Put the Genie Back in the Bottle

Avi Shilon argues that the discussion about Gadi Eisenkot's 'Moroccan-ness' is a fiction created by those with political interests, irrelevant to the reality of 2026. He emphasizes that Eisenkot's identity is Israeli, and that origin is not the decisive factor in voter preferences. Shilon notes that in the past, such as in 1981, the ethnic discourse did not actually affect election results.

In an opinion column, Avi Shilon attacks the discussion that developed last week about Gadi Eisenkot's 'Moroccan-ness,' calling it a fiction of those with political interests. He argues that origin is only one component of identity, and in Eisenkot's case, the Israeli dimension is central. Shilon mentions his life stations: Tiberias, Eilat, the military, Golani, and admiration for Ben-Gurion. He supports the words of Yinon Magal, who said that Eisenkot is not 'really Moroccan,' and emphasizes that Eisenkot's children realized an Israeli identity: they live in Israel, served in combat units, and his daughter had a civil wedding. Shilon rejects the claim that a civil wedding is not 'Moroccan,' reminding that Moroccan Jews preserved tradition but also adopted moderation and openness. He adds a statistic: only slightly more than one hundred thousand Jews born in Morocco live in Israel, most over 65. Finally, he claims that ethnic discourse has not affected past elections, and that those who raise it fear discussing relevant issues.