War and Politics: Israel’s Domestic Political Landscape after the Gaza War

Abstract

Speakers: Gideon Levy, Israeli journalist and author based in Tel Aviv. Erica Weiss, cultural anthropologist and professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Tel Aviv University. This webinar examines the domestic political repercussions in Israel following the war in Gaza. While international attention has largely focused on the regional and humanitarian consequences of the conflict, the war has also reshaped Israel’s internal political dynamics in significant ways. The discussion will explore how security concerns, public opinion, and the handling of the war have influenced the stability of the governing coalition, the role of the opposition, and the balance between national security and democratic governance. The discussion will place emphasis on the deepening polarisation within Israeli society, the debates over civil-military relations, and the challenges to institutional resilience. These developments not only affect immediate political alignments but also carry long-term implications for the functioning of Israel’s democratic institutions, the relationship between state and society, and the credibility of political leadership. The evolving domestic landscape reflects both the pressures of protracted conflict and the ways in which crisis can accelerate existing divisions, reshape political priorities, and test the adaptability of governing structures. By bringing together experts on Israeli politics and Middle Eastern affairs, the webinar will provide a nuanced analysis of these shifting dynamics and assess their implications for Israel’s political future at a time of heightened uncertainty and transformation.