As Israel’s October 27 elections draw near—a contest some observers call a “make or break” moment for the country—our goal at Israel from the Inside is to explore the Jewish state’s challenges and opportunities from many different angles.
What vision do the country’s leaders actually have for what comes next?
How do everyday Israeli voters feel about the pivotal moments ahead?
And what do recent decision-making patterns reveal about how people will vote for the next government?
In the remaining weeks before elections, we will hear from the following, among others:
Dr. Yaakov Lozowick, former head of the Israel State Archives, on how archival documents fundamentally shifted his perspective on his country.
Prof. Netta Barak-Coren (Hebrew University Law) on the original intent behind Israel’s 3.25% electoral threshold—and how it actually plays out in practice.
David Rosenberg, economic reporter, investigating whether educated and highly skilled Israelis are truly leaving the country in large numbers.
Yesterday, MK Shelly Tal Meron shared what a new government must tackle first as she seeks re-election. Today, we shift our focus to the electorate. We speak with author Paul Gross, whose latest book speaks directly to Anglo voters, about why he believes everything is on the line in this election.
Paul Gross’ book, To Be a Free People in Our Land, is available here on Amazon.
Paul Gross is a British-born Israeli writer, lecturer, and political commentator specializing in Israeli history, politics, and contemporary Middle Eastern affairs. Before immigrating to Israel in 2007, he worked in the Public Affairs Department of the Israeli Embassy in London, including as speechwriter to the Israeli ambassador. He holds an MA in Middle East Politics from the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS).
Gross has written extensively for Israeli, British, and American publications, including The Jerusalem Post, Haaretz, The Times of Israel, Fathom, and The Forward. He also lectures on Israeli history and politics and has appeared as a political commentator in English-language media. He previously served as a Senior Fellow at the Menachem Begin Heritage Center in Jerusalem and as Director of the Israel Government Fellows program.
Based in Jerusalem, Gross continues to write and speak publicly about Israeli politics, Zionism, democracy, antisemitism, and Israel’s relations with the wider Middle East and the Jewish world.
The link at the top of this posting will take free subscribers to an excerpted portion of today’s conversation.
For paid subscribers, the link at the top will take you to the full conversation; below, paid subscribers will also find a transcript for those who prefer to read, as always.
