Benjamin Netanyahu has taken such extreme measures as prime minister of Israel that he is undermining the myths that have shielded Israel for generations.
It’s more difficult than ever to argue that Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East and that its relationship with the US is unwavering, as he pursues illiberal legislation that would eliminate the independence of the judiciary.
Scholars and human rights experts have long probed the health of rule of law and civil rights in the country. Now, Netanyahu has advanced a radical judicial overhaul that would turn the country into unchecked majoritarian rule. As the Israeli parliament or Knesset was due to vote on the changes to the courts, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant spoke out against Netanyahu. Hundreds of thousands of protesters had already been demonstrating weekly against Netanyahu and his far-right coalition. After Netanyahu fired the defense minister on Sunday, more than 600,000 Israelis turned out in the streets. They effectively shut down the country on Monday, and led Netanyahu to postpone voting on the judicial overhaul package till after the Knesset’s holiday for Passover.
The movement is changing the discourse around Israel. Vocal criticism of Israel has been a third rail of American politics, but earlier this month 16 Jewish members of Congress wrote an open letter raising their fears about the overhaul. The Biden administration has been slow to clearly articulate how dire the situation has become, but a former Israel prime minister told me that President Joe Biden must step up.
Whether or not Netanyahu moves forward with the vote, whether or not his coalition fractures, his aggressive actions have already exposed three core questions about Israel’s democracy, its security, and its relationship with Jews in the American diaspora.
What’s the future of Israel’s flawed democracy?
Israel has often told the world that it’s the “only democracy in the Middle East.” But it has…
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