Netanyahu’s government is guilty of settler colonialism and genocide. With the Knesset elections coming up, is the colony’s opposition the solution? Let’s take a look at key figures.
Neftali Bennet, leader of the “Bennett 2026” Party. He describes himself as “more right-wing than Netanyahu”. He said that Gaza’s children “are not children but terrorists trying to kill our children” and called in 2023 for a total blockade on Gaza. He was head of an umbrella organization of Jewish settlements called the Yesha Council, and supports the annexation of the West Bank.
Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the “Yashar” Party. He speaks of “equal rights” within the colony. He was chief of the staff of the colony’s occupation army and led ethnic razing operations in the West Bank. He supported the massive bombing of infrastructure in Beirut as a means of deterrence against the Lebanese resistance, and applied the same in Gaza as part of the “War Cabinet”.
Avigdor Lieberman, leader of the “Yisrael Beiteinu” Party. He spoke of a two-state “solution” on the basis of the ethnic razing of Palestinians with Israeli citizenship from 1948-occupied Palestine to areas under the “Palestinian Authority”. He supports the colony’s focus on “preemptive” military action and claimed that there are “no innocents in Gaza”.
Yair Golan, leader of the “Democrats” Party. He speaks of a two-state “solution”. He criticized the colony’s “killing babies in Gaza” but not the genocide itself. He says the colony’s army is “an occupying military” yet believes it is “justified”. He served as an officer in the occupation army which he believes is “a moral army that protects human dignity”.
Yair Lapid, leader of the “Yesh Atid” Party. He speaks of a two-state “solution”. He said that the media should present “only the Israeli side” as “presenting both sides would serve Hamas”. He supports annexation of occupied Syrian territory. He also expressed support of “Greater Israel”, which he defined as expanding the colony’s borders “as much as possible”.
Alon-Lee Green, co-leader of the “Makom Lekulanu” Party. He speaks of a two-state “solution” and “equal rights” within the colony. He supports “radical empathy” and spoke of occupation soldiers killed by the Palestinian resistance as “innocent victims”. His Party does not mention the right of return and has stated it will support the candidate “best poised to oust Netanyahu”—i.e. one of the above.
The above paints a picture of the colony’s opposition, clearly showing it opposes Netanyahu, not settler colonialism. One need not delve into that many details, however. Zionism is, by definition, the support of the establishment of a Jewish state in Palestine. One’s support of Zionism is enough to make one guilty, regardless of one’s statements regarding solutions, rights or peace.
The truth is clear: The problem is not the Netanyahu government for the solution to be a different government. The problem is the genocidal settler-colonial state of Israel and the solution is its dismantling and the establishment of its antithesis: One democratic Palestinian state, for all its citizens, from the river to the sea.