OPINION: Israel’s fight with itself is inflicting severe strategic damage

The growing public and political protests against judicial reform in Israel are not only affecting its internal arena but also its external image.

This unprecedented crisis is developing at an extremely sensitive time for Israel, when the state needs to focus on existential external challenges, particularly the Iranian nuclear threat, and make a historic decision regarding it as soon as possible.

Instead, for the last four years, Israel has been gradually drowning in a painful internal crisis that draws most of its energy and attention. During these four “lost years,” Iran continued to develop its nuclear program, terrorism in the Palestinian arena increased, Hamas became stronger, and the Palestinian Authority weaker. In fact, a vacuum is being created in the West Bank, a severe situation that will force Israel to take full responsibility for this area and push both sides, even without a plan or intention, towards a “One-State situation.” This would mean a joint existence of two communities who are deeply hostile towards each other.

Israel’s enemies are demonstrating their broad satisfaction in the light of the internal crisis. They emphasise what they consider to be a new phenomenon reflecting the growing deterioration of Israel, particularly the dispute among IDF reservists about serving after the judicial reform is completed and the serious discourse about a future dramatic economic crisis as a result of the government’s policy.

Iran, Hezbollah, and Hamas have declared these as “positive” signs for the coming destruction of Israel, and they assess whether the state’s resilience, internal unity, and coordination between the leadership, the Army, and the public – which were Israel’s sources of power in the past – still exist.

In the meantime, Israel’s enemies are promoting provocative moves, such as the terror attack at the Megido Junction two weeks ago directed from Lebanon, to check if the operational and intelligence capabilities of Israel are still effective.

On the other hand, the internal crisis is a source of concern amongst Israel’s friends and allies in the international community across the Middle East. These players are afraid that the position of one of the strongest and most stable powers in the area is being undermined in a way that creates strategic achievements for the radical camp (“The Resistance Camp”) in the Middle East under the leadership of Tehran.

In the current situation, there are many reasons why Netanyahu’s government must immediately stop all the moves regarding judicial reform and start a frank internal dialogue. This dialogue will allow for changes in the judicial system but in an agreed and stable manner. If Netanyahu insists on promoting unilateral legislation, it will cause not only damage to Israel’s image and status in the international arena and deepen the internal split, but also create dramatic security strategic threats.

This time there is no consensus or united front inside Israel, which enabled it to face and overcome its enemies in the past. The government may well reap political achievements for the right-wing camp, but it will undoubtedly cause severe national damage for Israel as a whole.

• Dr Michael Milshtein is Head of the Palestinian Studies Forum at Tel Aviv University.