One development that has received

One development that has received insufficient attention here is the realignment of Israeli politics that seems to be in progress. The Labor Party, recognizing that its “peace process” obsession will no longer fly with an electorate that knows it is fighting for survival, dropped its most dovish candidates far down the party’s “list” for the coming general election, to positions where they would have no realistic chance of being elected. In response to that action, Haaretz reports that two of these Labor candidates have deserted the party and joined the far-left Meretz. They have announced further that after the election, a new social-democratic party will be established as a “home to all those who seek to make peace with our neighbors and social justice at home.” The real significance of all this is that the center of gravity has shifted dramatically. Likud, always labeled in the American press as “right wing” or “far right,” now represents the mainstream of Israeli public opinion. Labor recognizes this and is trying to shed its dovish image to remain competitive. The far left never goes away entirely, the capacity for self-delusion apparently being infinite, but it is increasingly marginalized. It will be interesting to see whether Israeli politics are a precursor of what is to come here in the U.S.

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