The Negev-Highlands Alliance

Introduction

In these turbulent days, as the State of Israel struggles for its very existence against enemies from without and fractures from within, we—friends from Gush Etzion and from the communities of the western Negev who experienced the pogrom of Simchat Torah 5784 (October 7, 2023)—have come together to launch a shared Jewish-Zionist initiative.

We identify that which unites us alongside our disagreements, recognize the legitimacy of every sector of Israeli society, and strive to formulate agreed principles regarding pressing and divisive issues; to social repair and mutual attentiveness; to a culture of dialogue and consensus in place of struggle and coercion; and to a covenant of enduring fraternity.

We all carry pain and trauma, existential anxieties and social alienation, vulnerabilities and sensitivities. We are fully aware of the accumulated grievances, anger, criticisms, and mutual resentments that have taken root among us. We must restore public trust in the integrity and honesty of those who hold differing views and convictions. We are all called upon to cultivate humility, attentive listening, and a willingness to acknowledge the sincerity and truths carried by those with whom we disagree.

From this point forward, major national decisions affecting our collective future shall be made only on the basis of broad consensus, through attentive listening to all voices and a supreme effort to balance and integrate them. We must avoid courses of action in which a governing majority rides roughshod over a minority.

This Covenant for Social Reconciliation addresses both the immediate and the near-term future, which are inseparably linked and mutually dependent. We all bear a shared responsibility for the fate of the State of Israel – for the security, economic, and social challenges confronting Israeli society. Meeting these challenges requires the mobilization of all our strengths and the inclusion of every segment of Israeli society. We must demonstrate a genuine willingness to make mutual concessions that will enable the healing, restoration, and renewal of our society.

 

Foundational Principles and Values

A. Rebuilding basic trust in the state of Israel and Israeli society requires that the principle of mutual responsibility serve as the cornerstone of social renewal. Accordingly, the government must act to secure the return of the hostages to their families as swiftly as possible, whether on the basis of the commitment of mutual responsibility or the state's duty toward its citizens. Great efforts have already been undertaken for this purpose, and many have risked—and even sacrificed—their lives in pursuit of this sacred mission.
Under the present circumstances, the government must demonstrate the willingness to pursue and implement an agreement for the hostages' release, even if such an agreement entails painful costs, while relying upon the judgment of Israel's military leadership regarding the nation's ability to address its consequences.
The return of the hostages is the gateway to national renewal and growth. All of us are called upon to confront responsibly, collectively, and in solidarity the consequences of any agreement that will rescue them from hell, as well as the determined efforts that will be required afterward to restore Israel's security.
At the same time, we affirm our faith in the integrity and sincerity of those within Israeli society who hold differing views on this issue.

B. The Declaration of Independence serves as the point of departure for the Jewish, Zionist, and democratic identity of the State of Israel as the state of the Jewish people.
Israel shall become a secure and protected home, flourishing and prosperous, a source of light both to itself and to the nations, only insofar as it is a home that honors and respects all its citizens.
Within the sphere of consensus toward which we aspire, we regard the Declaration of Independence as defining the boundaries of that shared civic agreement.

C. Israel's Jewish, Zionist, and Democratic Identity will be anchored in broad public consensus. At its core, will be anchored religion–state relations in the spirit of the Gabizon–Medan Covenant; Jewish identity components currently reflected in public life; the strengthening of Jewish-Zionist-democratic education; and more.
These commitments must be pursued while relating to Israel's non-Jewish citizens on the basis of the equal worth of all human beings and the principle that all human

D. The Jewish–Arab Conflict, which has expanded to global dimensions, demands statesmanlike, courageous and responsible engagement. The government, together with all sectors of society, must lead a determined and systematic effort to seek a solution and advance toward it, even if no certainty exists that such a solution can ultimately be achieved. At present, neither the precise form of such a solution nor the timeframe for its implementation should be predetermined. Any future resolution must safeguard the existential and security needs of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state and must rest upon broad national consensus.

E. The State of Israel must structure its governing institutions according to a clear and well-defined separation between the three branches of government: legislative, executive, and judicial. This principle is rooted both in the wisdom of Israel's ancient sources and in the tradition of modern democratic thought. Efforts must be made to strengthen public trust in all three branches and in the balance between them. This includes maintaining a professional, impartial judiciary that respects the diversity of values present within Israeli society. To this end, each branch of government bears the responsibility to undertake necessary reforms through broad public agreement.

F. Every government and every civilian and military leadership bears responsibility for the events—both positive and negative—that occur during its tenure and is obligated to accept accountability for them.
Accordingly, an event such as the Simchat Torah 5784—October 7, 2023 disaster, the gravest catastrophe in the history of the State of Israel inflicts an obligation for the government and the Knesset to return to the people and seek a renewed democratic mandate. Whatever democratic decision is reached thereafter is binding upon us all.
Citizens have the right to demonstrate for or against the government, to protest, and to work for its replacement, provided such actions remain within the bounds of law and public order, free of violence and criminal conduct, and undertaken with a profound sense of responsibility for the future of the state.

G. A State Commission of Inquiry, as is established practice in Israel, is an indispensable instrument of democratic governance that is committed to transparency, accountability of civilian and military leadership to the public, and the correction of failures on a national scale. The Simchat Torah tragedy of October 7 stands as a clear example of a case in which such a commission is imperative. A commission established for this purpose must be balanced, representative, fair, and impartial.

H. In times of national crisis, there is a particular need for a government of national cohesion, grounded in a broad Zionist consensus and encompassing all forces committed to advancing and strengthening the State of Israel. The government formed after the elections that follow the Simchat Torah October 7 tragedy should formulate an updated national security strategy; rehabilitate social cohesion, security and economic resilience, the institutions of government, and Israel's standing both among the Jewish people and among the nations of the world. Such a government can prosper only if the majority acts with consideration and a willingness to extend a hand, and the minority responds with fairness and a willingness to grasp that outstretched hand.

I. We must adopt elements of a mobilized society, together with socio-economic values of solidarity, personal and communal responsibility, and mutual obligation.
These values will contribute to a flourishing, cohesive, and vital society—one capable of meeting the challenges that lie before us.

J. Service in Defense of the State of Israel is a sacred value and an obligation that must be shared by all sectors of society. Service in the Israel Defense Forces must remain beyond political and partisan dispute. This commitment forms part of a new political culture in which major decisions concerning the character and future of the state are made only through broad consensus.


“We must think in terms of covenant … the values we share and the identity we build together … We need a national narrative … Covenantal institutions are, by their very nature, institutions of cooperation.”

— Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, The Home We Build Together (2024 edition), p. 298

Covenant for the Healing of Israeli Society
January 16, 2025