Bereaved families give new cabinet 100 days to draft unity plan

Bereaved families and war survivors are asking Israel's next government to adopt a national framework for social cohesion within its first 100 days. The initiative, known as Hamechane, seeks to treat social unity as a state responsibility similar to how Israel protects its wildflowers. Moshe Shapiro, whose son Aner was killed on October 7, 2023, leads the effort. He wants respect for others to become a standard part of public life, even when people disagree.

Hamechane includes families of the fallen, captivity survivors, and wounded soldiers. Shai Zohar, the uncle of Capt. Omer Neutra who died on October 7, and Hoda Daxa, whose husband Col. Ehsan Daxa was killed in Gaza in October 2024, are key members. Zohar described internal division as a major threat to the country. He said that unity is an operating system and that Israel has already paid a high price for its fractures.

The group is drawing a direct comparison to the wildflower campaign that began in the 1960s. That program combined legal protection with public education to change behavior over time. Shapiro hopes a similar approach will help Israelis learn to live together. The initiative aims to create a shared vision among religious Jews, secular Jews, haredim, Druze, and people from both the right and left. Shapiro noted that no member has to hide their views to participate.

Daxa emphasized that belonging is tested in daily life. She recalled a train ride where she felt uncomfortable after speaking Arabic with her children. She said hatred does not distinguish between groups and that unity must include all communities, not just Jewish ones. The group believes that conversation works because members are willing to listen rather than assume one side is right.

The initiative does not have a fixed structure for the proposed body. It leaves the specific details to elected officials and experts. Daxa said that recognizing polarization as a national danger is a necessary first step. Shapiro stressed that the goal is not to ask people to sacrifice their lives, but to make room for others. He pointed to the 1967 government expansion as a historical example of bringing in opposition parties to strengthen the state.

The group is also pushing for measures against online activity that inflames hatred. They want children to learn about different communities and how to handle disagreement in schools and workplaces. Hamechane members voted for different parties in the recent election but came together to build a shared vision. They hope the next cabinet will act quickly to address the social divides that existed before the war.