What does 'right-wing' actually mean in Israeli politics anymore? - opinion

The author argues that the term 'right-wing' in Israeli politics has lost its traditional meaning, as many self-described right-wing politicians and voters support policies that contradict classical right-wing principles. The author, who identifies as a capitalist, Zionist, and hawk on security, finds himself labeled a left-winger for supporting a Jewish-majority state through partition, an independent judiciary, and equal civic burdens including military service for the ultra-Orthodox. The piece traces this ideological inversion to the failure of the peace process, the Second Intifada, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's criminal trials, which have redefined judicial independence as a left-wing cause.

In an opinion piece published in The Jerusalem Post on August 21, 2026, author Dan Perry argues that the term 'right-wing' in Israeli politics has lost its traditional meaning. He observes that many self-described right-wing politicians and voters support policies that contradict classical right-wing principles, such as large public spending and welfare. Perry, who identifies as a capitalist, Zionist, and hawk on terrorism, finds himself labeled a left-winger for supporting a Jewish-majority state through partition, an independent judiciary, and equal civic burdens including military service for the ultra-Orthodox. He traces this ideological inversion to the failure of the peace process, the Second Intifada, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's criminal trials, which have redefined judicial independence as a left-wing cause. The piece critiques Likud for scuttling the 1987 London Agreement and for defending an arrangement where the ultra-Orthodox community receives public support while minimizing participation in the economy and military, which Perry argues will bankrupt Israel.