the polls, it is essential to remember that citizens of an entire country have to coexist, and while voting is considered the epitome of democracy, it is also measured by how the winners interact with losers following elections.As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promotes himself politically by widening the rifts among the Israeli public – inciting against Arab citizens, accusing peaceful demonstrators of being funded by Iran and all kinds of other groundless statements against anyone opposing him and his entourage – we can rightfully ask ourselves: When will it be too much?Could Trump’s loss and President-elect Joe Biden’s victory indicate a global change toward more moderate leaders that could also be felt here in Israel?The answer is complex.Yes, moderates can defeat the extremists, and yes, it is possible to defeat a leader who divides and incites as a form of political doctrine. A few crucial lessons can be learned from Trump’s loss, especially from Twitter tagging Trump’s posts as containing fake information, and significantly enough, from the fact that FOX News, Trump’s “home court” media outlet, displayed professionalism by classifying his claims of fraud as lacking foundation.This is a powerful testimony of the bipartisan will of the people for an honest, democratically elected leader, and of the resonating failure of the deliberate attempt to create an entire media complex supposed to promote “fake news” for one’s own political benefit, something Israel knows too well. But for this common will to prevail in our country, we have to invest resources and energy not only in saying “go” but also “come.”We should tell sectors of Israeli society which do not usually take part in the protests to come and join us. More Jewish semantics should be used to address moderate traditional and religious audiences, and a bridge of trust and truth must be built with the Arab sector.Only through uniting around the moderate values of democracy, equality and respect for the other will we be able to bring back hope and trust among the public and shape the leadership Israel deserves.In short, defend the values that you cherish, and come to the next protest, whether it is on Balfour Street or at the nearest intersection. It is time for the voice of the moderate majority to be heard loud and clear to ensure our country’s future.The writer is CEO of the Darkenu Movement, the founder of Lobby 99 and a member of the Public Council for Reconciliation. He formerly served as executive director of the Good Neighbor Association and as chief of staff for the leader of the opposition in the Knesset. He graduated into the IDF Infantry with honors and today serves as a major in the reserves. A product of the religious-Zionist movement, he is a graduate from the religious Kibbutz yeshiva and holds an MBA from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
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