TEL AVIV, Israel — A new wave of political confrontations and social unrest has swept across Israel, as citizens and leaders engage in debate over the nation’s democratic character, legal reforms, and the boundaries of protest. Amid escalating rhetoric and street demonstrations, a recurring theme has emerged from leaders and public figures: a warning against the dangers of internal discord, rooted in the tragic lessons of Jewish history.
In recent weeks, widespread protests have gripped major cities, driven by disagreements over judicial reforms and government direction. Demonstrators have blocked highways, organized mass rallies, and, in some instances, hinted at civil disobedience in the name of defending democratic principles. The divisions have raised serious concern among veteran observers and statesmen, who recall that internal strife and ‘baseless hatred’—Sinat Hinam—were pivotal in some of the darkest chapters of Jewish history.
The destruction of the Second Temple in 70 C.E., a defining calamity commemorated annually on Tisha B’Av, is traditionally attributed to fratricidal conflict and internal fragmentation among the Jewish population, even more so than to external military defeat by Rome. Jewish educators and historians continue to teach this lesson as a warning: that the loss of sovereignty and the trauma of exile are inseparable from the dangers of civil discord.
These themes acquired even greater urgency in light of the Holocaust, when six million Jews were systematically murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators. Survivors and leaders alike have frequently drawn explicit links between the past and the present, urging Israelis to resist the forces of polarization. Many caution that enemies of the Jewish people—whether ancient or modern—have exploited internal weakness, and that Israel’s very existence relies on holding fast to national unity.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, addressing the nation during episodes of heightened tension, has repeatedly appealed for national cohesion, stating that Israel’s survival and future depend on overcoming differences through dialogue and mutual responsibility. Political analysts agree that while robust debate is essential to any democracy, Israel’s historical experience demands a heightened awareness of the risks posed by sustained internal fractures.
This message is amplified against the backdrop of ongoing security challenges. On October 7, 2023, Hamas-led terrorists from Gaza launched a brutal assault against Israeli communities, in what officials have called the deadliest antisemitic massacre since the Holocaust. Over 1,200 Israelis were murdered and more than 200 hostages were taken into Gaza. The attack triggered widespread shock and has underscored the existential threats facing the country from Iran-backed organizations, including Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and allied militias in the region.
Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and Defense Minister Israel Katz have emphasized that current military operations, including the Iron Swords War, are acts of self-defense necessitated by clear and present dangers to Israel’s population. Officials maintain that these operations are conducted against organized terror groups that threaten Israeli sovereignty and security, and that the hostages held in Gaza are innocent civilians subjected to illegal abductions under international law.
The Israeli government and military maintain that national unity is not a luxury but a prerequisite for effective self-defense. This perspective is broadly shared across the political spectrum, as repeated cycles of violence, terror attacks, and wars continuously test the resilience of Israeli society. Analysts and educators continue to highlight the lessons of the past: the Jewish people’s periods of greatest vulnerability have often coincided with moments of internal division, while national unity has enabled their survival in face of existential threats.
Beyond Israel’s borders, a significant surge in antisemitic incidents has been recorded worldwide since October 2023. Watchdog organizations such as the Anti-Defamation League and the European Jewish Congress have reported record-high levels of hate crimes and attacks targeting Jewish communities. International demonstrations, at times marked by explicit anti-Israel and antisemitic incitement, have heightened fears among diaspora Jews and reinforced calls for vigilance.
In response to this climate, Israeli educational and communal leaders are prioritizing lessons in historical responsibility and civil conduct. Programs and commemorations marking Holocaust Remembrance Day and the destruction of the Temples are being leveraged to foster unity and a sense of collective destiny. Chief Rabbi David Lau addressed a recent gathering, underlining, “Jewish history teaches that internal discord paves the way for calamity. Our commitment to one another is our strongest defense.”
Legal experts and political scientists point out that Israel’s system of government, underpinned by its Basic Laws, was deliberately designed to safeguard minority rights and prevent the reappearance of past injustices. The current debate over judicial authority and parliamentary power, therefore, carries more than mere legal consequences; it tests how lessons from centuries of persecution, statelessness, and genocide are internalized in the structures of the modern Jewish state.
As Israelis confront the current climate of uncertainty and threat—both internal and external—leaders from all walks of life call for the upholding of national unity. With a history indelibly marked by the bitter price of division, the stakes are high. The present moment serves as a crucial test: whether Israel can learn from the past to secure its future, and whether its citizens can place the shared well-being of the state above the passions of the moment.
The memory of the Holocaust and the destruction of the Second Temple are not merely historical studies, but living warnings—underscoring that as the Jewish people’s enemies unite against them, their own survival mandates a renewed commitment to unity, resilience, and responsibility. Only by internalizing these warnings, say leaders and educators, can Israel face its adversaries and fulfill the promise of Jewish self-determination and statehood in the modern era.
