Splintered left rails hopelessly at confident right in debate that mirrors pre-election voting trends

By: Matti friedman


Tel Aviv — An election debate on the Israel-Palestinian conflict Sunday offered a snapshot of the Israeli political system weeks before a national election: a confident right-wing bloc favoring a continuation of the status quo in the West Bank and dismissive of the consequences, and a fragmented collection of center and left-wing parties who object to the way things are but struggle to offer a viable alternative.

Gilad Sher, a former peace negotiator and one of the leaders of Blue White Future, said Sunday that Israel would pay a high price for paralysis. The status quo, he warned, is a “dangerous, anaesthetizing illusion.”