For many years, the Israeli public grew accustomed to living with numerous crises and tensions: ultra-Orthodox and secular, Left and Right, Jews and Arabs. This mosaic was complex but functional. However, something fundamental has changed recently. What was once a plurality of opinions has turned into a war of identities. What used to be defined as a legitimate civil protest is now taking on the hallmarks of open conflict.
The flag protests, the judicial reform, demonstrations outside ministers’ and Knesset members’ homes, reserve duty refusals, road blockades, verbal and physical violence, none of these are isolated incidents. They are expressions of a deep fissure in the shared Israeli identity. The rift is not merely ideological; it is emotional, cultural, and, at times, existential.
Israeli society is splitting in two, and the bridges, if any still exist, are collapsing. Each side is convinced of its absolute moral righteousness and sees the other not merely as an opponent but as a threat to the state’s existence. Public discourse has been pushed to the extremes, and the center, where basic agreements once lived, is barely audible.
Former president Reuven “Ruvi” Rivlin spoke 10 years ago about four tribes comprising Israeli society: secular, religious, ultra-Orthodox, and Arab. Today, it seems that those tribes are more focused on fortifying their walls than building bridges. Separate education systems, separate media, even different languages and syntax –between the ultra-Orthodox and liberal-religious, between secular and yeshiva students– are not just gaps but chasms.
Stoking the flames that will burn us down
The writing was on the wall, but instead of putting out the fire, some have poured gasoline on it. Politicians, past and present, repeatedly choose to stoke flames, sow suspicion, and divide.
One prominent example is former prime minister Ehud Barak. The man who once led the Israeli government now allows himself to compare the actions of an elected government to regime coups and calls for civil disobedience. These are irresponsible statements that endanger the stability of Israeli society no less than external threats.
Nor is the other side of the political map free from inflammatory remarks. When religious and political leaders accuse their opponents of “betrayal,” “hatred of Judaism,” or “undermining the foundations of Zionism,” they are actively participating in mutual destruction. When the word “brother” is replaced by “traitor,” the entire nation is at risk.
The media, which could have served as a moderating force, has also succumbed to extremism. Shouting talk shows, scream-filled interviews, violent comment sections, and a preference for drama over truth dominate. Social media platforms, with algorithms that reward incitement and rage, have become a relentless battlefield where every tweet is a bullet tearing through the fabric of Israeli society.
Institutions that once anchored stability – the Supreme Court, the Knesset, the IDF, and the police – are losing broad public trust. There are no longer “judges in Jerusalem,” only “leftist judges.” No longer “IDF soldiers,” but “political officers.” Not a “government,” but a “regime.” Words change, and with them, so does reality.
There are those who encourage division and fragmentation, all while living abroad. Last month, the US House Committees on the Judiciary and Foreign Affairs launched an investigation into six Israeli and American NGOs that received federal funding during the Biden administration.
In letters sent to the organizations, Republican Congressmen Jim Jordan and Brian Mast allege that the Biden administration used government funding to “undermine the elected government of Israel.” As part of the inquiry, the committees are demanding that the organizations submit documents and correspondence related to funding requests and how the money was used by April 9 of that year, and freeze all data related to the grants received.
US President Donald Trump signed an executive order requiring academic institutions to properly report foreign funding sources, including the purpose of the funds, with the threat of losing federal funding in cases of noncompliance.
An in-depth investigative report published in February by Makor Rishon revealed that the Blue and White Future NGO raised an astonishing sum of approximately NIS 120 million in 2023.
The funds were used to finance protests against the judicial reform, logistics, spokesperson services, legal consultation, and the transfer of money to organizations such as Brothers in Arms, Women Building an Alternative, and others, including within academia. Half the sum was directed to grassroots organizations that organized protests and road blockades across the country; the other half went toward advertising, salaries, and public relations services in Israel and abroad.
Iran, which recruits Israelis for espionage, photography, and to deepen societal rifts, operates these traitors while transferring funds and providing precise instructions.
On Monday, an indictment was filed against a minor for harming state security. According to the indictment, over several months, the defendant actively maintained contact with an Iranian agent, knowing that he was a hostile actor operating on behalf of an enemy state.
The connection between the defendant and the foreign agent was made through the Telegram app following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas War. The agent subsequently assigned various tasks to the defendant, which were carried out in exchange for payment. These included printing and distributing inciting political posters and photographing and filming them in public spaces.
Countless hostile actors are trying to sow discord among segments of Israeli society. At this moment in time, healing Israeli society depends on our ability to stop viewing protest as war, to halt incitement from both the Left and Right. We must stop using every crisis as a weapon and start using them to heal. The leadership, whether in the coalition or opposition, must understand that responsibility for national unity outweighs any short-term political gain.
The education system must address the root cause by teaching respectful discourse, democratic values, and a shared historical memory. Responsible journalism, educational initiatives, cross-sector encounters, and investment in unifying culture are not luxuries but prerequisites for survival.
Israel’s strength lies not only in its military power but in its social cohesion. Without that cohesion, even the most lethal external threat becomes secondary.
The writer is the CEO of Radios 100FM, honorary consul of Nauru, deputy dean of the Diplomatic Consular Corps, and president of the Israeli Radio Communications Association, as well as a former IDF intelligence monitor and NBC television network correspondent.