Israel needs leaders who can unite the nation, not deepen its divisions - opinion

In an opinion piece, Greer Fay Cashman argues that Israeli leaders must stop deepening societal divisions and seek compromise for lasting peace. The article opens with Miriam Peretz's plea for statesmanship and unity, directed at incoming prime minister candidate Gadi Eisenkot. It criticizes Knesset outbursts by Naftali Bennett and Gilad Kariv, and accuses Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of anti-Arab incitement and 'fake news.' Cashman draws parallels between Jewish and Arab terrorism, citing the 1946 King David Hotel bombing and Ehud Barak's past remarks. The piece concludes that without compromise, the conflict remains lose-lose, but with compromise it could be win-win.

In an opinion piece published on November 14, 2026, Greer Fay Cashman argues that Israeli leaders must stop deepening societal divisions and seek compromise for lasting peace. The article opens with Israel Prize laureate Miriam Peretz's plea on KAN Reshet Bet for statesmanship and unity, which she conveyed directly to incoming prime minister candidate Gadi Eisenkot at the swearing-in of the 26th Knesset. Peretz urged Eisenkot to lead the nation, not just his party, and to think before speaking. The piece criticizes Knesset outbursts by Naftali Bennett and Gilad Kariv, and notes that Joint List members walked out during the national anthem while Ra'am chairman Mansour Abbas stood silently. Cashman argues that the anthem's lyrics could be altered to include non-Jewish citizens, but asserts that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Avigdor Liberman's anti-Arab attitudes prevent progress. The article accuses Netanyahu of incitement and 'fake news,' and criticizes President Isaac Herzog for pressing Abbas to label Hamas a terrorist organization despite Abbas's security concerns. Cashman draws parallels between Jewish and Arab terrorism, citing the 1946 King David Hotel bombing and Ehud Barak's past statement that he might have joined a terrorist organization if he were a Palestinian. The piece concludes that without compromise, the conflict remains lose-lose, but with compromise it could be win-win.