Unpacking Israel’s Political Crisis

After Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed his defense minister for calling for a halt to government plans to gut the power of Israel’s judiciary, hundreds of thousands of Israelis took to the streets, participating in spontaneous mass protests and setting bonfires in the street. The next day, after a general strike brought the economy to a halt, Netanyahu backtracked, announcing the Knesset would not vote on the first part of his government’s judicial overhaul plan and that he would instead engage in negotiations with the opposition to forge consensus. To discuss these developments, Jewish Currents editor-in-chief Arielle Angel spoke with senior reporter Alex Kane, contributing editor Joshua Leifer, and contributing writer Elisheva Goldberg. They talked about how anti-occupation activists are relating to the mass protests, why the Israeli right is so intent on curbing judicial power, and the future of Netanyahu’s coalition. Thanks to Jesse Brenneman for producing and to Nathan Salsburg for the use of his song “VIII (All That Were Calculated Have Passed).” Articles and Tweets Mentioned:“Huwara and the Dangers of Annexation,” Elisheva Goldberg, Jewish Currents“The Laundromat of Dispossession,” Amira Hass, Haaretz (Hebrew)“The Long Reach of Restraint,”Elisheva Goldberg, Jewish Currents“What’s Next for Netanyahu’s Judicial Overhaul?”, Alex Kane in conversation with Edo Konrad, Jewish Currents“Do Israeli Protesters Really Want Democracy”?”,  Orly Noy, +972 Magazine“What American Liberals Can Learn from Israel’s Protests,” Gal Beckerman, The AtlanticNoah Kulwin’s tweet on the Israeli protests as “Muellerism”“A Color Revolution in Israel,” Liel Leibovitz, Compact“American Jewish Committee, Other Jewish Organizations Welcome Suspension of Israeli Judicial Overhaul Legislation,” AJCKan News segment on the Histadrut’s links to Netanyahu (Hebrew)