THE DOUBLE BIND OF THE CIVIC OPPOSITION TO THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT

This article examines the domestic political gains secured by Netanyahu's government during this period, particularly the ongoing erosion of democratic institutions and civil liberties within Israel and the accelerated progress towards annexation in the West Bank. These anti-democratic measures might seem marginal when compared to the scale of atrocities in Gaza, yet they have played a contributing role in pushing Israel's retaliation to the October 7th massacre to such monstrous extremes. This role should not be overstated, as Israel's current conduct is in line with its decades-long policy in Gaza and similar war crimes committed in the past. Nevertheless, the scale and totality of what we have witnessed in the past 15 months are unprecedented and should be seen in the context of the current government's extreme-right ideology and authoritarian tendencies. Understanding these inner political processes, which preceded the war and accelerated significantly since its onset, is important for assessing the war's influence on Israeli society and the possibility of any future change.