The start of a new civil year is a good time to ask why almost no one uses the term “the Twenties” to describe the wild decade we have just crossed the midpoint
In any case, this week marked the end of the first quarter of the 21st century. Local historians will likely define its politics as the era of the death throes of the Israeli left.
On New Year’s Eve 25 years ago, Ehud Barak was prime minister, Yossi Beilin a senior minister, Meretz a central coalition partner, and the main agenda—after a full withdrawal from Lebanon—was negotiations toward full withdrawal from the Golan and near-total withdrawal from Judea, Samaria and Gaza. A quarter century later, no prime minister who defines himself as left-wing has been elected; the “Labor” and “Meretz” brands have vanished; and the IDF holds extensive territory in Syria, Lebanon and Gaza.
Only six Knesset members from that era remain. But with all due respect to Moshe Gafni, Ahmed Tibi, Meir Porush, Yuli Edelstein and even Israel Katz, this quarter-century increasingly looks like the story of a love–hate triangle among three figures who have shaped the right and the state itself—and who are still with us: Avigdor Lieberman, Aryeh Deri and Benjamin Netanyahu.