The Democrat Party is starting to look like the defunct Israeli Labor Party

Since the catastrophic collapse of the euphoric “Oslo Agreements”—which culminated in former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and President Bill Clinton’s ill-fated meeting with Yasser Arafat at Camp David—the once-dominant Israeli Labor Party has all but vanished. 

The party that once commanded the loyalty of much of Israel and many progressive Jews worldwide has been reduced to an afterthought, struggling for relevance and repeatedly reinventing itself under new names and leadership.

Today, under its latest reincarnation—ironically called “The Democrat Party”—Labor has managed to climb back to a modest 16 seats in Israeli polls. However, this latest iteration, an amalgamation of die-hard leftists from various parties and factions, appears to have already reached its peak. The more crucial issue, though, is the party’s gradual decline and the process that led to its demise.

A hallmark of a fading left-wing movement is the desperate search for a leader capable of defeating its political nemeses—first Ariel Sharon, then Benjamin Netanyahu. Labor cycled through an endless list of so-called “high-profile” figures, each of whom came and went so quickly that they are hardly remembered today. Here’s a list of Labor Party leaders since the turn of the century:

• Binyamin Ben-Eliezer
• Amram Mitzna
• Shimon Peres
• Amir Peretz
• Ehud Barak
• Shelly Yachimovich
• Isaac Herzog (now President of Israel)
• Avi Gabbay
• Amir Peretz (again)
• Merav Michaeli
• Yair Golan

This doesn’t even account for those who attempted to break away and start their own movements, such as Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz. So many names have been floated as potential saviors that the entire process has become a running joke.

CLICK HERE: The Decline and Fall of th Israeli Labor Party Infographic

Now, the American Democrat Party is following in Labor’s footsteps—frantically searching for a leader. The Democratic primaries leading up to the 2020 election were not about merit but about finding someone who could beat Donald Trump. They ultimately settled on Joe Biden, an elderly, feeble candidate who could be manipulated and controlled from behind the scenes.

When Biden was pushed aside just before the 2024 election, they turned to Kamala Harris—a politician best known for her awkward laughter, which, notably, only she seemed to find amusing. She, in turn, selected a running mate whose name few can even recall (thankfully!).

Now, much like the now-defunct Israeli Labor Party, the Democrats are searching for gimmicks rather than solutions. One of the latest names floated as a potential party leader is none other than Stephen A. Smith, a sports television commentator known for his brash and often controversial remarks. Smith, a longtime Democrat voter, has been vocally critical of the party since former Vice President Kamala Harris’s humiliating defeat on Election Day, even admitting that he felt like a “damn fool” for supporting her.

“It’s great to have someone from outside of politics making compelling arguments for the Democratic Party,” said Democrat strategist Jared Leopold. “I think we’ve seen that a lot of people—the majority of swing voters—treat politics not as the main course but as a side dish, and sports is definitely an entry point,” he continued.

Leopold further elaborated, “Democrats are looking for someone who will forcefully argue our points and not back down. Stephen A. Smith has made a career of doing just that.”

Some within the party are already heaping praise on Smith, fabricating reasons why he would be the “perfect leader.”

Following the election, Smith appeared on “The View,” where he expressed interest in running for president in 2028. “If you came to me and told me I had a legitimate shot to win the presidency of the United States of America, I would definitely consider it,” he stated. “I’m half-joking, but I kind of mean it.”

As it turns out, he was more serious than he initially let on. In a more recent appearance on Fox News, Smith doubled down on his criticism of the Democratic Party, stating, “The fact that I am even considered a candidate for the presidency of the United States of America, according to the polling for the Democratic Party, is the most clear-cut evidence of how pathetic the state of affairs is within the Democratic Party today.”

“I have no business being on that list whatsoever. I am not qualified. But it just shows how pathetic things are at this particular moment in time.”

Smith later walked back his prior comments about running, stating that he does not want to get involved in the “cesspool” of politics. Despite this, recent polling data shows that 2% of Democrat voters support Smith’s potential bid for the presidency in 2028.

The Democrats should take a long, hard look at the history of Israel’s Labor Party. If they continue down this path, their future will look eerily similar.

RELATED ARTICLES:

President Trump’s First Speech Watched by 50 Million People

BOMBSHELL: Barak, Olmert appear in new Jeffrey Epstein files

Nasrallah’s children: The Pager attack broke his spirit

EDITORS NOTE: This NEWSRAEL Editor column is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.

Download the Newsrael App: Google PlayAppStore