ABSTRACT
Among political scientists and sociologists who study the State of Israel, one of the most accepted theses is that Israel is a 'deeply divided society'. 1 Originally, this thesis posited profound and persistent cleavages within Israeli society between Jews and Arabs, religious and secular, and Ashkenazi and Sephardic Jews. Over the last three decades, a new division appeared: the dichotomy known as the Right-Left divide, namely those opposing Israeli withdrawal from territories acquired in 1967 versus those supporting a territorial compromise. The new division reinforced the existing cleavages 2 and resulted in a divided political map following almost every election since 1977. The question posed here is to what extent the Jewish State is truly polarized in light of the success of the centrist Kadima party in the 2006 Knesset elections. Might the 'deeply divided society' concept no longer hold true in light of the victory of a centrist party that included on its list members from both opposing camps? If so, what is the essence of this centrism that is emerging in Israeli society? As Israel appears to be slipping back to the pre-1967 borders, is the old consensus that existed before the emergence of the great divide on the Territories returning? Or are we witnessing the emergence of a new centrism? And, how will the consequences of the Second Lebanon War affect these processes?
