Fateful elections ahead: Time for soul-searching
An opinion column by Ariella Ringel Hoffman examines the sharp criticism from left-wing elements against the "Yashar!" list headed by Gadi Eisenkot, claiming it includes religious right-wing figures. The writer argues that this ideological purism prevents the center-left from uniting and winning elections, and warns against missing the opportunity to replace the current government.
An opinion column by Ariella Ringel Hoffman, published on the eve of Yom Kippur, sharply attacks the early criticism from elements in the Israeli left against the "Yashar!" list headed by Gadi Eisenkot. The writer quotes a post by Dr. Maya Mark, a legal scholar, who called the list "religious right-wing" and claimed that Eisenkot "finished before he even started." Ringel Hoffman calls Mark and her ilk a "brain-eating plague" and argues that this ideological purism prevents the center-left from uniting and winning elections. She condemns the early disqualification of candidates like Matan Kahana and Hili Tropper, and emphasizes that to win elections one must also appeal to those who do not think exactly like you. The writer calls for public soul-searching and warns that continuing this behavior will lead to missing the opportunity to replace the current government, which she calls "the worst we have ever had."