A New Vision for Israel – with Dr. Einat Wilf

Dec 3, 2025

Dr. Einat Wilf, a former member of the Israeli Knesset and political thinker, discusses her launch of the Oz Party, driven by recent events and a need for a shift in national consciousness. She argues for moving from 'exile-consciousness' to a sovereign mindset, emphasizing that peace hinges on Arab recognition of a Jewish state. Wilf offers practical policy steps, tackles the need for civic service, and calls for a cross-partisan coalition while rejecting leader-centric politics. Her vision seeks to redefine Israel's identity and future direction.

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ANECDOTE

Return To Politics After October 7th

Einat Wilf described returning to politics after October 7th because she felt compelled to act rather than commentate.
She completed the legal process to form the Oz party to bring her ideas directly into policymaking.

INSIGHT

From Exile Mindset To Sovereign Planning

Wilf argues Israel suffers from an 'exile' or 'shtetl' mindset of weakness and temporariness despite being a sovereign state.
She proposes shifting to long-range planning and a sovereign mindset to enable 5–50 year strategies.

ADVICE

Declare Borders To Change Behavior

Decide and declare Israel's borders unilaterally to change national behavior regardless of external recognition.
Acting sovereignly in practice shifts daily policy choices and long-term strategy.

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We want to hear from you. Send questions and comments to podcast@boundlessisrael.org or message Aviva on X at @avivaklompas.

In this episode of Boundless Insights, host Aviva Klompas speaks with Dr. Einat Wilf about her decision to launch a new political party in Israel and what she believes the country urgently needs right now. Wilf explains why she founded the Oz Party, arguing that Israel must move from what she calls “exile-consciousness” to true sovereign behavior — reclaiming clarity, responsibility, and strategic purpose in a time of political exhaustion.

Their conversation explores Wilf’s insistence that any future peace depends on Arab and Palestinian recognition of Zionism and the legitimacy of the Jewish state, as well as her views on citizenship, military service, sovereignty, and the limits of the current political consensus. Wilf also addresses skepticism about her platform, the challenges of building a new coalition in a polarized landscape, and what kind of leadership she believes Israel requires to navigate its next chapter.

Boundless relies on your support to produce courageous conversations and nuanced analysis at a time when clarity matters more than ever. If this episode helped you better understand the moment we’re living in, please consider making a donation at boundlessisrael.org/donate.

Guest Bio

Dr. Einat Wilf is a leading thinker on Israel, Zionism, foreign policy and education. She was a member of the Israeli Parliament from 2010 to 2013, where she served as Chair of the Education Committee and Member of the influential Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.

Born and raised in Israel, Dr. Wilf served as an Intelligence Officer in the Israel Defense Forces, Foreign Policy Advisor to Vice Prime Minister Shimon Peres and a strategic consultant with McKinsey & Company.

Dr. Wilf has a BA from Harvard, an MBA from INSEAD in France, and a PhD in Political Science from the University of Cambridge. She was the Goldman Visiting Professor at Georgetown University.

Dr. Wilf is the author of seven books that explore key issues in Israeli society. “We Should All Be Zionists“, published in 2022, brings together her essays from the past four years on Israel, Zionism and the path to peace; the co-authored “The War of Return: How Western Indulgence of the Palestinian Dream Has Obstructed the Path to Peace”, was published in 2020