Israel: A country at crossroads
In 2023, Israel faces a significant crossroads: during the first three quarters of the year, the country’s socio-political fabric was tested in a deep ideological conflict.The conservative wing, represented by the current government, was pushing for judicial and constitutional reforms, whereas the liberal wing, represented by the opposition, protested strongly against these changes fearing that the reforms will undermine the checks and balances essential for a functioning liberal democracy.
The right-wing government, described as the most religiously conservative in Israel's history, claimed that the judiciary had overstepped its bounds and must be restrained. On the other hand, the liberal opposition saw these reforms as a direct attack on Israeli democracy. Huge demonstrations and massive protests broke out in major cities like Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa and Be'er Sheba, reflecting widespread public dissatisfaction.
The social consequences of this conflict were tangible. The nation was polarized, and its citizens were divided along ideological lines. This division was not only political but entered everyday life, affecting relationships, communities and even family dynamics.
The above events were mirrored in August’s edition of What Worries the World, with Israelis ranking the rise of extremism as the fourth biggest issue facing their country. One in four (25%) mentioned it as one of their major concerns, 13 points higher than the global country average (where it instead ranks 13th at 8%) and placing Israel top of 29 countries included in the study.
Culturally, the rift highlighted the tension between Israel's dual identity as a Jewish and democratic state. The conservative push for reforms was seen by many as an attempt to prioritize the former over the latter, leading to concerns about the erosion of secular values and the rise of religious conservatism. This was also reflected in latest Ipsos Global Trends study, where 86% of the Israelis (as opposed to 77% worldwide) agree that, in their country, there is more and more conflict between people who don't share the same values.
Economically, the situation brought uncertainty. Protests and political instability discouraged foreign investments and affected the tourism industry, a significant revenue source for Israel.
Then came October 7 and the unprecedented attack by Hamas. Hamas forces massacred approximately 1,400 people, mostly peaceful residents of more than 20 kibbutzim and small towns near Gaza, along with young people who came to spend time at a love and peace music festival, in an oasis nearby. That day, some 240 people, including babies, toddlers, women, the elderly and the sick, as well as Holocaust survivors, were taken prisoner by Hamas into Gaza. Entire communities have been damaged, their homes destroyed and looted, and there are now hundreds of thousands displaced. On October 8, Israel formally declared war on Hamas, beginning with a six-day aerial bombing of Gaza.
50 years after the Yom Kippur War, the state of Israel once again found itself surprised by a brutal attack. Israel, a country in a constant state of war, was once again forced to stop daily life, enlist and fight. Israeli society, for the time being, has put aside the disputes of the first three quarters, united around a common goal, and is doing everything possible to return the abductees to their homes, and remove the threat of Hamas once and for all.
As of November 2023, the ongoing conflict between the conservative wing and the liberal wing in Israel, regarding the reforms in the judicial system, is being set aside and replaced with an extraordinary social cohesion. Perhaps there is no way to predict the end result of these two mega events, but one thing is assured: Israel's destiny will be shaped by these internal and external struggles in the years to come.
Maurice Kahoonay
Country Manager, Ipsos in Israel