Guardian letter questions Israel’s state identity and opposition barriers

A Guardian letter published on 6 November 2026 challenged the ideological barriers separating Israel’s opposition parties from Arab political partners. Its author, Dr Richard Skues of London, agreed with columnist Jonathan Freedland that parties opposed to Benjamin Netanyahu should work with Palestinian fellow citizens, but questioned whether that cooperation could emerge without deeper social change.

Skues argued that Israel’s definition as a Jewish state deserved scrutiny as a possible foundation of discrimination and inequality. He also attributed Netanyahu’s political dominance to historical, cultural and ideological forces. These were arguments advanced in a reader’s letter, rather than findings established by independent reporting.

The debate concerns who can participate in an opposition alliance. As quoted in the letter, Freedland described Jewish-led parties’ longstanding reluctance to partner with mainly Arab parties because of their anti- or non-Zionist positions. Skues used that account to question the relationship between state identity, political inclusion and inequality.