Israel's election should be about unity, not division

Israel's newly announced election on October 27, 2024, marks the first time in 53 years that a government, led by Benjamin Netanyahu, will serve its full four-year term, despite lacking a formal parliamentary majority. The article criticizes this government for its divisive approach, contrasting it with Golda Meir's 1969 unity government, which included Menachem Begin's Gahal bloc. The author argues that the current government's "poisonous polarization" undermined its own goals, particularly regarding judicial reform, which was handled "incompetently" and "self-sabotagingly."

• The article calls for a change in tone during the election campaign, urging an end to mutual demonizing and political violence from all sides.
• It advocates for a fairer, broader-based draft for all young Israelis, including national service for those unsuited for military duty, and suggests deploying Israeli-Arabs in their own communities and developing ultra-Orthodox army units.
• Politicians should commit to tackling solvable problems like the murder spree in the Arab sector, combating protection rackets, and breaking organized crime families, drawing lessons from America's experience with the Mafia.
• Finally, leaders should address everyday issues such as soaring housing costs, overcrowded classrooms, understaffed hospitals, and traffic congestion, rather than governing by "bombast and trashing anyone who dared to criticize them."