Fear and a far-right lurch: How October 7 reshaped Israel
Three years after the Hamas-led attacks of October 7, 2023, Israeli society has undergone fundamental changes, marked by collective trauma and a significant lurch towards the far-right.
Intelligence analysis by Gemini 2.5 Flash
The October 7 attacks shattered Israel's sense of military invincibility and plunged the nation into collective trauma. This fear has been exploited by political forces, leading to a dramatic shift towards the far-right, the normalization of extreme views, and a deepening of anti-Palestinian sentiment across Israeli society.
Imagine a superhero who everyone thought was unbeatable, but then one day, bad guys snuck past all their defenses. That's a bit like what happened in Israel on October 7. It made many people very scared and changed how they saw their country. Now, some politicians are using that fear to push for very strict rules and ideas, especially against Palestinians, making things much harder for everyone to get along.
Analysis
For many Israelis, the period before and after October 7, 2023, represents a stark historical divide. The attacks, which resulted in nearly 1,200 deaths and 250 captives, profoundly disrupted the national psyche, shattering a long-held myth of Israeli military and technological invincibility. This collective trauma, amplified by political rhetoric and media narratives, has created an environment ripe for significant societal shifts, pushing the nation further into a state of heightened fear and insecurity.
October 7, 2023
The attacks on October 7, 2023, served as a critical turning point, fundamentally altering Israel's self-perception and its relationship with the wider world. Prior to this date, a pervasive sense of confidence in Israel's military and technological superiority was common, insulating much of the public from the direct consequences of military actions in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. The breach of security and the scale of the violence inflicted a deep psychological wound, creating a crisis that continues to resonate throughout the population and has been instrumental in shaping subsequent political and social developments.
Yehouda Shenhav-Shahrabani
Israeli sociologist Yehouda Shenhav-Shahrabani highlights how political forces have adeptly exploited the genuine fear and trauma following October 7 to advance their agendas. This exploitation has, in his view, systematically erased years of progress in Jewish-Palestinian relations, leading to a significant regression in mutual trust and willingness to engage. Shenhav-Shahrabani suggests that this period has set back collective consciousness by a century, making it exceedingly difficult to overcome the current divisions and animosity.
Itamar Ben-Gvir
The political landscape post-October 7 has seen the ascendance and normalization of far-right ideologies, exemplified by figures like National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. His actions, such as celebrating the passage of a death penalty law for Palestinians and boasting about arming settler groups, underscore how the catastrophe has been seized upon by the messianic and racist right. This has not only justified existing extreme positions but has also expanded the boundaries of what is considered acceptable discourse and policy within Israeli politics, further entrenching anti-Palestinian views and actions.
Key points
- The October 7, 2023 attacks fundamentally reshaped Israeli society, creating a 'before and after' historical divide.
- The attacks shattered the myth of Israeli military invincibility and caused widespread collective trauma.
- Political forces have exploited this fear and trauma to push society further to the far-right, eroding Jewish-Palestinian relations.
- Polls indicate strong support among Israelis for extreme measures, including expelling Gaza residents and expanding illegal settlements.
- Far-right figures like National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir have normalized previously extreme positions, contributing to Israel's growing international isolation.
The current trajectory suggests a deepening of societal divisions within Israel and a further entrenchment of far-right policies, potentially leading to increased violence in the occupied territories and continued international isolation. The exploitation of fear by political actors risks making reconciliation and a two-state solution even more remote, perpetuating a cycle of conflict and trauma.
