Over the years, "soldiers' votes" have become a term that in its narrow sense describes the final stage of the elections, when the votes of soldiers who voted during their military service are counted. Without going into precise numbers, it is abundantly clear that today's recruitment volumes are unprecedented. If we add to this the close family members of the recruits, we have a particularly significant and critical electoral share. Why wait for soldiers' votes at the ballot box? It is suggested to listen to the voices of the soldiers as they are heard at the moment. In many ways, these are also the voices of the general public, as evidenced by surveys focusing on the goals of the war and their achievement.
The hundreds of thousands of recruits are indeed diverse in composition, even if they do not reflect Israeli society as a whole. In the various units, Jews and Druze, secular, traditional and religious, rightists, centers and leftists, members of the settlements and kibbutzim, those who supported the legal reform alongside its opponents, and others serve side by side.
Against the backdrop of the ongoing war, the phenomenon of soldiers' votes in its broader meaning goes far beyond the question of their expected voting patterns. While the soldiers' votes will be divided to one degree or another among a variety of votes and parties, it is clear that on one issue, almost all of them convey with one voice: victory. In this context, the soldiers' voices reflect the general public, which with a healthy national intuition understands that Israel is in an existential war.
The impatient foot-tapping sounds of the fighters, in the south and north, can be heard from Metulla, which is threatened by Hezbollah, to Eilat, which is getting to know the Houthis. Between the two of them, in the center of the country, the war in Judea and Samaria continues constantly. Very symbolic is the fact that the northernmost and southernmost Jewish settlements are threatened by various enemies.
Even if the historical conditions are very different, of course, it is reminiscent of the multi-front War of Independence. We are in the Second War of Independence, because the enemies around us dream of participating in a sadistic barbaric massacre in the style of October 7, and are waiting and watching to see what our response will be.
The broad agreement found expression, and still finds, in the amazing words of support heard from sisters and brothers, mothers and fathers in bereaved families. Here, for example, are the eulogy for Tomer Ahimes, delivered by his father and read by his twin brother, Amir, on Kalman and Lieberman's program: "On a personal note to the army and the fighters - return home safely, and do not stop until you finish your work in Gaza, even at the price of refusing an order. Because what happened to the people of Israel on Black Sabbath is bigger than politics, bigger left and right, bigger than our lives as individuals. Our strength is in our unity."
Issues pertaining to war in general, and to the use of force in particular, have always been one of the most prominent points of contention in Israeli society, reflected, inter alia, in the division between right and left. The fact that such a broad agreement has been formed, which crosses old political boundaries around the need for a clear defeat of the enemy, is an opportunity that should not be missed in any way. The public is divided on issues such as dealing with the issue of abductees and the like, but the need for a clear and unequivocal decision is found in very broad agreement.
The fact that such a broad agreement has been formed, which crosses old political boundaries around the need for a clear defeat of the enemy, is an opportunity that should not be missed in any way. The public is divided on issues such as dealing with the issue of abductees and the like, but the need for a clear and unequivocal decision is found in very broad agreement
But as time passes, other voices become heard. After all, even "decision" may be subject to different interpretations. The Americans, for example, talk about toppling Hamas, but as far as they are concerned, the entire Gaza population, with its murderous characteristics, whose involvement in the barbaric massacre was proven beyond doubt, should return to its pre-war place.
We have experience with trying to sell us a "victory picture" instead of a literal victory. How many have we heard in the past about this vague and unclear "burning of consciousness", when it is clear to us that the photograph of the destroyed parliament building in Gaza does not need this laundry of words.
The political and military leadership should already be told, long before the elections: Start counting the soldiers' votes.
Wrong? We'll fix it! If you find a mistake in the article, please share with us