Ben Haim: Hegemony won't let Eisenkot break Mizrahi boycott

Commentator Avishai Ben Haim addressed the dilemma facing Gadi Eisenkot: whether to swear in a minority government with Arab parties, or pursue a unity government with Netanyahu, an option that appears distant and impractical.

In his remarks, Ben Haim said: "The hegemony chose a Mizrahi candidate to implement its anti-Mizrahi policy. The hegemony put forward a Mizrahi as its candidate for prime minister so he would carry out for them the plan to boycott, marginalize and push aside the proud Mizrahim who are not subservient to it and dare to think and even vote as they please."

"The hegemony put forward a Mizrahi as its candidate for prime minister so he would help it boycott the cities and towns packed with Netanyahu supporters, to boycott Dimona and Ofakim and Sderot and Netivot and Yeruham and Beit Shean and Kiryat Shmona and the neighborhoods in the Mizrahi periphery in the center and the Mizrahi middle class everywhere that remained loyal to its identity and values. To the neighborhood. To the family. To tradition."

"That's why they chose a Mizrahi, to use him to boycott the Mizrahim. To boycott those they once called Beginists and chachachim and today call Bibists and arsim and Nehoraim."

He continued: "Now we see the tragedy before us. The tragedy of the Mizrahi candidate: The hegemony will permit the Mizrahi candidate what is called in political philosophy 'the useful lie' - useful to them, to the hegemony."

"The hegemony will allow him the lie of going with the Haredim and will permit him to break the promise to act for the soldiers and trample the promise of the covenant of those who serve. The hegemony will allow him the lie of going with the Arabs and implementing for them the great replacement plan, will permit him to break the promise not to establish a government of 48 (who imagined the magnitude of the failure, in the bloc of change for the worse, think of a minimum of 58) that will rely on Ra'am and the Joint List."

"But the hegemony will not allow him to break the boycott on the Mizrahi Bibists. They will allow him everything, only one thing they will not allow him: to embrace his Mizrahi brothers and sisters, his Mizrahi soldiers and commanders. The countless Mizrahi families who fought shoulder to shoulder for three years and gave their soul and body and spirit for the state."

"The hegemony will not allow him to extend a hand to them, the hegemony will not allow him to embrace the Mizrahi public from the fields from which he came and to which the hegemony forbids him to return."

Ben Haim concluded: "This is the great test of dear Gadi Eisenkot. Will he dare to defy the hegemony, stand before it and say: Sorry, but no. My brothers and sisters I am asking for? The unity of Israel I am asking for? The true and unifying covenant of those who serve I am asking for?"