In the past, many Palestinians and Arabs followed Israeli elections closely. They did so not because they entertained illusions that a Zionist leader would deliver peace and justice, dismantle the occupation or remove illegal settlements. Rather, they feared that some Israeli leaders were worse than others. They hoped to avert the worst-case scenario. Over time, however, that distinction gave way to the belief that all Israeli leaders were essentially the same. This is not pessimism. It is exper
