Israel is currently navigating a historic, multidimensional crisis unlike any it has experienced before. This unprecedented state of internal polarization is shaking the very foundations of its national identity, governance, and future.
Although Israel has always lived in a state of existential contradiction — having been founded upon the ruins of Palestinian dispossession and occupation — it historically managed to balance war and diplomacy, regional pressures and global expectations, and, most crucially, domestic divisions.
In its early decades, Israel succeeded in suppressing internal contradictions, forging a superficial unity among Jewish communities from over 100 countries and more than 80 languages. But all of this began to unravel with the rise of the right in 1977, and it accelerated exponentially with the ascent of Benjamin Netanyahu.
From Kibbutz Zionism to Settler Fascism
Over the next two decades, Israel’s identity morphed. The image of the pioneering, collectivist kibbutz Jew gave way to religious settler fascism, born from the illegal outposts in occupied Palestine. With Netanyahu’s rise, even the remaining liberal traces within the right began to vanish.
His latest government reflects a dangerous consolidation of Israel’s most extreme fringes — once considered marginal, now ruling at the heart of the state.
Netanyahu emerged as a master manipulator, skilled in political survival and the art of expediency. He climbed to power not on vision, but through mafia-like tactics, sidelining the “princes” of the Likud — heirs of its founding leadership like Benny Begin, Dan Meridor, and Ehud Olmert — and replacing them with loyal, uncritical enablers.
Figures like Avigdor Lieberman, once Netanyahu’s right-hand man, eventually turned against him, forming his own party “Yisrael Beiteinu” after falling out with his former boss. Similarly, Naftali Bennett, once a close advisor, broke ranks and led a coalition that momentarily ousted Netanyahu from office — proving for the first time that Israel could exist without him.
Creating a Monster Government
Netanyahu engineered his current coalition by merging the most extreme nationalist-religious figures — Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir — promising them key ministries (Finance, Defense oversight over the West Bank, and National Security). They once stood on opposite ends of the far-right spectrum but were united under Netanyahu’s manipulation to form what he proudly called the “fully right-wing government.”
This coalition has since imploded in terms of governance. Smotrich and Ben Gvir constantly clash, competing in who can be more extreme. Their alliance was always fragile, and their rivalries are now openly damaging Netanyahu’s grip.
A Personalist Agenda Built on Corruption
Driven by personal ambition, Netanyahu, aided by his wife Sara and son Yair, built a political dynasty marked by luxury, scandal, and media manipulation. Billionaires like Sheldon Adelson were enlisted to fund media outlets like Israel Hayom to push right-wing propaganda. Meanwhile, Netanyahu is still embroiled in corruption cases involving bribery, media manipulation, and abuse of office.
To escape prosecution, he moved to remake Israel’s judiciary — attempting to strip it of independence and place it under the control of the Knesset, which he dominates. This assault on judicial independence triggered mass protests, exposing deep fractures within Israeli society.
Cracks in the Zionist Foundation
The events of October 7, 2023 — the launch of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood by Hamas — exposed not just military failures but also ideological collapse. Israel’s reliance on brute force and permanent war no longer guarantees security or legitimacy.
Most alarming to the Israeli establishment is the growing public realization that Israel’s refusal of a political resolution, its rejection of Palestinian rights, and its addiction to endless war are self-destructive.
Yet Netanyahu and his extremist allies interpret things differently. They see stopping the war as a defeat, not just militarily but ideologically. Hence, their push for a “forever war” — not to win, but to survive politically.
The Beginning of the End?
Surveys now show a clear majority of Israelis, including former generals and security officials, support a ceasefire, a prisoner exchange, and a full investigation into the October 7 disaster and the government’s mishandling before and after it.
Even Israeli President Isaac Herzog recently floated a “plea deal” that would end Netanyahu’s legal cases in exchange for an admission of guilt and retirement from politics. Given the president’s constitutional power to issue pardons, this is more than symbolic — it signals desperation to avoid complete state collapse.
Still, Netanyahu sees himself as a messianic figure — a prophet of the global far right — whose exit would deal a blow not only to Israeli politics but to far-right movements in the U.S. and Europe.
What Will Bring Him Down?
It’s likely not the left or even the opposition that will topple Netanyahu — but his own coalition. His alliance depends on ultra-Orthodox parties, which are now clashing with Likud over military conscription laws. Meanwhile, Smotrich and Ben Gvir are locked in a battle for dominance among the far-right electorate.
As public sentiment sours, Netanyahu’s grip weakens. The longer the war continues, the more he is exposed — not as Israel’s saviour, but as its most dangerous liability.
If the next elections reflect current polling trends, Netanyahu and the far right may not only lose — they may fracture completely, taking down the last illusions of Israeli “unity” with them.
