Highlights: Israel marks the 75th anniversary of its declaration of independence on May 14, 1948. Anniversary - and national holiday - against a backdrop of deep crisis. Demonstrations follow one another every Saturday against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing and far-right coalition. Netanyahu's judicial reform project that many in Israel describe as dangerous for democracy. The country is experiencing a new political awakening, mostly non-religious, says sociologist Nicolle Perle of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, which observes "on the one hand, an unprecedented awakening"

The State of Israel celebrates the 75th anniversary of its declaration of independence on May 14, 1948 (Israelis commemorate this day according to the Jewish calendar). Birthday - and national holiday - against a backdrop of crisis...

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Israel, the 75-year crisis

Israelis protesting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government's plan to reform the judiciary hold an alternative Independence Day celebration in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, April 25, 2023. AP - Ohad Zwigenberg

Text by: Nicolas Falez Follow

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The State of Israel celebrates the 75th anniversary of its declaration of independence on May 14, 1948 (Israelis commemorate this day according to the Jewish calendar). Anniversary - and national holiday - against a backdrop of deep crisis: demonstrations follow one another every Saturday against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing and far-right coalition and against his judicial reform project that many in Israel describe as dangerous for democracy.

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I don't know if I would vote for them today, they are throwing too much oil on the fire, things should be calmed down. Yoni muses from a café terrace in Jerusalem's German Colony neighborhood. In the last parliamentary elections, at the end of 2022, the young real estate agent gave his vote to the alliance of religious ultranationalist parties, which now have ministers in government. "Their love for our country is extreme," Yoni said, despite his reservations. "I voted to have a strong, right-wing government, for our land and our security," he said.

Israel marks its 75th anniversary against a backdrop of fracture. Admittedly, the government has decreed a pause in its judicial reform project, but without giving up on it. The objective remains to reduce the prerogatives of the Supreme Court, which would weaken the only counter-power in this country that has no Constitution.

In this in-between, Benjamin Netanyahu's ultranationalist allies are impatient: "He's not a right-wing guy, he's left-wing, maybe centrist, but not right-wing," says Arieh King. For this deputy mayor of Jerusalem, the head of government is decidedly too moderate. "Binyamin Netanyahu does not allow us to build for Jews in Jerusalem, he does not allow Jews to behave as they should on the Temple Mount [the name given by Jews to the Esplanade of Mosques in Jerusalem]. We have only one holy place in the world, and that is the Temple Mount... and our Prime Minister does not allow us to go there! " he laments. Arieh King defines himself as close to the religious Zionism party, whose leader and current finance minister Betsalel Smotrich recently declared: "the Palestinian people do not exist".

► READ ALSO: Israel's 75th birthday marked by a still sharp rejection of judicial reform

'He doesn't believe in democracy'

Because the current Israeli government is the most right-wing in the country's history. In addition to Betsalel Smotrich's Religious Zionism (Tsionut HaDatit) party, there is a representative of the Jewish Force (Otsma Yehudit) party of Internal Security Minister Itamar ben Gvir. The latter is of particular concern to the hundreds of thousands of Israelis who demonstrate every week against the government and its plans. "Why is Ben Gvir a fascist? Because he doesn't believe in democracy! And he says it," said Noam, 29, who met at a weekly protest in Tel Aviv. "Every time he goes somewhere, his supporters shout 'death to the Arabs'. He is an extremist. Whether you think Israel is already an apartheid state or not, what Ben Gvir advocates is apartheid and he says it clearly. We will never accept it! And we will fight," Noam said, his voice scratchy from shouting slogans.

Among the crowd of demonstrators in recent weeks are Israelis who are on the right of their country's political spectrum, some wearing the kippah of religious Jews. Many former soldiers, regardless of any political affiliation, claim their career in the ranks of the Israeli army, such as reserve General Reuven Benkler, gray beard and t-shirt emblazoned with the logo of his artillery unit. "We must remain a democracy," he said, arguing for "an independent Supreme Court." In the rallies, these Israelis from diverse backgrounds rub shoulders with far-left anti-settlement groups. All have in common that they reject the project of questioning the balance of power.

"Crisis of society"

It is a constitutional crisis, a crisis of the regime, but also a deep crisis of society. " says Israeli sociologist Perle Nicolle-Hasid of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The researcher observes "on the one hand a liberal and active population, mostly non-religious, which is experiencing a new political awakening, unprecedented for twenty years. And on the other hand, the awakening and activism of radical groups that are increasingly explicit about their aims for society as a whole." For Perle Nicolle-Hasid, "we are facing a crisis in defining the political and societal goals of the State of Israel. What does it mean to be Israeli today? We are at an impasse to define it.

Israel, the 75-year crisis

Israel, the 75-year crisis

'He doesn't believe in democracy'

"Crisis of society"

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