Israelis who live on kibbutzim, for the most part, are left-wing, which in Israel means they are against settlements, what they call “occupation” and believe every sacrifice of land is worth it to obtain a lasting peace. But no more. After October 7, most of them no longer believe peace is possible with Gaza.

The October 7th atrocities, continuous rocket attacks, and other forms of violence from Hamas have hardened their stance, and many have shifted to the right politically. They now support strong military action and firmly believe in the importance of defending their land. This shift is reflected in numerous survivor testimonies, as gathered by the USC Shoah Foundation and others. The once predominantly left-wing kibbutzim have experienced a significant ideological transformation.

No one on the right is overjoyed to see the left wake up. We’d rather October 7 had never happened. It is sad the way they had to come to the truth: peace is not possible with the Arabs of Gaza and the PA.