August 25, 2023

When Israel revamps its judicial system Moses (you may have thought that he was dead) will open one eye and say “Do I know you?” There would be no avalanche of despair, no hurricane of outrage, because Moses has long been a shaky booth for his most dedicated followers.  The recent large public demonstrations against the Likud coalition government are the symptoms of a global fear of tyrants posing as democratic and benevolent beacons.  Israelis are not going to watch the commonwealth created by Mosaic law disappear into an abyss of inclusive politics.  The signs are multiplying that Israelis are fed up with a dozen parties pushing ultra patriot and ultra religious beliefs towards the centre of public life.  The commonwealth of 12, 10, or two tribes really died a long time ago, but the Balfour Declaration resurrected the dreams of European powers. Is it not incredible that after 75 years the state of Israel has been unable to create a stable society with both Mosaic Law and democratic institutions? It surely is. Let the kissing begin: bye, bye, Israel commonwealth.