Israeli Elections 2013 – A Benchmark

In a few hours we will know the results of the 2013 Israeli elections. We will gradually learn the composition of the next parliament to come. Barring a major surprise, what we do know is that nothing yet will change – not in the elected assembly, nor, more importantly, in the electorate. The elections and their results are but a mirror, reflecting the Israeli society. A populace ‘united’, if at all, not by underlying morals and ideals, but rather by a tentative religion / race, the definition of which in of itself not agreed upon by all members, nor its importance in relation  to any other values.

Anticipating the distribution of ideologies to be presented by the elections results, I presume once again to feel I share little in common with most other Israelis. Barring a major surprise, I presume to once again feel like most of what we have in common is a collective vague concept of “Israeliness”, a tautological reference with not much to back it up.

I am a staunch critic of (well, everything, and) Israeli society in general. Every few years the election gives me a(n arguable) benchmark with a nice mix of qualitative and quantitative properties by which to evaluate my existing preconceptions.

Let’s see how the 2013 benchmarks hold up.