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How Zionism's obsession with 'total victory' will destroy Israel
As the success or failure of the hostage deal between Israel and Hamas hangs in the balance, the internal tensions within Zionism have reached unprecedented levels.
There has never been a previous instance where the issue of Israeli hostages became such a political matter within Israeli society.
This time, not only is there disagreement among the political leadership, with right-wing leaders openly expressing willingness to sacrifice the hostages for military gains, but the families of the hostages themselves are not met with consensus.
On several occasions, they have even been attacked by passersby. While political and social divisions have long existed within the Zionist project, this time the crisis cuts deeper, forcing a redefinition of Zionism itself.
It reflects a profound societal and ideological crisis and raises questions about the future governance of Israel, especially in light of the far right's continued judicial overhaul efforts.
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This existential crisis comes at a time when Israel claims to be actively reshaping regional realities.
Its actions include pushing territorial boundaries into Lebanon despite agreements with Hezbollah for withdrawal, encroaching on southern Syria amid the Assadgovernment's collapse, and systematically deepening its foothold in Gaza.
Hostages sacrificed
These steps indicate a broader strategy of expansion. Meanwhile, the plight of the Israeli hostages has become secondary, as the narrative of their sacrifice for military gains transforms into an accepted reality.
The idea of sacrificing hostages for military advantage is not new in Zionist ideology. It dates back to the infamous "Hannibal directive", which allowed for the killing of captured soldiers rather than negotiating for their release.
Today, this ethos manifests in the ongoing genocide in Gaza, where the "civilian hostages" - whom the state has failed to protect - are being consistently sacrificed, despite negotiations for their release.
This shift stems from the messianic right’s redefinition of Israel's cultural codes, adopting a Spartan ethos where society is conditioned for perpetual warfare.
The narrative now glorifies death, sacrifice and military conquests over civilian life.
While Israeli consensus broadly supports the Gaza genocide, the public has yet to fully grasp the long-term costs of taking this path.
The surrender to vengeance-driven policies not only fractures Israeli society but also risks devastating international consequences, as the world reacts to Israel’s unrestrained actions against civilian populations.
The former defence minister and military chief of staff, Moshe "Bogie" Ya’alon, a staunch right-wing figure, has been one of the few voices warning of this trajectory.
He describes the current situation as a “third destruction of the Temple” moment for Israel.
While admitting Israel’s ethnic cleansing in northern Gaza, he also highlights how these policies erode Israel’s legitimacy and turn it into a pariah state.
Global disgust
Fifteen months into this war, Israeli society is beginning to understand the price it must pay.
Beyond the risks to hostages' lives, Israelis now face a deteriorating standard of living, sweeping economic austerity measures in the 2025 budget, international boycotts and global disgust with Israeli society.
The euphoria once associated with territorial conquest has faded. Expanding military campaigns now only herald years of additional conflict and mounting costs that strain Israeli life, especially as reports reveal the psychological toll of war on Israeli soldiers, who bring violence back into their homes.
A recent report by the Women's International Zionist Organisation (Wizo) found that there had been a 65 percent rise in domestic violence cases in the first six months of the war.
The gaps between Israel’s leadership and its public are more than political - they reveal fundamental cracks within Zionism itself.
Zionism once promised security, economic prosperity and Jewish unity.
Today, the shift toward messianic right-wing policies has created an unbridgeable divide between what Zionism promises and what it delivers.
The secular Zionist elites that once navigated Israel through regional complexities have been replaced by leaders ill-equipped for such tasks.
The slogan "total victory" exemplifies this divergence.
Historically, Israeli victories were marked by military success followed by peace agreements with Arab nations, such as the Camp David Accords with Egypt or the Abraham Accords.
However, the new definition of victory, rooted in prolonged wars of attrition and regional bullying, undermines political alliances that have sustained Israel’s survival.
Zionist arrogance
The 7 October 2023 failure and the obsession with restoring "deterrence" at all costs have torn Israeli society apart, prompting unprecedented emigration.
According to Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics, 40,600 Israelis left the countrylong-term over the first seven months of 2024, a 59 percent increase over the same period a year earlier. Many of these people represent Israel’s economic and intellectual backbone.
As Israeli economist Dan Ben-David warns, the loss of even a small percentage of this demographic could cripple the state.
Figures like Ben-David and Ya’alon represent remnants of the old elite who understood the importance of balance between military campaigns and maintaining quality of life, international legitimacy and strong western ties.
Today, this balance has eroded in an unstable global environment, further aggravated by regional upheavals in Lebanon, Syria and Iraq, and Donald Trump’s upcoming presidency.
The hostage issue reflects a broader shift within Zionism, exposing its fractures and presenting unprecedented political opportunities for Palestinians.
While Zionist elites once masked their crimes with diplomatic finesse, today’s leadership exudes arrogance and disregard for Israel’s fragile standing.
The question remains: can Palestinians leverage this arrogance to their advantage?
The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Eye.