Thoughts on anti-zionist political parties in Israel?

[u/stxrfish]

What do you all think of the liberal centrist part Yesh Atid and the leftist Hadash party, which allies itself with the Arab Ta'al party? Shouldn't the pro-palestinian groups form strategic relationships with these parties, and generally, the people who want peace from the inside of Israel? I feel like a lot of pro-palestinian groups can be quite reductionist. I understand that many are staunchly and uncompromisingly against the existence of Israel entirely. I just feel like things would be vastly improved at least if these groups worked together.

I don't know much about these political parties and would really love to hear about how they are perceived and any facts or opinions people have on them.

[u/Thisisme8719]

If I was voting in Israeli elections, I'd vote either for Balad or the Joint List (for Hadash). I don't care that much about Taal even though I like Tibi.
I'm not a fan of Meretz at all and would never consider voting for them, but they do have a voter base that is worth engaging with.

There's nothing good to say about Yesh Atid other than that they're staunchly secular. They're a politically "centrist" party which isn't different from the more liberal flank of Likud (like the ones who joined Kadima).

[u/stxrfish → u/Thisisme8719]

As an ignorant American, would you be able to help me understand the actual policy positions toward Palestine of Hadash v. Meretz v. Yesh Atid? Like how do they all differ in illegal occupied territories, what do they see as the future of the conflict (two state solution, etc.)?

[u/Thisisme8719 → u/stxrfish]

Well all 3 of them support a 2SS.
Meretz and Yesh Atid do not support total withdrawal to the Green Line and the complete evacuation of the settlers. And while they might mention self-determination for the Palestinians, they also see the solution as advantageous for Israel in terms of demography, the Jewish-democratic conundrum, the costs of maintaining the occupation, and the value in "separation" or "divorce" from the Palestinians. Yair Golan, the current head of the Democrats party (Labor-Meretz merger) reaffirmed the commitment to keep some of the settlement blocs, but also said the occupation will continue for the foreseeable future.
Hadash supports a 2SS based on the Green Line. They don't support Israel keeping any of the territory. But they don't demand imposing anything on the PLO, so they'd back whatever concessions they'd make (although I hope they won't make any concessions about settlements anymore now that the ICJ ruled that all of them must be evacuated). They don't support it for maintaining a Jewish majority in Israel or anything like that. I wouldn't be surprised if they'd back a 1 democratic state solution if that was seriously on the table.

[u/loselyconscious → u/Thisisme8719]

Hadash and Balad also (maybe primarily, after bread and butter issues) campaig for Israel to cease to be a "Jewish State" and to become a "state for all its citizens," which seems very much like a step towards a binational single democratic state.

[u/Thisisme8719 → u/loselyconscious]

I haven't seen Hadash members advocate for a one democratic state solution. They support a 2SS, and I've seen party members say it's out of respect for the right of self-determination for Palestinians and Israelis (meaning all Israeli citizens, not just Jews). But I wouldn't expect them to oppose it if it was on the table as a viable thing.

1SS vs 2SS was supposedly an internal debate within Balad when Zahalka was the chairman. He said the supporters of a 1SS thought that a 2SS wouldn't solve the main issues, and the supporters of a 2SS thought that the 1SS hasn't become viable yet. I'm not sure if that's changed in recent years though.

[u/loselyconscious → u/Thisisme8719]

Yes, that's what I said. Hadash and Balad support, Israel, in the context of a 2SS becoming a "a state for all it's citizens"

[u/Thisisme8719 → u/loselyconscious]

Oh my bad, misunderstood what you meant