This week, the left has been forced to admit that the young Knesset is an image bubble • But it's hard not to think of a blue-and-white chair as its improved model - only without the courage to speak • Commentary

• Autumn Shapir, Benny Gantz // Photo: Gideon Markovich, Oren Ben Hakon

In fact, benign autumn is no longer worth any analytical effort but as part of a symptom or symptom of a fundamental left defect. The place to start is the question: Do you remember now? Somehow, over the past two weeks, as she approached a "political carcass" status (as one of the veterans of the work said about her), a new consensus has emerged here: as of this week, Shafir is unbearable, annoying, childish, superficial, opportunistic, even married, pretentious Without coverage, and probably not such a big political asset. The big surprise is that none of it really struck with astonishment; Suddenly, it is all very urgent to announce that they have actually known all along the truth about the "true fall," heard from sources, talked to colleagues, knew the rumors.

If "no one was surprised" and "we always knew she was hated," why is it that only this loathing is loosened like a pipe clogging? It says a lot about the blatant opportunism of a symbiotic bloc of politicians and journalists, who, on the one hand, can't admit that the legends they told themselves around the "blustery redhead" are infantile nonsense and, on the other hand, reluctant to reveal certain truths when it serves no common purpose.

Autumn Shapir announces continued political path // Photo: Moshe Ben Simhon

It should also be puzzling about the degree of responsibility of that group, or as it is called in the corporate world - accountability - that is, the degree of fairness and failure reporting standards. There are quite a few journalists and politicians in this neighborhood, especially those who like transparency, who all along have secretly thought it was a simplistic and loud politician unable to fit into a productive work environment. All the while, they continued to sell it as a sought-after political icon and as Israel's future leadership model. What does this say about the public accountability of her media outlets, especially the people who loathe her behind her back but push her to the public like an unnecessary supplement to private health insurance?

מו Like dogs released from a leash, all of them suddenly feel free to open their mouths and take out what has been extinguished, and the gap between yesterday's "political mummy" and the now-expired chocolate reveals so much - and not just collective opportunism. This slime breaks out in the form of a greening contest like a meditation purge ceremony, because that's the only way to channel out the real recognition: they worshiped a balloon, and the balloon exploded. They really believed the boyish tone would bring a young spirit to the sleepy Knesset, and received scathing infantile cries; They were convinced that the anti-settler zeal would sweep the sane center, and found that these vanities did not knock anyone out of the chair; They marveled at the embrace the Rock Star received at the J Street conferences and melted away from Joe Biden's compliments, not realizing that these are exactly the antagonistic circles of the sober Israeli.

Because this is the misery of the poor left: he believes in his own fairy tales, often - overdue - after unfounded trends, carried away with image bubbles and PR balloons, convincing himself that the trinkets of exhilarating resonance are huddled by someone in the real world. Who knows, maybe the impeachment episode Shapir's public, the humiliation march she is forced to go through with the deportation status from the village, indicates maturation. It may be that finally, after Shapir and Avi Gabay and Ehud Barak and Noa Rothman and Milky and Berlin - the left understands that the trends and idols in which hope for "awakening" and "drift" - They are yawned, if not disdainfully, outside the stage of Rabin Square.

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 On the other hand, it is hard not to think of Benny Gantz as an improved model of autumnal-schism in Israeli politics. It is true that it is a completely different personality, but as far as the political figure is concerned, there is a disturbing common denominator: they are both products of image-thinking, and in their deep foundation, both are based on a bluff under a prohibition on speech.

This has been very prominent in recent weeks, for example at a press conference convened by Gantz in response to a statement by the prime minister about his intention to request immunity from the Knesset. Gantz made his way from the auditorium to the speech stand with measured steps and handed ceremonial smiles to those present. Then he turned a serious face to the camera and called the cliche from the teleprompter "Citizens of Israel, it's a tough day." This is what the peak moments look like in Gantz's political way: they are always built on Netanyahu's slump. No charisma or accomplishments gave him his status; He actually owes all his achievements to the prime minister's troubles.

That doesn't stop the left from looking at him with his eyes glazed over and attributing him to a great leadership on a mythical scale, only because he's been a threat to Netanyahu for more than a year. As part of the same image-building momentum, Haaretz's political correspondent, Haim Levinson, published a comprehensive article summarizing Benny Gantz's first year in politics. And it opens with the following amazing description: "On December 27, 2018 at 2:38 pm Noon PR issued a short and laconic message ..." Updating that an hour ago, the Israel Resilience Party was registered for Benny Gantz. Of the moment of ignition of a historic turn, but with all the sympathy for the charm of the small details, with a little more honesty could be opened with the fitting wording: "In the beginning the pacifier created my son Gantz."

פילו Even on the left, it is hard to hide the fact that the politician Gantz is a product of advanced image engineering, but that is the superficial part of the bluff. The deep tier, silenced by outrageous manipulation, is the concealment of Gantz's ideology. Intellectually esteemed, who by the way is also excited by the benign fall, flattering quite a bit on social networks to "Benny "'s impressive" intelligence ". Another network boss - herself a helium balloon that emptied at record speed and pushed back into work - promises loudly that Gantz will be "such a good prime minister." What these two have in common, and many others, is that they are simply unwilling (or unable) to answer a basic question: What are the basic positions of Benny Gantz in relation to the key issues that divide Israeli politics? Is he right or left, June or hawk in his views, Social Democrat or neo-liberal? And no, "sane center" is not a satisfactory answer, because for a speechless center, there are administrative mechanisms, not leaders of the prime minister's size. "State" is not an opinion either.

This deep layer of the cocky bluff is shared by a benign fall and the Gantz. Most of all, the unbelievable ease of deception by the forces pushing these balloons to the forefront should be disturbed. They pushed a benign fall, and are now working in a propaganda way to put Gantz in the state's Cockpit, systematically and deliberately concealing his worldview - as much as he has. With this logic it can be mistaken to conclude that if Benny Gantz the candidate is a puppet of the PR, he will actually function as their puppet as prime minister. Yet there is a difference in Ben Gantz to Shafir: In contrast, he, the former chief of staff, is not brave enough to express his His opinions. The man who a year ago counted videos of terrorists' bodies, afraid to say one clear position in public today. This is how his first year in politics should be summed up.