Eighteen months ago, after Hamas’ attack on Israel, the Israelis suspended Internal conflicts form a united military front against a common external threat.
Now that semblance of the usual cause has been rejected. Behind its borders, Israel continued the fight on four fronts – in Gaza, Lebanon, occupied by the West Bank and Yemen. And internally, the citizens of Israel returned to bitter domestic quarrels This once again raises existential questions about their country future.
The ruling coalition of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has revived his controversial effortsfrozen after the 2023 attack, to expand control of other branches of power. The moves were launched by mass protests after the Government tried to release the head of Israel’s domestic intelligence service, as well as the Attorney General – two powerful goalkeepers who oversee the investigations of both Mr. Netanyahu and his assistants.
This week, Parliament will vote on a government plan to provide more control over the selection of judges in the Supreme Court, an institution that has long prevented the ambitions of ultransicalistic and religious conservative allies of Mr. Netanyahu.
“The foundation of the state is shaking,” said Ehud Olmert, a former Israeli Prime Minister. “In Israel, Netanyahu is ready to sacrifice everything for his survival, and we are closer to the civil war than people understand. We have returned to the fight – and for what? And abroad, I never remember such hatred, such opposition, the state of Israel.”
Mr Netanyahu and his supporters, the moves are legitimate efforts to draw into the left -handed bureaucrats and judicial officials who have received the will of the chosen government. “The left -wing deep state arms the judicial system to prevent the will of people,” Mr. Netanyahu wrote on social networks last week.
But his critics, Mr. Netanyahu’s decisions at best represent a huge conflict of interest to the Prime Minister Currently standing trial for corruption. In the worst case, they are an attempt to put against the judicial branches of power.
Mr. Netanyahu further prompted home -made anger, breaking a dedication fire with Hamas in Gaza; The return to the war threatens not only Palestinians, but to 60 of the Scholas of Israel are still in that territory. In his return to war, Mr. Netanyahu also attracted retaliation from Hamas allies in Lebanon And Yemen. And he tested the patience and determination of tens of thousands of exhausted military reservists who would be sought to maintain what was already the longest war of Israel.
The public anger is exacerbated by the impression that Mr. Netanyahu has been politically used since returning to war, which helped to increase his fragile coalition government.
The far right faction, Jewish power, left the government at the beginning of the trial in January, which increased the possibility that the war could end with a hamas that is still in charge of Gaza.
A few hours after Israel restarted the shots to Gaza last Tuesday, killing hundreds of Palestinians, party leader Itamar Ben-Gvir praised the move and returned his group to the Government, enhancing most of Mr. Netanyahu in Parliament. This races the way that the party votes for the new national budget, which is required by the end of the month to prevent the ruin of the Government.
Mr. Ben-Gvir, who is now monitoring the police, is also one of the strongest supporters of the transition to Sack Ronen Bar, head of the domestic intelligence, and Gali Baharav-Miara, the Attorney General. Both are considered to be significant checks of the end right leader who is forbidden to serve in the Israeli army because of its extreme attitudes and has several beliefs for incentive to racism and support the terrorist group.
Analysts are divided whether Mr. Netanyahu intends to continue to continue with his different moves – both on the battlefield in Gaza and against his critics at home.
Some think that he could alleviate some of his views after the budget of his voice in late March, reducing the reliance on Mr. Ben-Gvir. The main lactus test is expected on April 8, when the Supreme Court should have judged the legality of the firing of the Lord Bar. Mr. Netanyahu hinted that he could neglect the verdict, and his answer would indicate how far he was ready to defy the constitutional order.
“I don’t see him say” no “the Supreme Court,” said Nadav Shtrauchler, a former advisor to Mr. Netanyahu, adding: “In the vast majority of Netanyahu cases, he will eventually be conservative.” But even if the Israeli leader deviates from the edge, his critics say that Mr. Netanyahu has already caused irreparable damage to break so much norms to reach this point.
Mr. Olmert, a former prime minister, was also explored for corruption while he was on duty, in the end of the convicted and closed. But he resigned to place before the case reached the trial, and his government never tried to release the Attorney General who was overseeing the investigation.
“What Netanyahu does would be unthinkable,” Mr. Olmert said.
Myra Novack contributed to reporting.
