Israel's political deadlock is unfolding amid profound regional uncertainty, but Jay Shapiro believes the country's rival political camps must abandon their divisions and establish a broad national unity government.
Speaking on The Israeli Perspective, Shapiro argued that the election's outcome matters to regional powers, although their strategic interests will remain largely unchanged regardless of who leads Israel.
From Gaza's reconstruction and Hamas's disarmament to normalization with Saudi Arabia, tensions with Turkey and Iran's ambitions, Israel's next government will face challenges requiring stable leadership.
Yet neither political bloc secured the 61 Knesset seats needed for a majority.
Shapiro pointed to widespread agreement among Israelis on national security, economic reform and the cost of living, arguing that politicians exaggerate their differences.
“The logic of confrontation must give way to the logic of solidarity for this country," he said.
He identified military conscription exemptions for tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox men as an urgent issue undermining social cohesion.
Shapiro warned that repeated elections and narrow coalitions would prevent Israel from addressing its domestic and international challenges.
“We live in a very unstable section of the world, and we have to have leadership that understands our reality," he concluded.