Page 46 - INSS | 2019-2020

6 Israeli Society:
Challenges to Societal Resilience

Meir Elran, Carmit Padan, Pnina Sharvit Baruch, Sason Hadad, Zipi Israeli, Shmuel Even, and Yehuda Ben Meir

REUTERS / Ammar Awad Recommendations

Snapshot Advance investment in preparedness, according
to an informed multi-year plan that can
The ongoing political crisis and divisive discourse strengthen Israeli society and the civilian front
exacerbate the polarization in Israeli society by building and reinforcing new and existing
and weaken solidarity • Societal resilience in resilience mechanisms
the face of severe security challenges may be
hampered

The Political Crisis

Israeli society in 2019 was characterized first and foremost by the broad implications of the ongoing political crisis,
following two rounds of national elections and preparations for the third round in March 2020. This electoral impasse,
unprecedented in Israel, involved not only the inability to form a coalition government, but also restricted the normal
performance of government offices and the ability to make decisions on critical issues. Beyond this, the political
stalemate exposed a series of profound deficiencies within society and its political and legal frameworks. This was
aggravated even further by divisive, extreme, and superficial political discourse – both among politicians and their
associates, and in the media – focusing mostly on the personal and legal issues relating to the Prime Minister. As
a result, it has become more difficult to conduct any genuine public discussion of principal political, social, and
economic issues that are essential to the character and future of the State of Israel. Furthermore, “traditional”
security and political issues – such as the Iranian nuclear program, Iran’s military buildup in the region, relations

44 STRATEGIC SURVEY FOR ISRAEL