By Michael Freund
August 27, 2002
Originally published in the Jerusalem Post, August 21, 2002.
As if Israelis did not have enough to worry about, talk of early elections is now in the air.
With a parliamentary showdown looming in the fall over the national budget, and a dearth of legislators willing to back the painful spending cuts that will be necessary to preserve fiscal discipline, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has now raised the specter of a premature visit to the ballot box.
Regardless of whether this indeed comes to pass, voting must in any event be held no later than November 2003, as the law requires. But if there is one thing that appears certain, it is that the coming campaign will likely be no less divisive and bitter than its predecessors.
With the very future of the State again in the balance, Israelis will once more be subjected to the spectacle of name-calling, mudslinging and verbal abuse that have unfortunately come to typify the country's political culture. After all, why bother arguing a point when vilifying your opponent is so much more likely to generate some headlines?
Needless to say, disagreement is a natural part of any democracy. But what is decidedly unnatural is the manner in which the question of loyalty to the State has come to play an increasingly central role in Israeli politics.
An electorate divided over so many basic issues can ill-afford the luxury of having large portions of the population effectively tarred with the brush of betrayal and duplicity. It is time, therefore, to put an end to this rather uncivil situation.
In the United States and other Western democracies, voters may disagree about a broad range of issues, but they are at least bound together by that most fundamental of values - fidelity to the state whose leaders they are about to select.
Sadly, because of the numerous political fault-lines in this country, many Israelis appear to have forgotten this. And that is precisely why elections are the perfect time to remind them that however much we might disagree, we nevertheless share a common fate and destiny.
Therefore, when the Knesset reconvenes after the summer recess, it should enact a law requiring every voter entering a polling station to sign a "Pledge of Allegiance to the State of Israel." The text should be straightforward and concise, free of political rhetoric and unifying in its message, such as the following: "I pledge allegiance to the State of Israel, its laws and institutions, and I undertake to uphold and defend her from any and all foes."
Just as a person giving testimony in a court of law is required first to affirm that he is telling the truth, so too should every voter be reminded of the solemnity and importance of the act of casting one's ballot and choosing the nation's representatives. Voting is a right, but it is also a responsibility, and that is something that people often overlook.
Moreover, the fact that everyone taking part in the electoral process will be signing a formal declaration of loyalty to the State will necessarily put an end to all the invective about "treachery," thereby making for a somewhat more civil, and less vitriolic, campaign.
As a formal document, the pledge of allegiance can also serve more than just a symbolic role. Should a person at a later date commit an act against the State, his signed pledge can then serve as a basis for denying him some of the advantages of citizenship in the future, such as voting. There is no reason why those who break the law and undermine the State should continue to enjoy the same rights as decent, law-abiding citizens who are loyal to it.
Cynics will undoubtedly attempt to find a hidden political motive behind the proposal for an "Israeli Pledge of Allegiance." This idea, however, has nothing to do with Jews or Arabs, religious or secular, or right or left. But it does have everything to do with safeguarding and preserving the country.
No one loyal to the State of Israel could possibly object to reaffirming that loyalty on Election Day by signing a paper to that effect, as they would have nothing to fear from making such a pledge.
And anyone wishing to ensure that Israel remain strong and united can not help but appreciate the need to reinforce the public's respect for the State and its institutions, particularly in these difficult times.
The Israeli Pledge of Allegiance is fair, it is reasonable, and it is the right thing to do. And the time to implement it is now, so that the upcoming election, whenever it is held, will be as rewarding and constructive as possible.
Views expressed by the author do not
necessarily reflect those of israelinsider.
 
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