Israel's Internal Strife: A Nation Divided Amid External Threats

As protests erupt over government actions, the nation faces questions about its future stability and governance.

For the past year and a half, in the wake of Hamas's assault, Israel had united against a common adversary, temporarily setting aside deep-seated domestic issues. However, that temporary alliance appears to be fracturing. On multiple fronts — from Gaza to Lebanon, the occupied West Bank, and Yemen — Israel has resumed military engagements while internally, citizens are reigniting long-standing disputes that threaten the very fabric of the nation.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition government is reigniting controversial plans that had been paused after the 2023 attack, striving for increased control over governmental branches. This revived push has sparked intense protests in response to attempts to dismiss key figures such as the head of domestic intelligence and the attorney general, who are currently supervising investigations into Netanyahu and his associates.

Parliament is set to vote on a proposal that would allow the government to exert more influence over the selection of Supreme Court justices, a judiciary that has consistently blocked the ambitions of Netanyahu's religiously conservative and ultranationalist partners. Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert expressed grave concerns during an interview, stating, “The foundations of the state are shaking.” He highlighted that Netanyahu appears willing to jeopardize everything to maintain power, warning that the nation is closer to civil conflict than many realize.

Netanyahu and his allies argue that their initiatives are a legitimate attempt to limit the authority of unelected officials and judicial powers that they claim impede the elected government's mandate. The Prime Minister took to social media last week, criticizing what he labeled a leftist "Deep State" using the justice system as a weapon against the will of the populace.