The newly elected coalition government in Israel is, for the first time in decades, uniquely devoid of extremist left or right wing elements blackmailing the center and preventing moderate and logical progress. So it is supremely opportune to consider the various just and pragmatic options that need implementing.

The following crucial propositions underpin Israel’s need for revitalization and should be the basis of any central and moderate political party’s platform: the principles of which should elucidate that politics in essence is a medium and a process and should not thus define the goals which must necessarily rise above the narrowness and manipulations of the cut-throat politicking so common in Israel.

The process must involve truthfulness and factualness, not negative advertisements – it must be about core issues and not primarily the opposition. Honesty, openness, transparency and especially issues central to the people are the new watchwords of successful 21st century politics.

1) All parts, without exclusion, of Israel’s youth, regardless of religion or ethnicity, must participate in either Army service or a comprehensive alternative/community service to be set up. The advantages, to connect disparate groups together and allow all to participate in the growth and security of Israel, cannot be overestimated.

2) Israel’s parliamentary system must be changed to exclude the smallest parties under 5% of the vote, to strengthen the government and its ongoing coalitions and reverse the excessive power that dozens of peripheral parties now hold.

3) Israel is Judaism’s prime representative and as such, must support a revitalization of the school education system to ensure that the curriculum includes a strong component of Jewish history and culture. Without this, Israel’s society will continue to pull apart with religious and secular defining themselves as opposites of the other rather than members of a more all-encompassing Jewishness which must subsume all of Israel’s Jews. Israel’s education system must also teach about Arab, Islamic and Christian history. It is important that all groups are included in the history of Israel and that people of all groups know about the history of other groups. Israel should work towards desegregating communities so that children learn alongside children of other cultures and backgrounds, which will likely promote a sense of national brotherhood, rather than simply tribal affiliation.

4) Israel must extend Tikkun Olam, as well as a “Peace Corps” component of its (hopefully) new community service, to build relationships and interdependence with moderate Muslim communities and natural allies such as India, Singapore and South Korea. China is crucial in commercial terms and is as yet anti-Semitism free, a perfect time to ensure that positive cultural views develop.

5) The Dead Sea and the rift valley (the below sea-level Arava) connecting to the Red Sea contains enormous potential for peace and economic prosperity. Canals bringing sea water to power hydroelectric and nuclear power stations can join Jordan and Israel (and the West Bank) in a mutually sustaining community. (See Regeneration of the Biblical Dead Sea)

6) The strength and security of Israel must not be undermined beyond reasonable limits by democracy’s demand for limitless free speech and action. Logical, reasonable and fully justifiable limits need to be set to restrict members of parliament and anyone in the government’s pay from giving aid and support to Iran and to unambiguous and definable terrorist groups. A legal and moderate balance should be achievable.

7) Israel’s economic rebalancing: over 3000 years of Jewish history is replete with examples of infighting and division tearing Israel apart. The disenfranchised, the poor, the minorities and all portions of society excluded from the incredible Hi-tech commercial success of Israel need to be re-incorporated, invited in and used to leapfrog their artificial ceilings and participate in Israel’s unique miracle. The divisions between the wealthy, those with opportunity, and the rest, must reduce to ensure that the free, egalitarian, and shared nature of Israel’s commonalities are enhanced.

8) Israel must once again be a “light unto the Jewish Nation” (not only to all nations). In the past, Israel’s survival depended on the Diaspora and its Jewish communities – now it’s the reverse and Israel must find ways to reconnect with Jewish communities of all religious or secular styles, worldwide, and to reenergize their Jewish identity and participation in the future of Israel. Both worlds are interdependent and symbiotic.

9) Whilst pursuing deeper connections with moderates surrounding Israel, Israel must ensure a parallel track is vociferously developed in devising and implementing an effective missile defense system that can cope with the huge volume (50,000) and variety of Hezbollah and Hamas missiles. The laser system may be the only viable solution to prevent mass barrages – either way, if successful, the leverage of threats and blackmail employed by these organizations would dissipate and hopefully evaporate such that peace talks are emboldened and moderates becomes the primary players once and for all.

10) Israel’s public relations need reinvention. The best public relations companies and media savvy individuals in Israel, conjoint with private and government financial support, need to be co-opted into a new publicity outreach department and think-tank. This new organization, with autonomy and confidence, must deal with Israel’s (and especially all the international) media outlets and journalists, with universities and colleges worldwide, in combatting anti-Semitism and anti-Israel propaganda and the rolling back of mistruths, half-truths, libel and outright propaganda. Israel’s deficient public relations is often at odds with its enormous success in other fields and needs to be revitalized.



A new government and ten new requirements – hope and huge possibilities.