Israel has pretty much destroyed its enemies, Moshe Koppel says. That's (partly) why he believes Israel has won the war in Gaza. Founding chairman of the Kohelet Policy Forum—called “the most successful initiative of the right in the past decade" by Haaretz —Moshe is a political thinker and computer scientist deeply involved in Israel's political affairs. He and his think tank propelled the Knesset's 2018 Nation-State Law and the push for judicial reform. Also a professor emeritus of computer science at Bar-Ilan University, Moshe is the founding director of Dicta, a research institute devoted to developing tools for computational analysis of Hebrew texts, and the author of three books on Jewish thought. Now, he joins Sruli Fruchter to answer 18 questions on Israel, including religion & state, the war in Gaza, and Israel's greatest threats. This interview was held on Nov. 27. Here are our 18 questions: As an Israeli, and as a Jew, how are you feeling at this moment in Israeli history? What has been Israel’s greatest success and greatest mistake in its war against Hamas? How do you think Hamas views the outcome and aftermath of October 7—was it a success, in their eyes? What do you look for in deciding which Knesset party to vote for? Which is more important for Israel: Judaism or democracy? Should Israel treat its Jewish and non-Jewish citizens the same? What role should the Israeli government have in religious matters? Now that Israel already exists, what is the purpose of Zionism? Is opposing Zionism inherently antisemitic? Is the IDF the world’s most moral army? If you were making the case for Israel, where would you begin? Can questioning the actions of Israel’s government and army — even in the context of this war — be a valid form of love and patriotism? What do you think is the most legitimate criticism leveled against Israel today? Do you think peace between Israelis and Palestinians will happen within your lifetime? What should happen with Gaza and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict after the war? Is Israel properly handling the Iranian threat? Where do you identify on Israel’s political and religious spectrum, and do you have friends on the “other side”? Do you have more hope or fear for Israel and the Jewish People.
