Bereaved Families Set 100-Day Clock for Israel's Cohesion Framework

Moshe Shapiro, who lost his son Aner on October 7, 2023, is leading a push to force the next Israeli government to prioritize social unity. Shapiro and other bereaved relatives are demanding that the new cabinet draft a national framework for social cohesion within its first 100 days. The initiative, known as Hamechane, seeks to embed respect for different communities into the state's operational structure, similar to how wildflower conservation was taught in schools decades ago.

The group formed in response to the divisions that many members believe contributed to the October 7 attacks. Shai Zohar, whose nephew Capt. Omer Neutra was killed that day, described internal polarization as the country's greatest existential threat. Zohar noted that he did not fully grasp the impact of the 2018 Nation-State Law on the Druze community until hearing from Hoda Daxa. Daxa’s husband, Col. Ehsan Daxa, a commander in the 401st Armored Brigade, was killed in northern Gaza in October 2024.

Hamechane includes bereaved families, captivity survivors, and those wounded in the war. The name translates to "the denominator," reflecting the group's focus on finding common ground. The members are not asking for a single party to take power, but for a legal and educational mandate that treats social cohesion as a national responsibility. They argue that the current lack of a unified approach leaves the society vulnerable to the same fractures that exposed it to the 2023 attacks.

Daxa emphasized that belonging is tested in daily life, such as when she spoke Arabic on a train and sensed discomfort from other passengers. She stated that unity cannot mean solidarity among only one demographic, as many non-Jewish citizens already feel part of Israeli society and wish to contribute. The group members vote for different parties, but they maintain that their shared experience allows them to bridge political divides through open conversation.

Shapiro described a yearlong process of building a shared vision among religious, secular, and haredim Jews, as well as Druze and members of the Right and Left. He cited his grandfather, Haim-Moshe Shapiro, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, who urged the inclusion of opposition parties before the Six Day War. In June 1967, the government was widened to include Gahal and Rafi, a precedent Shapiro sees as a model for current coalition building.

The group has not yet decided on the specific structure of the body it seeks, leaving that decision to elected officials and professionals. They propose measures that include teaching children about different communities and implementing rules to curb online activity that inflames hatred. Daxa said that simply recognizing polarization as a national danger would be a meaningful first step. Shapiro stressed that the goal is not to erase differences, but to ensure that disagreement does not cancel out mutual obligations.

The deadline for the framework begins once the new cabinet is sworn in. The group plans to monitor progress closely, with members like Zohar warning that Israel has already paid a high price for internal division. The initiative aims to make cohesion an operating system for the state, ensuring that future generations learn to live together with the same seriousness applied to other national priorities.