Millionaires in the Pool: Mizrahim as a Fig Leaf | Prof. Moshe Cohen-Eliya

Prof. Moshe Cohen-Eliya argues that the old hegemony in Israel is changing its face but not its power, using figures like Gadi Eisenkot and Naama Lazimi as a Mizrahi 'showcase.' He distinguishes between descriptive and substantive representation, claiming that opening gates to Mizrahim does not alter the real power structure. The author criticizes Lazimi for her response to criticism, concluding that the pool still belongs to the old millionaires.

In an opinion piece in Maariv, Prof. Moshe Cohen-Eliya argues that Israeli society has changed, and Mizrahim have entered academia, the military, media, and politics, but this does not indicate a replacement of the hegemony. He distinguishes between descriptive representation, which counts how many Mizrahim sit around the table, and substantive representation, which asks who set the seating order and who remains the boss. As an example, he cites Gadi Eisenkot, son of a Moroccan family, whom he calls 'the ideal candidate for the old hegemony,' as he gives it a more Israeli, security-oriented, and Mizrahi face without threatening the power structure. He also criticizes Naama Lazimi, whose response to Ehud Barak's remarks was reserved and delayed, turning into an attack on the 'poison machine,' thus proving she is a 'useful idiot' for preserving the hegemony's power. The article concludes that the hegemony invites Mizrahim in, but only on condition they do not ask who is the boss, and that the pool still belongs to the old millionaires.