– Israeli society shows “elements of unwinding, elements of decay”, says former Israeli advisor Daniel Levy
– Many young Israelis say: ‘Why do I stay here? … Netanyahu is destroying this country and he has to go,” says former Israeli negotiator Gershon Baskin
ISTANBUL
A year after the Gaza war, deep fractures are visible in Israeli society as radicalization, political polarization, economic instability and military tension intensify.
Daniel Levy, a former adviser to the Israeli government, characterizes this situation as an “element of decay”, which highlights the growing fragility of society.
“It’s not that the country is collapsing, but there are elements of breaking chains, elements of decay… We see a society where the fragile and the vulnerable are exposed,” he told Anadolu.
For Miko Peled, an Israeli-American activist and author, Israel remains in a “state of chaos” since October 7, when Israel launched a war in Gaza that resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and widespread destruction.
“Law enforcement is in chaos, the judicial system and the legislative bodies are in complete chaos. The government, the military, I mean all the states are completely dysfunctional,” Peled says, adding that the functioning of the state has been severely affected.
“It’s paralyzed or nearly paralyzed.”
Stories in the game
According to Levy, Israeli society was deeply polarized on internal issues prior to October 7, with widespread protests against the legal reform initiated by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.
However, since the start of Israel’s war in Gaza, Levy believes that Israelis have largely united in their stance against the Palestinians.
“Israelis have bought into the narrative that what is being done in Gaza is deserved… legal, it’s us or them. The Israeli media has pumped one story into the homes of Israelis.
Levy also points out that despite this “unanimous acceptance of immorality and criminality against Palestinians,” Israeli Jewish society feels increasingly fragile and divided into opposing camps.
One faction, according to Levy, believes that “the catastrophe of October 7 is the price to be paid for ushering in an era of redemption in which the Palestinians can finally be exterminated, ethnically cleansed, and permanently removed from the land.”
This group, he says, sees the Nakba, the series of forced displacements of Palestinians in 1948, as “an unending history, and it can be finished now.”
Peled, whose grandfather Avraham Katznelson was one of Israel’s founders, believes that Israeli society has never been unified, held together by “tape” from the beginning.
“There are huge differences in society. It’s not a single society. It’s a bunch of different groups that are artificially held together. And so there have been divisions for decades.”
He links the ongoing protests, including the 2023 judiciary reform protests and the massive hostage protests, to the most privileged sections of Israeli society demanding changes to preserve their status.
“And we see that the tape is weaker, especially because the segments that are now protesting are the most privileged.”
According to Peled, the protests have little effect on the government. “The government has the support of parliament and they have a majority, so they are not in danger.”
He also notes widespread support for “sadistic violence against Palestinians” in Israeli society, but adds that internal divisions are growing.
“The divisions are clear, society itself is torn apart. And even people in this society who disagree call each other traitors and get into fights and then get into these very deep disagreements that become almost insurmountable,” he says.
Military strain
Experts have also highlighted how Israel’s war on Gaza has affected its military. Levy notes that the Israeli army is under “hard pressure” and the ground forces are struggling in urban battles.
“The fact that they destroyed Gaza means that the army didn’t feel they could fight in an urban landscape. Everything had to be destroyed and the army in a year.”
Levy also cited a growing sense of fatigue among Israeli forces.
“It’s not that so many Israeli troops have been killed, but many have been seriously injured, and many no longer show up for reserve duty.”
He emphasized that while there was widespread support for the war when it began and many reservists signed up for duty, this has changed over time.
“I am told that more than 50% do not show up (up). Army units say we do not want to continue fighting for an illegitimate political leader who is pursuing illegitimate goals.
For most Israelis, however, this illegality is not due to war crimes against the Palestinians, Levy explains, but to domestic political considerations such as hostage and cease-fire negotiations and other policy decisions by Netanyahu.
“So you have certain units in the intelligence services, the Air Force, some special operations units where you have real discomfort.
“On the flip side, you have some units that, when they’re told, ‘Hey, don’t destroy that humanitarian convoy,’ they still go ahead and destroy it. So this is an Army where these tensions are dangerous.”
Economic impact
Israel’s economy is also suffering from the effects of the war, such as inflation, unemployment and reduced investment.
“Prices have risen considerably. Inflation has been underreported. The inability to stock everything has been underreported. But if you look at the economy more broadly, this is of course a burden,” says Levy.
He also notes the significant migration of Israelis, with many staying abroad longer or obtaining second passports, especially those wealthy enough to buy homes abroad.
Peled points out that Israel’s main international airport, located in the city of Lid, is barely operational.
“Major airlines refuse to land there. The southern port city, the port city of Eilat is completely stopped, not working.
Emphasizes that the closure of Eilat port is a major economic blow, as Israel’s major industry has stopped selling cars due to a lack of imports.
Former Israeli negotiator Gershon Baskin also believes that Netanyahu’s government will destroy the economy.
“Many young Israelis are saying, ‘Why am I staying here? What is my future in this country under this leadership?’ Netanyahu is destroying this country and he has to go.”
Changing the global image
Levy claims that the Gaza war has “undoubtedly” changed Israel’s global image with an unprecedented mobilization around the Palestinian issue.
“This is change. This is not going away, Jewish voices are coming and saying, ‘Not in my name,’ ‘Don’t call this anti-Semitism.’
Peled agrees that Israel’s global standing has seriously weakened.
“There is absolutely no doubt about it. All normalization negotiations with the Arab countries are off the table. The true face of Zionism is now being revealed to people who have yet to see it.”
He points out that the massacre of civilians in Gaza is broadcast live on social media, revealing the brutality of the conflict in real time.
Levy also cited the importance of decisions by international bodies such as the International Court of Justice, Palestinian resurgence as central to the UN’s non-aligned movement, and popular boycotts as signs that “we are in a new reality.” “
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