New right-wing religious government: Is Israel’s democracy in danger?

Some statements by ultra-Orthodox politicians give reason to fear that Israel’s new government wants to abolish the secular state. Even President Herzog is worried about the country’s democratic values.

The Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, is buzzing with excitement. A good hundred people are demonstrating in front of the Knesset against the future government.

They are united by concern for their country: “I wish for a better government for a better future in Israel,” says one of the protesters. “Unfortunately, the moment this government passes legislation, it will destroy democracy in Israel,” says another.

Even the President is concerned

Israel is facing a turning point. The country will soon have the most right-wing and religious government since the state was founded almost 75 years ago. A situation that also worries Israel’s head of state, Isaac Herzog.

When Israeli citizens feel threatened because of their identity or belief, it undermines Israel’s fundamental democratic values, he tweeted Sunday.

The secular state is to be weakened

It is statements by some ultra-religious politicians that make Herzog and many other Israelis fear for democracy. In interviews, they said doctors should be allowed to refuse treatment to members of the LGBTQ community if it contradicts their religious beliefs.

Members of the future Israeli government are openly homophobic, racist, illiberal. And the ultra-religious politicians are trying bit by bit to weaken the secular state, for example on the subject of conscription, which will hardly apply to religious Israelis in the future. Prime Minister Jair Lapid sees this as a clear disadvantage for non-religious Israelis:

Soon no electricity on Shabbat?

United Torah Judaism – the party is also in the governing coalition – wants to stop generating electricity on Shabbat and designate more single-sex beaches. And the Halacha, the legal basis of Judaism, should be brought more into the awareness of the population.

Many Israelis see this as a development towards a theocracy. Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu felt the need to clarify a few things:

Economic policy according to the book of Moses

But the genie is out of the bottle and the designated Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich from the Alliance for Religious Zionism is making it clear what will guide him in his tenure. Not capitalism, not socialism either: “An economic theory has not yet been tried out,” says Smotrich, referring to the fifth book of Moses. If the state promotes Torah and Judaism, God will reward it with great bounty.

A whole series of business representatives, however, are not convinced. In a public fire letter, they warn of a weakening of the country’s economic power. Renowned lawyers also see the planned judicial reform as a weakening of the rule of law and a threat to democracy in Israel.