The atmosphere in Israel at present is marked both by social unrest and by pervasive misrepresentation of the situation. The two go hand-in-hand. If we want to understand the realities, it is critical to move past the misrepresentation – for those realities vary significantly from the picture that is being painted in many quarters.
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The social unrest that is currently taking place is marked by attempts to disrupt public life. Most notably, this has involved more than half a year of large and raucous street demonstrations. Main roads are blocked; on more than one occasion there have been efforts to restrict access to the airport and to train stations. But there is more: there have been strikes by doctors; threats by IDF reserve officers that they will not show when called, etc.
What we are actually seeing is an attack on the Israeli government.
We are told that this is about the judicial reform. But at its core, the attack is not about judicial reform. That reform merely serves as a rationale for inciting protest and fomenting an anti-government uprising.
The Israeli government – right-wing, nationalist, and embracing traditional Jewish values – is an anomaly in a progressive Western world. Those on the left in Israel see it as antithetical to their universalist, primarily secular values. An elite informed by this leftist ideology controls major institutions – including much of the media, the legal system, labor unions, the hi-tech industry, medical establishments, and, yes, the military.
Key members of this elite, feeling threatened by the shift in cultural and political mores, are seeking a government that advances policies supporting their political perspective and their cultural values. Acting against the government in concert with left-wing politicians, their aim is to weaken and ultimately bring it down; many are determined to see Prime Minister Netanyahu gone.
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The evidence that this is not a protest against judicial reform is strong:
[] Plans for an insurrection preceded plans for judicial reform.
There is solid evidence that former prime minister Ehud Barak was planning an uprising well before the government began working on judicial reform.
[] Key leaders of the opposition – notably Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid) and Gideon Sa’ar ( National Unity) – are on record as being for legislation to remove the reasonableness clause (which allowed the High Court to void government decisions it sees as “unreasonable”). Their positions, which they reversed when the new government began work on judicial reform, were almost identical to the current legislation that just passed.
This is clear evidence that what is happening is not about judicial reform, but opposition to the government.
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The left has utilized buzz words that energize a certain segment of the populace. Primary among these is “democracy”: The government is destroying democracy. Go out to the street, wave your flag, block roads, make loud noises, so that democracy can be saved.
The claim is that the judicial reform will undermine democracy. But when the reform is examined (see the entry on Judicial Reform), it is clear that it actually enhances democracy, and certainly does not destroy it.
And yet, there are people who sincerely believe this. They go out onto the street for what they believe is a noble cause, and they feel virtuous and empowered. They see themselves as part of something important.
And so, it must be emphasized: Regardless of the claims of those demonstrators and their leaders, the current government is NOT destroying democracy!
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The street demonstrations are not spontaneous grass-roots events.
They are planned, organized and choreographed, with instructions as to when to show up, where to go and what to do.
Providing the demonstrators with Israeli flags reinforces their sense of being loyal Israelis and conveys to bystanders the message that these demonstrators are truly standing with Israel.
Huge funding is invested in these demonstrations. There is planning, purchase of tens of thousands of flags, PR, buses for bringing demonstrators to various locales. There is also anecdotal evidence that sometimes demonstrators are paid.
Understanding where the money is coming from is key to understanding the underlying purpose of the demonstrations.
Some substantial portion is believed to be from Ehud Barak, possibly channeled via non-profits. Gilead Sher, a long-time associate of Barak’s, has testified to the fact that Barak has been involved in funding of demonstrations.
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-745199
A portion comes from left-wing organizations in Israel. Notably, the Movement for Quality Government in Israel. According to Caroline Glick, “The Movement for Quality Government has worked for decades to subvert Israeli democracy.” What makes the situation more problematic is that the US State Department provides some funds to MQG.
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/368452
And a portion of the funding comes from progressive organizations abroad, including, notably, the New Israel Fund. According to David Isaac writing in JNS, “ NIF money helped to ignite the protests, funding the first major demonstration on January 7 in Tel Aviv.”
https://www.jns.org/new-israel-fund-reveals-string-of-donations-to-anti-reform-protest-groups/
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There is overt incitement associated with the protests, encouragement to head towards “war.” Two of the major inciters are former prime ministers: Ehud Barak (pictured) and Ehud Olmert.
David Weinberg, a senior fellow at The Institute for National Security & Zionist Strategy, has written:
“I cannot ignore…the unbridled confrontation, the inflammatory demagoguery, the violent warmongering – that has become standard and acceptable behavior for some of Israel’s once and supposed leaders.
“…There are very specific people responsible for this degradation, with Ehud Barak taking first place in the ugly contest for the most hateful, most extreme, most seditious rabble-rouser of all.
“…Former prime minister Ehud Barak…savages Prime Minister Netanyahu and anybody to the right of him as ‘dark and dangerous ultra-nationalists who are undermining the foundations of Zionism and Israeli democracy.’”
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-752706
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Democracy is based on governance by the elected representatives of the people – the Knesset and government – not by rule from the street.
Demonstrations are a valid part of any democracy, but the current attempt by members of the opposition to undermine national stability – calling for members of the IDF to refuse to serve, for example – is actually anti-democratic.
Protesting voices must be heard, and they have been. (Again, see the entry on judicial reform.) But a situation cannot be permitted to develop that ultimately means rule by a minority in the street. The opposition has shown no real desire to cooperate in reaching compromises on judicial reform. Negotiations were held at the president’s house for three months, and in the end, there was not a single item that had been agreed upon.
The intent is to stonewall and undermine.