Political commentator Amit Segal published a video in which he challenges the view that a high electoral threshold contributes to governmental stability in Israel.
Segal compared the structure of the Knesset to a tower of building blocks, arguing that precisely small, well-shaped stones build a more stable and better tower than the large blocks currently used in the system.
In his analysis, Segal noted that in the past the electoral threshold was very low, which allowed small parties such as the “Yemenite Party" to enter the Knesset. He criticized the move led in 2014 by Avigdor Liberman, Yair Lapid, and Benjamin Netanyahu to raise the threshold to 3.25%, arguing that this step did not prevent the five most recent election cycles.
According to him, the high threshold led to wasted right-wing votes in 2019 and to Meretz’s downfall in 2022, while also pushing Arab parties toward greater extremism as they were forced to unite with more radical elements. “Israel’s problem is not extremism from small parties, but extortion by medium-sized parties," the commentator explained regarding the current political situation.
Segal further argued that a high threshold prevents new and positive forces-such as working haredi citizens who serve in the army, or Arabs who seek economic advancement and oppose terrorism-from receiving proper representation.
He noted that current haredi Knesset members sometimes act against the lifestyle of working haredi citizens and do not take their needs into account.
He called for lowering the electoral threshold to allow surprising cross-bloc cooperation and to break the monopoly of existing politicians. “They were used to locking the door of the closed club with a key; it is time to kick that door open," Segal concluded.