In the days and weeks after 7 October there was much talk in Israel of “sobering up” (Hitpakchnu). As part of the understandable trauma in response to the Hamas atrocities, some of those previously open to finding a diplomatic resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict struggled to sustain support for peace and reconciliation.
However hard in the face of ongoing trauma and bloodshed, it is time for us to wake up to the urgent crises facing Israel.
Those who believe in a safe Jewish homeland, which remains a democracy that treats all inhabitants fairly and strives for a secure peace with its neighbours must confront the possibility of an undemocratic Israel led by extremists.
As we approach Pesach, I wonder when more of us who love Israel will understand all that has happened should have been enough for us (dayenu) to make sure that our support for Israelis is never confused for excusing or endorsing the actions of an extremist government.
It should have been enough that successive Netanyahu governments allowed funds to be transferred to Hamas and saw them as an asset: “Anyone who wants to thwart the establishment of a Palestinian state has to support bolstering Hamas and transferring money to Hamas … This is part of our strategy – to isolate the Palestinians in Gaza from the Palestinians in the West Bank.” (Benjamin Netanyahu, Likud Conference 2019)
It should have been enough that instead of defending the Gaza border communities in October 2023, military divisions were diverted to protect zealots in the West Bank.
It should have been enough when ministers joined protests to obstruct police investigating those accused of torture at Sde Teiman.
It should have been enough when former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant resigned citing the Prime Minister’s refusal to allow a full public inquiry.
It should have been enough when another former Defence Minister, Moshe Yaalon, expressed fears the “corrupt and leprous fascist Messianic state” – his description of the current government – is capable of “conquering, annexing, ethnic cleansing.”
David Davidi-Brown
It should have been enough when Itamar Ben Gvir, after boasting of wrecking deals to bring the hostages home, immediately rejoined the government as air strikes resumed in Gaza, hundreds more civilians were killed, and the grim total of 50,000 deaths was reached.
One red-line was crossed. The Chief Rabbi, Board of Deputies, ADL and others pulled out of a conference on tackling antisemitism because far-right parties from Europe were invited by the Minister of Diaspora Affairs.
Days later, moves progressed to fire the head of the Shin Bet and remove the Attorney General. Most recently a law was passed changing the makeup of the Judicial Selection Committee reigniting attempts to undermine the rule of law and checks and balances on executive power.
Ahead of that vote, Benny Gantz referenced Menachim Begin and warned “democracies fall or die slowly when they suffer from a malignant disease called the tyranny of the majority…the curtain of darkness slowly descends on society…a government becomes a regime, and the prime minister becomes a ruler.”
Benny Begin, former Likud MK and son of Menachem Begin, echoed these fears: “this government does not want to govern, but to rule — to rule without limits and without wisdom, a new and dangerous regime, whose name is not yet known, but will not be democracy.”
There are two visions of Israel’s future. One envisioned in the Declaration of Independence and one sought by religious fundamentalists and ultranationalists.
We cannot be silent or sit on the sidelines in the struggle over which of these visions of Israel prevails.
We must use our energy and voices to end this war and stop Ben Gvir, Smotrich and their enablers ending the existence of Israel as the country generations strived and died for.
We must join with the families of the hostages and hundreds of thousands of Israelis defending democracy.
It is time to sober up and take action to prevent Israel’s further descent towards autocracy and extremism. Dayenu.
- David Davidi-Brown, chief executive, New Israel Fund UK
