Israel Sidesteps a Crisis—For Now

Benjamin Netanyahu delays his judicial reform package, but his fragile governing coalition stands on a precipice.

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Protesters block a road during a rally against the Israeli government's judicial reform in Tel Aviv, Israel, on March 27, 2023. (Photo by AHMAD GHARABLI / AFP) (Photo by AHMAD GHARABLI/AFP via Getty Images)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to nationwide protests and strikes that affected hospitals, universities, and air travel Monday by postponing the slate of controversial judicial reforms that triggered the chaos. But the recent unrest may be just the beginning of the country’s brewing crisis. 

The fight over judicial overhaul was “tearing the country apart,” Netanyahu said in a televised address Monday as he announced the postponement. Yet he still vowed to pass it “in one form or another.” 

“When there’s an option to avoid civil war through dialogue, I as prime minister take a time-out for dialogue,” he added.

Besides buying time, it’s unclear what Netanyahu plans to do to both assuage the protesters and the far-right factions driving the reform efforts. Regardless of whether Netanyahu’s able to strike a compromise and get the reform through in May as he announced Monday, the judicial saga has struck a major blow to his political career—and the precarious governing coalition he formed last year. The prime minister has staked his reputation on national security and the economy, both of which were undermined in recent days. 

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  1. Avatar photo
    DougAz

    As I've said previously, Netanyahu is one of the most despicable, racist, harmful leaders of the last 25 years. He is a dangerous man. Like Trump, this egomaniac would light up Israel and burn his culture down for his sick selfish gain. He's a crook, a criminal, a liar.

    Netanyahu is very likely an underlying cause for the Saudis to get hugging with Iran and China.

    America has been a crutch for Israel for too many decades. We have enabled Netanyahu's depraved indifference. Because we allow foreign money of AIPAC and their primarily ultra right wing Trump loving lobbyists to exert very unfair leverage.

    And I'll call utter BS on anyone who thinks criticism of Netanyahu, Israel (ie the government and the Orthodox Jewish terrorists) as antisemitic.

    It was a nice review Charlotte. I've been watching this guy since the early 70s.

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    1. Mathias

      Um, Orthodox Jewish terrorists? You want to qualify that a bit, please? Either explain your charges with reference to specific cases, and/or clarify that you don't think that Orthodox Jews are terrorists, but that some of them, not representative of the whole of Orthodoxy, have committed acts of terrorism (and again, cite specific cases if you please). If you do think that all Orthodox Jews are terrorists, or that the terrorists are representative of Orthodox beliefs and practices, then I guess we're at a pretty awkward stand-off. Since I'm an Orthodox Jew and all.

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      1. Avatar photo
        DougAz

        It is always a problem, and I should remember to do this, that EXTREMES do NOT represent the AVERAGE.

        I always believe this, have said so numerous times.

        My position in Israel.
        A. Antisemitism is real and still a threat. I learned much from my Auschwitz visit.
        http://www.auschwitz.org/en/
        B. I detest the influence in American politics of advocates for foreign nations. Goes for Saudi, China, AIPAC, Timbuktu.
        C. I have long despised Netanyahu as a morally corrupt man.
        D. I have felt thst since my 70s encounter with the above named at 3 letter nerd school.
        E. I feel of all peoples, Israelis have avoided taking 100% responsibility to resolve the Palestinians refugee and nation state crisis.
        F. The Palestinians have had equal rights to territory in the Middle East. They were forcibly removed from their lands and homes. Their considerable support from Jewish people in the US and even Israel for a Palestinian state.
        G. Israel has the right to defend its nation.
        H. It had the right to send a military response into Lebanon where rockets were fired onto Israel.
        I. Israel has no right to kill innocent civilians, as they have done and recently in Gaza.
        J. I have long advocated for 100% removal of all US military, contractors, planes, equipment from every nation in the Middle East.
        K. Israel makes it own bed.
        L. Saudi Arabia is no friend of the US. Especially after coddling Putin and Russia, China and Xi and Iran.
        K. Israel needs better diplomacy. But Netanyahu is major negative on progress
        L. Israeli ultra Orthodox settlers violate agreements and have terrorized people.
        M. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/2-israelis-killed-in-shooting-as-israeli-palestinian-officials-meet-to-de-escalate-tensions
        N. https://www.amnesty.org/en/location/middle-east-and-north-africa/israel-and-occupied-palestinian-territories/report-israel-and-occupied-palestin

        O. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/3/10/israeli-settler-kills-palestinian-in-occupied-west-bankian-territories/

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        1. Mathias

          Thanks for the clarifying and well laid out response.

          If it matters any (probably not), I have no particular quarrels with your points A, C, D, G, H, J, L (the first one), and K (the second one). I could, with proper qualifications, also support B, E, K (the first one) and L (the second one).

          My position on the disposition of land rights in the region is based primarily on the witnessed record from c. 1880 BCE, wherein G-d deeded the land to the seed of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, not for them to use or relinquish however they pleased, but solely to be used for His purposes and held by them at His discretion. That means that even if Israel wanted to give the land away, the Palestinian Arabs could never have a right to it, since it ultimately belongs to G-d and His endowment of it to Israel was non-revocable.

          So as you can see, my views on the Middle East conflict are somewhat... unorthodox by most Western political standards. (Bad pun, I know.)

          P.S. My views on certain media outlets insofar as they report on Israel is that their standards leave much to be desired. PBS, Amnesty and especially Al-Jazeera have been known to outright lie about Israel when it serves their purposes. The events they describe may have happened, or they may not have. I've seen staged funerals, and faux-wounded people getting their makeup put on and being directed around by men with cameras and mics, and then getting up and strolling around once the video has been shot. I'm not saying the particular things you linked to did not happen; it is very possible that they did. But you can never know for certain if you rely on these sources alone. Keep your eyes and ears open and skeptical. A word to the wise is sufficient.

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          1. Avatar photo
            DougAz

            Thank-you Mathias. A word to the wise is wisdom indeed.

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  2. Bigdonmck

    Nice job explaining things.
    It never ceases to amaze me how the battle for power supersedes doing what is best for the country itself, and the citizens who reside there.

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    1. Avatar photo
      Scarlette Tarte

      When the ONLY check on a legislative body is the court, the Knesset better leave it alone. ANY changes they make are just to increase a majoritarian impulse, and not because the courts have done anything wrong.

      The real problem in Israel, is the Orthodox. They are taking over that country and they are ruining it. Just go visit, and ask yourself, after riding a bus, if you would want to live there.

      The Orthodox are mostly on welfare, paid for by the educated and reformed Jews. Because when you are Orthodox, you don't have to work. You can get paid by the state to study Torah all day. So they do that, instead of learning much of anything else, at all. They don't have to serve in the military like the reformed and secular Jews do.

      They throw hissy fits about secular women on busses...making them move to a "woman's section" when they travel thru an Orthodox neighborhood .

      Netanyahu has relied upon the Orthodox for his power, and to expand the settlements. He does not believe in a "two state" solution, so he intends to drive Palestinians out. He is an authoritarian strongman, and because the Orthodox have more children, his power and the power of the far right is only growing. They are greatly resentful of the educated, reformed and secular Jews, who they see as the "elite", (sound familiar?) that run everything.

      Here is the kicker, though. They are exempted from military service, so, while they can serve in the military, few do so. So these poorly educated, highly religious, land grabbing folk expect the highly educated, reformed and secular to defend them,in their settlements, when all they get from the Orthodox is resentment and grief and now the attempt to lessen the power of the courts so they can lessen the rights of the secular and reformed.

      Does that sound smart?

      Does anyone really think the secular and reformed Jews are going to take that?

      They are not. This is why this fight just signals the beginning of the end for Israel. No educated people are going to be ruled by the rubes of the country. The secular are not going to fight and die for the rubes especially when those rubes resent the soldiers so much and when they think it's ok to sacrifice secular Jews to protect Orthodox ones. Especially when those same Orthodox don't serve in the military.

      Would you send your kids to die for a group of people who hated and resented them? Who wish to diminish your rights and expand their own?

      I think not.

      The educated secular and reformed Jews will leave. America and Europe are welcoming to Jews. There is no need to stay in a country surrounded by other countries that hate you in a country where your own countrymen also hate you and deride you as the "elite".

      So eventually, the country will sink into mediocrity, then probably be destroyed, as people who are not educated beyond the holy books attempt to run the country. All you have to do is look at places where a largely uneducated religious group runs the place, and see how well they fare to know what is coming.

      Israel has time to turn it around, but if they keep electing Netanyahu and other far right coalition leaders, it will get harder and harder to save it.

      Already they have reached a stage where large segments of the military is refusing to show up for duty. Which is really why Netanyahu postponed this power move. Without the military support, they can do nothing.

      So if you love and support Israel, better hope they keep the court as it is, and start electing more liberals.

      This is a country being ruined by it's right wing. Total shame.

      https://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-ultraorthodox-economy/jobless-ultra-orthodox-weigh-on-israels-economy-idUSTRE73D25W20110414

      https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/business/2017-07-21/ty-article/how-the-ultra-orthodox-could-bring-down-israels-economy/0000017f-f618-d887-a7ff-fefc9eb70000

      https://www.jta.org/2022/07/29/israel/orthodox-protesters-again-disrupt-prayer-at-western-wall-as-monthly-ritual-repeats

      https://amp-theguardian-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/amp.theguardian.com/world/2019/jun/01/israel-conscription-taxes-netanyahu-resentments-behind-crisis?amp_gsa=1&amp_js_v=a9&usqp=mq331AQIUAKwASCAAgM%3D#amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&aoh=16800586988064&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2F2019%2Fjun%2F01%2Fisrael-conscription-taxes-netanyahu-resentments-behind-crisis

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      1. Mathias

        Okaaayyy... where to start? I think a point-by-point breakdown would not help, but I will observe based on your comments that you don't live in Israel yourself. You suggested 'visiting' there and riding on a bus. Maybe I'm taking that the wrong way, but you don't sound like a sabra or an oleh (native or immigrant).

        Also telling is your lack of familiarity with religiosity in Israel, by your use of the term 'Orthodox', when what I think you want is the term 'Charedi', to distinguish (broadly speaking) the black-hat wearing groups from the knitted-kippa wearing Religious Zionists, the various grades of Modern Orthodox, and the Masorti. (Of course, the black-hats-and-sidecurls people themselves are comprised of Chassidishe sects and Litvish sects, which have very different attitudes to the outside world.)

        Of the religious in Israel, only the Charedim retain even a slight resemblance to the description you portrayed, and even of the Charedim, only some refuse to serve in the army, only a percentage are on welfare, and only a vanishingly small fraction make a big deal about women's sleeves. Those few get all the headlines, of course. But the warm and hospitable welcome that the entirely Orthodox (mostly Charedi) residents of Bnei Brak gave to the secular protestors two weeks ago? That doesn't get reported as much.

        If you are going to get upset about the day-long study of Torah, I must inform you that the non-Charedim participate in such study as well, yet they manage to have successful careers and a fruitful societal impact, not to mention a term of military service which the Religious Zionists positively treat as a sacred duty (a mitzvah) before G-d. It is the Religious Zionists who overwhelmingly are involved in settling the hills of Judea and Samaria (widely known as the West Bank of Transjordan, for reasons that escape my comprehension), and so naturally they form a rather large and steadfast support for a right-wing government at any point in time. The 'extreme' Charedim, however, the ones who live on welfare, study nothing but Torah and Talmud, and refuse to serve in the army... they don't vote, either.

        So the electoral shift to the right and toward 'Orthodoxy' that worries you as you watch from afar is being staffed in large part by tax-paying, hard-working, family-loving, army-supporting, Torah-studying people. Would it be so bad for their influence to spread in the country?

        I'll pause with that, for now.

        (P.S. You should really avoid AP/Reuters and the Guardian as news sources on Israel. Quite a few major international news outlets appear to lose their rationality and sober judgment when talking about Israel, and their misstatements and outright lying about the facts has been legendary for decades. Maybe they're letting their prejudices show, or maybe they've hired unscrupulous local Arabs as their regional correspondents; who knows? Haaretz is at least Israeli-based, but it is overtly political and actively secularist, so you should take their reports on 'the Orthodox' with a fair amount of skepticism.)

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        1. Avatar photo
          Scarlette Tarte

          Oh God. Where to start?

          How about this? I KNOW what each group is called. But Americans don't.

          But they do understand broad terms "reformed" and "Orthodox". I am writing to them, not a room full of Israelites. I use the terms they understand.

          You also are on the side of the Haredim, so you want to downplay their lack of education, that many the men are on welfare, that they don't have to serve in the military, that they have nearly 7 kids per family.

          And you can stuff it right up your keester as to telling me what sorts of references I should use.

          Again, I use those accessible to Americans, written in English, not behind a paywall. But if you insist how about the author of this piece? Is he "Jewish enough" for you? He knows what is going on in Israel. https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-religion-jerusalem-israel-29fa429e432e87bdb2f62f7a5a1d95d7

          Or how about this one? Written back in 2019, it's pretty prescient. https://israelpolicyforum.org/2019/06/04/israel-will-not-be-a-halakhic-state-or-so-netanyahu-says/

          Or this one? https://www.timesofisrael.com/how-the-ultra-orthodox-parties-became-biggest-winners-in-israels-new-government/

          Or this one? https://forward-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/forward.com/israel/341453/orthodoxy-and-right-wing-extremism-go-hand-in-hand-in-israel-pew-study-expl/?amp=1&amp_gsa=1&amp_js_v=a9&usqp=mq331AQIUAKwASCAAgM%3D#amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&aoh=16810140230655&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fforward.com%2Fisrael%2F341453%2Forthodoxy-and-right-wing-extremism-go-hand-in-hand-in-israel-pew-study-expl%2F

          Or this? https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/04/17/the-ultra-orthodox-will-determine-israels-political-future-haredi-likud-netanyahu-shas-deri-utj/

          How many do you need before you just admit that the rise of the religious right...from just barely right all the way over to the most hasidic or yeshivish of the Haredi, is what is driving all the problems in Israel now and that they will become a worsening problem for women and minorities, especially LGBTQ Israelis?

          And that Israel, if one of its religious rights leaders wishes come true and it goes back to being "like in the days of David and Solomon", ceases to exist as a democratic country, and instead becomes a theocratic one?

          This is why you better believe it that Israel's move to the right is horrific. I don't care if it supported by tax payers or welfare recipients, it is horrific and will be the death of Israel.

          I am not wrong in ANYTHING I wrote, but I encountered plenty of right wing Jews in Israel that obfuscated to my face about things they found "inconvenient" to talk about. Like settlements. And you know what they would always say?
          "Oh, you just don't understand, you are not from here" as if the Jewish society was so complex and the politics so far above our heads that us women just can't grasp it.

          Yeah, screw that attitude, I want none of it.

          We see it perfectly. We have that ilk here too, in America. Nationalists. Populists. It's everything that is wrong with the world.

          And one more thing. Ben Gvir hoping to form his own militia? Yeah, can you see how that might go badly? I mean, historically? Rhymes with mound flirts.

          To the right is death. To the left is liberty. Let me just borrow a bit of your language and suggest you avoid reading or emulating any right wing movements over there in Israel.

          They are very very bad for your health.

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          1. Mathias

            Sorry, I seem to have hit a nerve. That was not my intention.

            I am not Haredi, and I am only too aware of the problems that afflict Haredi society and the non-exemplary behavior too often indulged in by some of them. I am ashamed on their behalf. Yet I still remain sympathetic to the Haredi community as a whole, and so I will point out those ways in which they do not fall short, and those times when they do present a better example than many people are willing to grant them credit for. Is that sympathy called "being on their side"? Maybe some would call it that; but it doesn't mean that I have to support their every position and undertaking. It just means that I see them as my brothers and sisters... like I see you.

            As you appear to have taken offense to my suggestions on which news outlets are unreliable, please remember that they are just suggestions, 'words to the wise' as I put it to Doug from AZ above. I'm not condemning you for using them; I'm trying to warn you of possible pitfalls which you might not have been aware of. Now, forewarned and forearmed, if you choose to engage with them you will be aware that they are not infallible oracles of truth. That is all I meant to achieve.

            By the way, what did you think of the Bnei Brak event from two weeks ago? I thought it was wonderful to see traditional and secular Jews talking to each other and singing together. A real night of brotherly love, which we could desperately use more of throughout the country.

            I feel deeply for you as you describe being put off with obfuscations and dismissals by right-wingers in Israel. But I have not dismissed your claims by saying "You wouldn't understand, you're not from here." I have reasoned that, considering your distance from the events, you might not be familiar with all the details, and so I have tried to fill you in. My goal is not to dismiss you, but to welcome you to engage fully with all the nuances of Israeli society.

            There are right-wingers in Israel (and America) who bring shame and discredit on the ideals of the Right, and there are left-wingers in Israel (and America) who bring shame and discredit on the ideals of the Left. I do not believe that the misbehavior of some on the political Right compels me to abandon my own views which happen to align broadly with what is called 'right-wing'. I believe that the views I hold are objectively true, and should stand on their own, irrespective of who champions them.

            I look forward to a time when the kingdom will indeed be restored as it was in the days of David and Solomon, but not with the current crop of politicians or religious leaders in charge, and not to function as a pseudo-Taliban or a corrupt theocracy. Instead, the rightful government of Israel will be under the philanthropic, impartially just and liberating rule of the Messiah, may he come speedily and in our days. Call him a king, a president, a chief justice, whatever you wish, but he'll ensure the freedom and security of every member of society. All our efforts, both Left and Right, up to this point are just gropings in that direction. (And I don't think that an election shift one way or the other is how it's going to come about, so I'm not looking to politics to save us.)

            Don't fear for the future of Israel; its future has already been written. And if you don't like everything you've heard about it... well, you really have to be there to fully get it. When it happens, you'll love it, don't worry.

            (I realize I've gotten a bit whimsical toward the end; please don't be offended but take it in jest, if you will.)

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  3. Avatar photo
    Cthocas

    Thanks for the breakdown. As always, the reality on the ground is vastly different from the "evil right vs noble protestors" narrative floating around like a dog fart in liberal outlets.

    Americans don't understand parliamentary systems, and they certainly don't understand how superior our constitutional system is.

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  4. Jim.H

    Why do so many in the US seem to care about what is happening in Israel.?

    We have enough to worry about here.

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    1. Avatar photo
      CJ

      I care because I know large segments of the US population (generally but not exclusively on the political right) seem to view ensuring Israel's survival and prosperity as a near-religious duty. And to the extent that internal strife in Israel makes it more likely that they'll need our help, I pay attention to what happens there.

      Plus if we're being candid Israel is a better friend to the US than their neighbors are. I don't want to interfere in my buddy's life but if his marriage is collapsing over stupid shit then blinding myself to that does no one any good.

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      1. Jim.H

        I agree, Israel is a better friend to the US than their neighbors are.....so do you support what Benjamin Netanyahu is trying to do by raining in a rouge Supreme Court ?

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        1. Avatar photo
          Scarlette Tarte

          I don't. It's not a "rogue supreme court " either.

          The further the Knesset goes to the right, the more the court will rule against them. That is only natural. Going to far either way means it is more likely the "basic laws" get broken. The right wing cannot violate the rights of other Israelis just because a majority want to do that. If the Knesset were to move far left, the courts would rule against that too.

          They are the only check against the Knesset. If Israel would write out a constitution and provide greater checks and balances, that would help prevent some of this.

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  5. Avatar photo
    Rdpulfer

    What good is "a timeout for dialogue" if Netanyahu is just going to pass it "one way or another"? It seems like this is more like the eye of the storm rather than actual "time-out".

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    1. Poisonwood Bible

      Taking a page from Carrie Lam: "Ah, I see you do not want Hong Kong to become an authoritarian jurisdiction? How about I 'pause' our legislation until I can arrest or cow the protest organizers?"

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  6. Avatar photo
    JohnM.

    Well done again, Charlotte. Makes me even more grateful for the system our Founders enacted.

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  7. Avatar photo
    George.Skinner

    It seems like we’re seeing a class of shameless political leadership around the world who crave power and refuse to quit. Bibi, Trump, Boris Johnson, and even Canada’s Justin Trudeau are examples. They often even seem to believe that their continued power is vital to the nation they lead, but they gradually tear it apart with increasingly divisive political gambits to retain control.

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  8. Paul.Teitelbaum

    Any reactions to Ben Gvir forming his own personal “militia”? Anybody? Isn’t this like putting the Proud Boys on the payroll?

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    1. Avatar photo
      Scarlette Tarte

      Yeah with Bibi using them as his own enforcers. I really think the right wing over here will have to be drug, kicking and screaming into criticizing Bibi, but the better if they want Israel to be around and stable.

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    2. Avatar photostaff-badge-circle
      Adaam James Levin-Areddy staff-badge Editor

      It's troubling. I've been asking around for comments. There's a sense with some people that Bibi will drag out his promise (as he's wont to do) and won't actually let it materialize. Their reasoning is: (1) Bibi is vindictive, and Ben Gvir's pushing for the militia (which he's been demanding from the outset) under threat of dissolving the gov't is perceived as kicking BB while he's down; (2) Bibi is a master of making promises that turn into wind, and it's hard to believe he's pleased with Ben Gvir gaining direct power over his own militia.

      Not sure I'm convinced by these arguments, but there you go.

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        CJ

        I buy their reasoning but from a complete outsiders' perspective it looks like quite a huge national risk given Ben Gvir's reputation. Ben Gvir could probably have asked for a lot of other things from Netanyahu that were more easily done (and thus more likely done), but he asked for a state-funded private militia.

        What if he intends to really use it?

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        1. Paul.Teitelbaum

          Note that no matter what Bibi does with the court reform, Gvir has the green light right now. I think this is a terrifying outcome. I expect that all of his recruits have a picture of Rabin’s assassin on their walls.

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            CJ

            Yeah that's what I was thinking too.

            The being said ultimately the size of the militia is based mostly on volunteers (with the exception of the border guards/police they "transfer" in) and the IDF will still massively, massively outnumber them, and this crisis has shown that plenty of reservists and active personnel are getting really tired of the direction the country is being pushed. If anything that might be MORE pronounced in the IDF than in the general population given that people like Ben Gvir and many of his ultra-Orthodox supporters don't serve in a country with a widespread draft.

            But 10,000 psychopaths can still do a lot of damage before they can be stopped.

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    Deb4711

    Yesterday’s Commentary podcast gave an excellent analysis of the deeper issues that underlie this crisis, and the fissures in Israeli society that it has exposed.

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      Reading451

      is Podhoretz finally acknowledging the opposition to the proposed reform package isn’t just left wing extremists?

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    Chris L

    Here we were being concerned about peace in the Middle East, especially between Israelis and Palestinians. Now we have to worry about peace between Israelis and ... Israelis? I'm sure there's an elegant solution in trying to balance power between the Supreme Court and Knesset, but not with populism nowadays being internationally all the rage (pun intended). And in the meantime, Iran is licking its chops.

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