Israel needs tikkun olam, not silence about its problems

Before the digital age, washing of Israel's dirty linen in the media was widely regarded as treason. However, there were exceptions, such as the failed Lavon affair of 1954 in which a group of Egyptian Jews was recruited to plant bombs in civilian targets owned by Western entities. The idea was that after the bombs detonated, the blame would be attributed to the Muslim Brotherhood and other extreme elements in Egypt. Once the plot was discovered and published in the international media, it could also be published in Israel – but not before. A similar policy with a different slant existed during the Yom Kippur War. Israel obtained photographs of IDF soldiers who had been captured and tortured in Syria. These photos were distributed to members of the foreign press; and only after they had been published abroad could they be published in Israel. Leftist has become a dirty word under the present administration. Leftists are no less patriotic than the ultra right, but their patriotism takes a different route. Political leaders who identify with right wing policies but disagree with the present administration are labeled leftists. It is absolutely ridiculous to call Avigdor Liberman a leftist or to discredit Gadi Eisenkot by charging him with being a leftist. Yair Golan is a declared leftist, but that is no reason to launch conspiracy theories to undermine the heroism which he displayed on October 7, 2023.