Israeli Strategist Warns of Religious Extremism and Global Isolation
Translated & summarized from Arab48 by baba
Israeli writer Ari Shavit warns that the October 7th attacks have irrevocably changed Israel, pushing it towards global isolation and religious extremism. He believes Hamas leader Sinwar's strategy to sever Israel's ties with the West is still a threat, potentially leading to an exodus of elites. Shavit links this trend to the upcoming Israeli elections and the "judicial overhaul" movement. Meanwhile, analyst Zvi Bar'el observes that the Middle East is changing, but not in the way Israel intended.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Israeli writer Ari Shavit warns of growing religious extremism and global isolation following the October 7th attacks.
- Shavit believes Hamas leader Sinwar's strategy to isolate Israel from the West remains a significant threat.
- He fears a shift in Israeli demographics and politics towards religious and Eastern influences, away from secular Western values.
- This trend is seen as a central issue in the upcoming Israeli elections, linked to the judicial overhaul movement.
- Analyst Zvi Bar'el notes the Middle East is changing, but not in the way Israel envisioned despite military actions.
Israeli writer and strategic thinker Ari Shavit described October 7th as a day that changed everything, stating in an article for Yedioth Ahronoth that the terrible day's impact continues. He noted that Israel, which had turned away from the Middle East and integrated into the Western world, was confronted by the reality of the region on that morning. Shavit warned that without Hassan Nasrallah's hesitation, the Galilee could have been occupied, posing an existential threat.
Despite Israel's military successes against Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran, Shavit argues that the "terrible day" has not ended because the threat of future attacks remains. He believes Hamas leader Sinwar's larger strategy to isolate Israel from the West and cause an exodus of its productive, Zionist elite is still a threat. Shavit contends that Israel, despite military victories, has lost politically, becoming increasingly isolated and disliked globally, on its way to becoming a pariah state.
Shavit expressed concern that the "violent religious current" could transform Israel into a part of the religious extremist Middle East it fears, leading to the emigration of its educated elite. He fears a future where "Easterners, Haredim, and religious Zionists" dominate politics and demographics, supplanting the secular, liberal Western values that differentiate Israel from its neighbors. He even suggested that Israelis, having learned Arabic during the war, have forgotten English and their Hebrew has become corrupted.
This trend, Shavit warns, is central to the upcoming Israeli elections, particularly the "judicial overhaul" or "judicial coup" driven by Prime Minister Netanyahu's supporters, who are largely comprised of Eastern Jews, Haredim, and religious Zionists. This movement aims to fundamentally alter state institutions and remove the influence of the liberal Ashkenazi elite, while consensus remains on core political issues like the Palestinian question.
Meanwhile, Haaretz analyst Zvi Bar'el noted that despite significant military achievements, including the elimination of key figures and damage to Iran's nuclear infrastructure, the war has not produced the geopolitical and historical change Netanyahu promised. Instead, Bar'el observed, the Middle East is changing, but "without Israel."
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