Call Me Back - with Dan Senor The Only-Bibi Camp Vs Never-Bibi Camp - with Ari Shavit
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Dec 4, 2025 
Ari Shavit, an acclaimed Israeli journalist and author of 'My Promised Land', joins to dissect the deep political divide in Israel epitomized by Benjamin Netanyahu. He explains the dynamics of the 'Only-Bibi' and 'Never-Bibi' camps, highlighting their demographics and historical roots. Shavit critiques how the fixation on Netanyahu has stifled political discourse and suggests that the oppositional strategy has inadvertently strengthened him. He proposes a vision for unity across the political spectrum to foster democratic values in a post-Netanyahu landscape.
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Politics Centered On One Personality
- Israeli politics has been dominated by an obsession with one person, Benjamin Netanyahu, rather than policy debates.
- This focus crowds out attention on health, education, and security challenges.
Camps Cross Traditional Left-Right Lines
- The Never-Bibi camp spans left to right and unites mainly around defending democracy against Netanyahu's perceived authoritarian turn.
- His supporters view him as a quasi-royal figure who fights elites and represents the periphery.
Different Voters, Different Grievances
- Netanyahu's coalition historically united Mizrahim, the ultra-Orthodox, and nationalists who feel excluded by Ashkenazi elites.
- Opponents are concentrated in liberal, white Ashkenazi urban centers worried primarily about threats to democracy.
