OPINION: Election results disappointing, but status quo not viable

In a few days, Jewish families will gather around their seder tables to teach their children about the pain of enslavement and the joy of freedom. As Jews, we prayed and worked toward the day when we could be truly free and live in peace and security in our own homeland. Now that we have achieved this prized goal, we have a responsibility to apply our own hard learned lessons to everyone, not just our fellow Jews. 

Canadian Jews should take the opportunity of Passover to discuss how best to support Israel so that it can effectively and sincerely negotiate a peace agreement that will be a foundation for security and democracy in Israel and Palestine. The status quo – a military administration of millions of disenfranchised Palestinians – is not a viable option. We owe it to our community, and especially our children, to provide them with all the information they need to make responsible decisions, not just relying on the dogma they read or hear from the far right or the far left. 

As representatives of JSpace Canada, a progressive Zionist group that is pro-Israel, pro-peace and pro-democracy, we are disappointed with the results of the recent Israeli election. The Likud party, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, received 23 per cent of the total votes, while the hard-right parties combined garnered just one-third of the Israeli electorate’s support (roughly the same as in the last election). Based on these numbers, voters cannot be said to have supported settlement expansion. And yet, political parties that espouse this view will most likely form the next government.

We understand why it was difficult for some Israelis to vote for change. And we recognize the legitimate security concerns of Israeli voters, especially considering the instability in the region. We share their distrust of Israel’s sworn enemies, including Iran, Islamic State (ISIS), Hezbollah and Hamas. But we also believe that a well-negotiated two-state solution is in the long-term best interests of everyone in the Middle East. Unfortunately, the possibility of a sustainable, peaceful two-state solution has now been severely compromised.

Like most Jews in Canada, we believe in peace, justice and democracy. And so we are urging all Jews to discuss the results of the Israeli election openly around their seder tables. We should have the courage to discuss a variety of ways in which Canadian Jews can support Israel constructively, so that it becomes a true democracy for all its residents while, at the same time, continues to be a homeland for all Jews.

Similarly, Canadian Jewish community leaders also have a responsibility to reflect the wide variety of opinions that exist in the Canadian Jewish community. Our federal political leaders and the media ought to hear that there is an honest difference of opinion within the Jewish community on how best to support Israel. 

In the Diaspora, supporting every action of the current Israeli government without deliberation is not necessarily being a good friend of Israel. The questioning of specific Israeli government actions by thoughtful Jews, including settlement expansion, is positive and productive. 

We hope that Canada will continue to reinforce its official policy and encourage the new Israeli government not to give up on negotiating a two-state solution, while striving for safety, security, peace, justice and democracy for all. 

Israel has a dynamic democracy for its citizens, including Arab-Israelis. We applaud the vibrancy of that democracy and respect the outcome of this election. And we look forward to future elections, which we hope will reflect a more positive outlook for the State of Israel. 

Issie Lyon, Karen Mock and Hart Schwartz are on the co-ordinating committee of JSpaceCanada.