Podcast Summary: For Heaven’s Sake – “The State of the Israeli Right”

Podcast: For Heaven’s Sake
Host: Shalom Hartman Institute
Date: December 3, 2025
Hosts: Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi
Theme: The State of the Israeli Right

Overview

This episode delves deep into the evolution, core beliefs, and internal challenges of the Israeli right—focusing particularly on its mainstream, non-religious dimensions. Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi analyze how the right’s identity has changed over time, the consequences of long-term Netanyahu dominance, and the right’s current struggles between ideology and personal loyalty. They also discuss the right’s future: its challenges in leadership, articulating clear policies, and upholding the traditional values of dignity (hadar) and moral responsibility. This thoughtful discussion highlights not just the political, but also the cultural and ethical stakes in the right’s trajectory.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. What is “The State of the Israeli Right”? (00:09–04:22)

• Play on Words: The title refers both to Israel as a state governed by the right and to an examination of the right’s current “state” or condition (00:40).
• Political Shift: Israel has become predominantly center-right, with 50–60% of the population supporting right-wing ideals excluding Arab/Palestinian parties (01:52, 02:00).
• Focus: The conversation zeroes in on mainstream right parties—Likud, Bennett’s party, and Yisrael Beiteinu—leaving out religious Zionist and ultra-Orthodox factions (03:35–04:11).

2. Historical Roots: Security and the Wholeness of the Land (04:52–11:17)

• Jabotinsky’s Dual Pillars: Core right-wing commitments were “security” (“iron wall” doctrine) and keeping the land of Israel territorially whole. (05:27–07:18)
  • “One was security, which Jabotinsky defined as the Iron Wall... The second foundational principle… is territorial wholeness.” – Yossi Klein Halevi (05:27–06:17)
• Inclusivity: Likud’s incorporation of Jews from diverse backgrounds (religious, secular, Mizrahi, Ashkenazi) thanks to these unifying values (09:01–09:10).
• Cultural Flexibility: The right included both religious and secular Jews, forming a broad umbrella movement (07:27–09:10).

3. Evolving The Right: From Principle to Personality (11:17–14:03)

• Netanyahu’s Influence: The emergence of a faction loyal to Netanyahu as a personality, separate from ideological principles (Just Netanyahu group) (11:19–12:18).
  • “He is the person who I'll place my future in his hands. You can't define the right without connecting it to the man who for a generation has led it.” – Donniel Hartman (12:13–12:18)
• “Just Not Netanyahu” Right: A growing camp rejecting Netanyahu’s dominance, seeking a return to principle-driven politics (13:29–14:03).
• Tension: Some of Netanyahu’s adversaries within the right (Bennett, Lieberman) were once close allies, now representing non-personalist right-wing leadership (14:03–14:10).

4. The Zamir Example & Right-wing Appointees (14:11–17:19)

• Zamir: A case study in principled right-wing leadership, not beholden to Netanyahu; illustrates tension within the right between loyalty and ideology (15:24–16:21).
• Supreme Court Appointees: Right-wing judges act independently of party expectation, prioritizing law over partisan loyalty—much to the surprise and frustration of the hard-right (16:21–17:19).
  • “They actually worry about the rule of law.” – Donniel Hartman (16:42)

5. Personalization vs. Principles—A Cultural Loss (17:22–23:41)

• Personalization Dangers: The shift to backing personalities (Netanyahu) rather than values or policies leads to the erosion of founding right-wing ideals (18:40–19:44).
• The Concept of Hadar: Jabotinsky’s value of “dignity” (hadar), once core to the right, has been eroded in the Netanyahu era.
  • “Jabotinsky defined this in one word: hadar. Hadar means dignity. In its more grandiose, majesty.” – Yossi Klein Halevi (00:09–00:14/19:44–19:48)
  • “And when I look at what Netanyahu has done to this Likud, he has destroyed Hadar.” – Yossi Klein Halevi (00:24/19:50)
• Historic Right-wing Role Models: Menachem Begin exemplified dignity—his resignation after the Lebanon War standing in stark contrast to today (23:02–23:09).

6. Mamlachtiyut—Statehood and Integrity (23:41–24:39)

• State Ethos: Ben Gurion’s mamlachtiyut (dignity of state/power) was a shared value across the spectrum, absorbed in different ways by both right and left (23:41–24:39).
• Erosion Under Netanyahu: The rule of law and state institutions lose their dignity when loyalty to political leaders supersedes institutional integrity.

7. The Right’s Challenges: Defining Purpose, Not Just Opposition (24:39–30:45)

• Policy Articulation: Can the right transform from a politics of “no” to a movement with concrete, proactive policies—especially regarding foreign policy, Palestinian issues, and regional alignment? (24:39–29:57)
  • “The right wing, what are my policies, what am I willing to do? And how could I lead? Not just how could I say no, no, no...” – Donniel Hartman (29:57–30:45)
• Morality vs. Security: A dangerous false dichotomy has arisen between security and morality, especially on the far-right.
  • “This dichotomy between security and morality is really a dichotomy of the ultra right, ultranationalist. It's not a right wing dichotomy.” – Donniel Hartman (29:25)

8. Healing and the Need for a Responsible Right (30:45–34:21)

• Leadership Crisis: Healing requires the right to re-embrace substantive, ideological debate and clear policy vision.
  • “In order for healing to begin in Israel, we need to have, again, a credible right.” – Yossi Klein Halevi (34:14)
• Contrast With Religious Zionists: While disagreements run deep, at least the religious right still stands for something—unlike the contemporary Likud, described as sycophantic and devoid of debate (31:40–32:54).

9. The Value of Rivalry and Healthy Debate (33:10–34:21)

• Importance of a Strong Opposition: A vigorous, values-driven right keeps other political camps honest and sharp, enriching Israeli democracy.
  • “You want a debate between Menachem Begin and Shimon Peres, Yitzchak Shamir and Yitzhak Rabin. That's what you want, regardless of which side of that debate you're on.” – Yossi Klein Halevi (33:26–33:36)
• Wider Context: The erosion of constructive, respectful rivalry afflicts Israeli, American, and global politics.

10. Closing Reflections (34:21–35:31)

• Adapting to New Realities: The right’s future relevance depends on its ability to create coalitions and articulate a shared vision—grounded in dignity, morality, and honest debate.
  • “If the right wing is going to lead us... we’re going to have to adapt to forces in the world that are going to push us in places that we haven’t thought about.” – Donniel Hartman (34:21)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Hadar (Dignity):

  • “Jabotinsky defined this in one word: hadar. Hadar means dignity. In its more grandiose, majesty. And when I look at what Netanyahu has done to this Likud, he has destroyed Hadar.” – Yossi Klein Halevi (00:09–00:24 / 19:44–19:50)
  • “The hymn of Bethar, which to this day I hear it and I get chills involuntarily… Jabotinsky, who wrote the hymn, has a line in there about a Hebrew, even in poverty is a prince.” – Yossi Klein Halevi (20:20–21:34)

• On Evolution of Values:

  • “If you were committed to these two principles, the Iron Wall, impenetrable security and the wholeness of the land, you were on the right… there always was this sense on the right of, of we don't care what you are, we don't care what you believe or don't believe. You can be secular, you can be an atheist, you can be religious.” – Yossi Klein Halevi (07:27–09:34)

• Critique of Personalism:

  • “The shift to backing personalities… rather than values or policies leads to the erosion of founding right-wing ideals.” – Paraphrased, based on main points from 17:22–19:44

• On Political Debate:

  • “I think that what defines a healthy politics is when you look at your rival camp and you want them to be the best version of themselves because they help keep you honest, they help sharpen your arguments.” – Yossi Klein Halevi (33:14–33:30)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:09–01:52] – Introduction to the episode’s theme and framing
• [04:11–05:18] – Historical criteria for “the right”
• [09:34–11:17] – Umbrella nature of the right and inclusivity
• [12:18–14:10] – Netanyahu’s dominance and the split in the right
• [15:24–17:19] – Profile of Zamir and the issue of judicial appointees
• [19:44–21:34] – Deeper exploration of hadar and its meaning
• [24:39–30:45] – The right’s policy challenges and the morality/security debate
• [33:10–34:21] – Importance of strong, values-based rivalry in politics

Tone and Language

The tone is thoughtful, passionate, and at times nostalgic, blending rigorous analysis with personal reflection. Hartman and Halevi balance critical introspection with a yearning for higher standards of public life, dignity in leadership, and the revival of moral and ideological clarity—without losing the “machloket l’shem shemayim” (disagreement for the sake of heaven) spirit that defines the series.

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

This podcast offers a nuanced, insider-outsider look at Israel’s right-wing politics that goes far beyond the headlines, delving into the loss of traditional values, the risks of personality-driven politics, and the urgent need to articulate clear policies and revive a culture of dignified debate. If you are seeking to understand the cultural, ethical, and political dynamics shaping Israel’s future, this episode is essential listening.