For Heaven's Sake

For many Israelis, the IDF has long been considered the people's army, a beloved and trusted institution that represents the nation's Zionist ethos and serves as an expression of Jewish solidarity. Now, in the midst of one of Israel's most violent period's since the second Intifada, and with significant opposition by thousands of voluntary reservists to the government's judicial overhaul plans, that trust threatens to dissolve and leaves in its wake a security threat. Complicating matters further is a pending bill that would grant Haredi Jews an exemption from military service. Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain explore what this moment means for Israel's solidarity, its ability to defend itself, and where to begin to repair this fracturing.

Following major protests for the past 29 consecutive weeks and despite opposition from President Herzog, Defense Minister Gallant, the international community, and President Biden, this week the Knesset passed a bill ending the Supreme Court's ability to nullify government officials' decisions on the basis of their reasonability just three days before Tisha B'Av. In this episode Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain explore the significance of this moment, the importance and challenge of resisting zealotry, and the long-term vision for Israeli democracy.

For the 28th week in a row, protests against the proposed judicial overhaul continue in Israel. Saturday night's rallies drew tens of thousands of supporters, including our hosts, Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain, who participated in Jerusalem. In this episode, they discuss the reasonableness standard, a judicial doctrine that, if amended, will have far-reaching implications for the future of Israeli democracy. Should any attempts at reform by the current government be treated as illegitimate? And how should protesters know when to put their foot down over the government's actions?

Settlers in the West Bank now play a major role in both domestic and international Israeli affairs, and they are a powerful force in Israeli politics. In this episode, Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain talk about the various reasons that people live in the West Bank, explore in depth the commitments and values of those who live over the green line for ideological reasons, consider why some settlers have recently become more violent, and discuss how the various motivations for living there have shifted over time.

After nearly six months of weekly demonstrations in Israel, the inevitable protest fatigue is starting to set in. Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain explore how to capitalize on the energy and commitment of the pro-democracy movement and ask: Has liberal Israel finally awakened, and is it ready for the long, hard work of transforming Israeli society?

Over the past few decades, Israel's Haredi community has transitioned from the political periphery to a position of power and influence. Now at the center of Israeli public debate, longstanding resentments around the community's promotion of its own interests as well as its self-proclaimed role as "guardian of Jewishness" are resurfacing. Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain ask: are there any compromises that will contain Haredi power or will the rise of the Haredim necessarily come at the expense of mainstream Israel? Will the Haredi community's surging population mean the inevitable end of liberal Israel?

The Nakba (catastrophe) and Israel's legitimacy are often seem as a zero-sum game: you can acknowledge one or the other, but not both. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's recent speech at the United Nations during the first ever formal commemoration of this day (May 15th) did little to assuage this polarization. But many who live in Israel encounter fellow Israeli citizens for whom the Nakba is a central part of their identity. Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain explore these tensions and complexities as Zionists. They ask: can we acknowledge Palestinian suffering, especially in relationship to Palestinians who are citizens of Israel? Can we hear their stories without endorsing their political conclusions, and is there room for a cautious Zionist exploration of the Palestinian narrative of Nakba?

The religious Zionist demographic makes up about 10% of the Israeli population, yet it has emerged as one of the most influential segments of society, both within the government and in the country at large. This demographic is undergoing significant change, from being primarily focused on issues of security, territory and settlement, to being at the forefront of the government's judicial revolution. Donniel Hartman, Yossi Klein Halevi, and Elana Stein Hain dive into the complexities of the religious Zionist community's evolution and its relationship to Netanyahu's governing coalition.

Elana Stein Hain new book, Circumventing the Law, is available for pre-order: https://www.pennpress.org/9781512824407/circumventing-the-law/

Netta Barak-Corren's English paper on the Judicial Reform:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_r-5u_lT6TIc27SjireMrlNux1roM72C/view

A large segment of Israeli society is approaching the country's 75th anniversary with a sense of anxiety. Will a democratic Israel withstand judicial reform and be changed forever? Will defending the vision of Israel as both a Jewish and a democratic state help unify a largely divided Jewish population in Israel? In this Yom Ha'atzmaut episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi, reflect on the resilience that the ruling coalition's recent attacks on Israeli democracy have exposed and evoked across many groups within Israeli society, as well as their own evolution and commitments to Jewish and pluralistic values.

Is funding from Jews in the Diaspora problematic? If so, when and in what context? Should there be limits on financial support and what they should be? In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi talk through the role of money and the culture of support in Israel-Diaspora relations.