Israel's Existential Threat From Within

Ronen Bergman sheds light on the history and complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, giving special attention to the thorny issue of West Bank settlements and the conflicting ideologies fueling the strife.

The 1967 Six Day War and Israel's seizure of additional territories sparked conflicting visions for the land's future.

Some Israelis saw the new territories as bargaining chips to trade for peace with Arab neighbors, while others believed the lands were rightfully part of the biblical Jewish homeland.

After Israel's victory in the Six Day War in June 1967, in which the country seized territories doubling its size and came to control over a million Palestinians, Israeli society split over the future of these territories. While some saw an opportunity to trade the lands for peace with Arab nations, others, imbued with a sense of divine mandate, believed these territories were part of a biblical Jewish homeland to be reclaimed.

Groups within Israel starkly differed in their visions. Secular left-leaning individuals thought the new territories could be leverage in peace negotiations and potentially a Palestinian state. On the other hand, secular right-wingers and ultra-nationalist religious individuals insisted these lands were inherently Israeli, with some ultra-nationalists believing that settling the land would expedite the coming of the Messiah.

The ultra-nationalist religious group Gush Emunim began illegally settling the West Bank, with tacit government approval, to prevent the land from being traded away.

The settlement project expanded rapidly despite being in violation of international law, as the Israeli government struggled to confront the settler movement.

The group known as Gush Emunim, or the Block of the Faithful, played a pivotal role in the settlement saga. In 1975, this ultra-nationalist religious group established an illegal outpost on a deserted Jordanian military camp in the West Bank. Despite military regulations against such actions, Israeli authorities led by Shimon Peres, who had oversight of the IDF and therefore the West Bank, did not remove the settlers. Instead, he allowed them to remain, designating the area a "working camp," in essence, providing state-sanctioned cover.

The settlers understood that while military bases could be evacuated, permanent settlements would be far more challenging to displace. This led to a proliferation of settlements across the West Bank, and eventually Gaza. By ...

Bergman and Ayalon discuss Israeli authorities' consistent failure to handle Jewish extremism effectively, and the long-standing issue directly affects Palestinians' safety and rights.

Attacks by Jewish extremists on Palestinians were routinely overlooked or minimized by Israeli authorities, despite clear evidence.

A 1980s government investigation found systemic failure to properly investigate and prosecute Jewish violence, but the findings were buried.

Bergman details how Jewish terrorists burned down a Palestinian family’s house in the West Bank village of Douma, killing three, including a toddler, highlighting the ongoing insufficiency of the Israeli government's control over Jewish extremism. Former Shin Bet chief, Major General Ami Ayalon, asserts that the Israeli security agency has failed to hinder these types of extremist attacks, pointing to a deep-rooted issue in protecting Palestinians against Jewish extremist violence. Ayalon identifies a systemic failure within the Israeli administration, including defense, legal, and law enforcement agencies, in imposing laws on extreme settlers and ultra-nationalist groups.

In the 1980s, Judith Karp led an investigation into violence in the West Bank and discovered that the Israeli government intended to bury her team’s report, which found systemic failure in addressing and prosecuting Jewish violence. This inaction led to her resignation from her post. Additionally, in June 1980, a group known as the Jewish underground perpetrated car bomb attacks on three Palestinian mayors, causing severe injuries to two of them. In response to such violence, a military commander’s reaction was criticized as insufficient and vaguely encouraging.

The head of Shin Bet also warned top government officials, including Netanyahu, in a letter emphasizing the severity of Jewish terrorism in the West Bank and the negative consequences it could have globally and domestically for Israel. The group of law professors brought the issue of Jewish terrorism and violence towards Palestinians to the attention of the Attorney General of Israel, who delegated the investigation to his deputy, Judith Karp. Her committee’s findings spotlighted the complete disregard and incapacity of the police and military to tackle crimes against Palestinians and provide ample security.

The 1994 massacre of Palestinian worshippers by Jewi ...

The Israeli government sees a significant shift as ultra-nationalist and far-right extremists gain positions of influence, affecting the nation's policies and actions toward Palestinian territories.

After the failure of the Oslo Peace Accords, the Israeli public shifted to the political right, electing leaders like Ariel Sharon who supported settlements.

Following the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin and the collapse of the Oslo peace process, the Israeli populace shifted politically to the right. Ariel Sharon, known for his support of the settlement project and harsh treatment of Palestinians, was elected as Prime Minister in 2001. Despite his background, Sharon attempted a political reversal, including pulling out of Gaza and disassembling some West Bank settlements, which was met with resistance from his own political base and the Jewish ultra-nationalist movement, including attempts to undermine him.

Extremist politicians like Ben-Gvir and Smotrich entered the political mainstream, eventually aligning with Netanyahu to return him to power.

Far-right leaders like Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich rose through the political ranks, forming ultra-right parties Otsma Yehudit and the Religious Zionist Party, respectively. They became professionals in the political arena, gaining powerful positions within Netanyahu's government. Netanyahu, in an attempt to regain power, partnered with these far-right politicians, granting them high-ranking positions because they were among the few willing to associate with him.

In February 2023, the influence of these far-right politicians was clear. After the murder of two settlers by a Hamas terrorist, there were public calls for revenge by leaders. Settler violence escalated in the West Bank town of Hawara, where properties were burned and a Palestinian was murdered in a settler attack, referred to as a pogrom by an Israeli commander.

With t ...