Haaretz journalist Gideon Levy
Haaretz journalist Gideon LevyFlash 90

All Israeli Jews should vote for the United Arab List, senior Haaretz journalist Gideon Levy writes Sunday, in order to "demonstrate empathy and register protest." 

Levy argues that opposition to the party for being Arab is pointless, citing the example of Jewish support for South Africa's African National Congress (ANC) post-apartheid - missing the point, of course, that ANC compared Israel to Nazis during the course of Operation Protective Edge in Gaza, engendering the wrath of much of South African Jewry. 

Levy seems to purposely press this comparison, however, noting that the true leftist has "no better option," in his words: 

What better option is there for the Israeli voter who can no longer bear the occupation in the territories and the ultranationalism within Israel, of the ruse that Israel is both Jewish and democratic, of the injustices of present-day Zionism, and who perhaps has reached the conclusion that the two-state solution is dead? Who will they vote for?

Are there many other party heads as impressive, eloquent and refreshing as Ayman Odeh? Are there many other MKs as outstanding as Ahmad Tibi, Jamal Zahalka, Dov Khenin and even, yes, even Haneen Zoabi? Is there another party that does not demand “support for Israel Defense Forces soldiers” at the start of every pointless war?

The Arab list's positive impact will ultimately be from the Opposition, in Levy's ideal world - citing the fact that several future prime ministers headed the Opposition - and he fantasizes about a Labor-led government with Meretz and Yesh Atid. 

"Many Jews must choose the Israeli ANC, which could yet prove it has what it takes to prevent the establishment of a second apartheid state, the apartheid state of the Land of Israel," he concludes. 

Levy's far-left views have alienated Haaretz's own readership, it was revealed in July, with over 100 people dropping subscriptions after his virulent articles berated the IDF from protecting Israeli citizens from the barrage of rockets on their homes from Gaza. 

More recently, in December, he was one of two journalists for the paper arrested on the Palestinian Authority (PA) border, after he tried to cross into Area A without permission or IDF coordination and then assaulted IDF soldiers who attempted to uphold the law.