After the Iran War: Military Success Abroad, Democratic Crisis at Home
Israel’s 12-day war with Iran showcased the operational capabilities of the Mossad, IDF, and Israeli Air Force (IAF). The operation restored deterrence and received international recognition. It also brought a perceived rehabilitation of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s image, with some commentators casting him again in the role of national protector.
But this shift in perception, however temporary or overstated, must not obscure the deeper political reality. Military success abroad does not erase leadership failure at home. The trauma of October 7 remains unresolved, and accountability has yet to be assumed.
More than 1,200 Israelis were murdered in the Hamas attack. Fifty hostages remain in captivity. And yet, well over a year and a half later, Prime Minister Netanyahu has not taken responsibility. He has refused to establish a State Commission of Inquiry, offered no admission of failure, and remains in power without any formal accountability.
Meanwhile, his coalition has returned to its central domestic mission: a governance revolution masked as “judicial reform.” The legislative agenda advanced by Justice Minister Yariv Levin and MK Simcha Rothman would politicize judicial appointments, reduce the power of the Supreme Court, and erode the very mechanisms that safeguard democratic checks and balances.¹
The Gaza war, too, continues without clear strategy, resolution, or vision. For many, its indefinite nature has become politically convenient: allowing Netanyahu to preserve his coalition, delay elections, and postpone public judgment. The hostages, heartbreakingly, remain not only in Hamas captivity but in political suspension.
Simultaneously, efforts to weaken Israel’s free press persist.² Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi has continued promoting legislation to defund public broadcasting and assert political influence over media regulation posing a direct threat to journalistic independence and democratic transparency.
The government is also advancing legislation to formalize military exemptions for ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students, while dramatically expanding state subsidies to Haredi institutions. These measures exacerbate inequality and deepen the gap between those who serve and those protected by political privilege.
All of this unfolds while Iran’s long-term strategic threat remains intact. The regime’s ideological goal of Israel’s destruction has not changed, and it will likely seek to rebuild its nuclear program with urgency.³ National vigilance is essential—but not at the expense of democratic integrity.
Elections are now a democratic imperative!
Footnotes:
1. Haim V. Levy, Israel at the Brink: A Systemic Crisis of Democracy, The Times of Israel, 2024. https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/israel-at-the-brink-a-systemic-crisis-of-democracy/
2. Haim V. Levy, Public Broadcasting in Israel: Current Challenges, Political Pressure, and Risks, The Times of Israel, 2024. https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/public-broadcasting-in-israel-current-challenges-political-pressure-and-risks/
3. Haim V. Levy, Inside Tehran’s Strategy to Destroy Israel: The Jewish State, The Times of Israel, 2024. https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/inside-tehrans-strategy-to-destroy-israel-the-jewish-state/
