Ahead of the upcoming 2026 national elections, after more than two years of war, many young Israelis who defended their homeland find themselves politically homeless. With political leaders clearly labeled as part of either the “National Camp” or the “Change Bloc,” we are left to choose between identities to which we do not fully belong. We simply want to get the job done. We are looking for something new.

We have grown tired of the internal conflict. But, more importantly, we have become more immune to affective polarization and its disastrous effects on our society. 

Affective polarization means strongly disliking and distrusting members of opposing political groups, not just disagreeing with their ideas. Unlike Waze, Mobileye and Krav Maga, affective polarization was not born in Israel. It is a global virus that has severely infected Western democracies, some of which are on the verge of autocratic regimes or even civil wars. 

However, the Israeli variant of polarization may be more fragile than in other countries, and especially among the younger generation, for three main reasons.

Firstly, our social circles are usually more politically diverse compared to our parents’ generation, a direct result of demographic change. Over the years, people from different........

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