The man who predicted Netanyahu's 1996 victory understood something deeper

Yoram Dori argues that the leaders of the Change Bloc must also appeal to the Jewish heart of the Israeli public in order to win the elections. He recalls a 1996 analysis by Yosef Elhaded that predicted Netanyahu's victory over Peres by identifying the struggle over identity and belonging. Dori compares this to the historic Labor movement, which knew how to combine modernity with Judaism, and warns against alienation from tradition in the liberal camp.

Yoram Dori, in an opinion column in Maariv, argues that the leaders of the Change Bloc will not be able to win the elections if they address only the cost of living, legal and security issues. He recalls a 1996 analysis by Yosef Elhaded that predicted Netanyahu's victory over Peres by identifying that the struggle was over identity and belonging, not just policy. Dori compares this to the historic Labor movement, which knew how to combine modernity with Judaism, and warns that parts of the liberal camp behave as if Judaism and modernity contradict each other. He calls for appealing also to the Jewish heart of the public, and not to abandon the Bible, the holidays and tradition to the ultra-Orthodox parties and the nationalist right.