Israel’s Shaky Democracy Continues to Crumble

Key Points:

• US Vice President Alben W. Barkley in 1950 characterized Israel as "an oasis of liberty," a sentiment that has evolved into the narrative of Israel as the only democracy in the Middle East, despite longstanding tensions between Jewish supremacy and democratic principles.
• Recent years have seen Israel disenfranchise certain voters, particularly expatriates critical of Benjamin Netanyahu, including efforts to block initiatives helping Israelis abroad vote and the controversial "Code 51" designation removing some expats from voter registries.
• Israel's governance has been described as an ethnocracy, maintaining Jewish dominance while applying discriminatory laws against Palestinians both within Israel and in occupied territories, where Palestinians face severe restrictions and lack full citizenship rights.
• In 2024, Israel was downgraded from a liberal to an electoral democracy amid Netanyahu's judicial reforms and erosion of civil liberties, coinciding with increased repression of humanitarian workers, NGOs, journalists, and activists critical of the state.
• The recent election results have left Israel’s political future uncertain, with no clear majority and ongoing authoritarian trends; while some hope for change under Gad Eisenkot, fundamental issues of ethnic discrimination and the apartheid-like system remain unaddressed.