Published: 29 April 2025
Last updated: 29 April 2025
Weekly mass protests have been a feature of Israeli life for more than five years now.
These protests began outside the prime minister’s residence in Jerusalem in 2019 when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was charged with corruption.
They have since spread across the country, morphing to respond to a continuous series of convulsions shaking Israel’s civil fabric.
Through multiple election cycles, attacks on judicial independence, attempts to fire senior civil servants and dissenting cabinet ministers, corruption scandals, through the post-October 7 paralysis and the hostage crisis, thousands of Israelis have, week after week, teemed to the streets angry at the way the country is being led.
Diaspora Jews and expatriate Israelis have demonstrated in support of the Israelis fighting for their democracy. In Australia, a network of protests has emerged in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, and Canberra.
The constant protests are an indication of a country in crisis.
Comments8
Pranav29 March at 01:33 pm
If isreal doesn’t change it’s apartheid and genocidal tendencies, it will be isolated from the rest of the world, as it has been in West recently both left & right wingers came are denouncing it and especially the youth saw what isreal did in gaza.
Ian Grinblat5 May at 08:16 pm
If I may use an analogy, Rosie Batty (remember her?) once spoke about the surprisingly large number of ‘supporters’ who seemed to believe that they would have anticipated the shocking fatal attack by the father on Rosie’s son – that they would have been “better Rosies’.
This entire article is based on the comforting and entirely untested belief that we in the Diaspora are true to Jewish values.
What unmitigated chutzpah!
Ramon Capel2 May at 02:38 pm
The article is right. It is a shame that Diaspora Jews cannot identify with the current values that Israel reflects to the rest of the World. Today for example in The Guardian: Gaza humanitarian aid ship ‘bombed by drones’ in waters off Malta, from Israel.
The Israeli government should stop embarrassing the Diaspora in front of the rest of the world. There is currently no good news from Israel other than those in which Israelis are demonstrating for democracy and against the government’s behaviour.
It is a Jewish value to improve the world we live in, for everyone.
Corinne F30 April at 11:02 pm
Yes BUT where is your mention of the oppression, humiliation and murder of Palestinians? How can any democracy exist while this is going on? What is happening within Israel and in the occupied territories is inextricably linked.
Miriam Feldheim29 April at 09:00 pm
Anyone in Sydney this Sunday 4 May can take the opportunity to demonstrate their support for a democratic Israel founded on justice for all its citizens. Sign up at this link, https://www.standing-together.org/its-time?utm_source=English+speaking&utm_campaign=93cd9254ae-It%27s+Time+International+Invitation&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-93cd9254ae-671078345
Rachel Sussman29 April at 02:24 pm
Israel is undoubtfuly going through a crisis.
On top of its existential crisis from without it has one also a serious crisis from within and I agree that Jewish communities outside of Israel are and must be part if the struggle to ensure it comes out to the other side of the crisis and does so well, better and wiser.
Yet there still is much to celebrate and we must not forget it.
The Israel of today is a thriving developed western country, it had come a long long way from the I was born to and grew up in – and this must be celebrated!
And when it comes to being a democratic and equal to all – there is also much to celebrate.
I am sorry to read from previous comments questioning Israel’s ability to be both democratic and Jewish, I clearly do not share this sad view. We live in a Christian country – yes we do, otherwise Christmas and Easter would not be the official public holidays – however Australia is still democratic. It embraces people of various cultures and religions and all have equal rights, and Israel achieved this even under difficult realities. Non Jewish Israelis – whether Muslims or Christians- are full citizens and have access to same political and civil rights as Israeli Jews. It is true that Jewish holidays are the officially celebrated ones, nevertheless, Muslim and Christian holydays are equally recognised and acknowledged.
Similarly it is when it comes to language Israel recognises both Hebrew and Arabic as the country’s language, indeed all oficial signs etc are in both languagesIsrael can be and is both Jewish and democratic…
Also, Israel leads the way in women’s rights and equality, and in gay’s rights and equality to mention but a few…
With this said, all is far from being rosy or perfect. Indeed there are many social, cultural, and religion challenges to attend to, and much to improve on.
It is also true that there currently is a danger of some democratic loss due to certtain religious and political pulls,
So it is fair ti say that while we celebrate the achievements we also need to be a tool to ensure that on one hand, these achivements do not get lost, and on the other hand ensure that we attend to the many existing challenges and improve.
I want to stay optimistic
Ian Grinblat29 April at 11:59 am
Staunch your bleeding heart, Laurence, and open your eyes.
If Israel was to withdraw from Yehuda and Shomron, it would not become a state but a military encampment as happened in Gaza.
Until every hostage, dead or alive, is returned, Gaza will be under fire – utterly different to occupation.
Try reading Dara Horn’s short story, The Cross on Our Forehead.
Not only does everyone love dead Jews, they believe that the grave is our proper place. I prefer life to spiritual purity any day – ask yourself why you have a death wish.
Laurance Splitter29 April at 07:16 am
While in complete agreement with the sentiments expressed here, in my own thinking, cannot get past the words that were quoted in the essay: “a country for the benefit of all its inhabitants… based on freedom, justice and peace as envisaged by the prophets of Israel; it will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex; it will guarantee freedom of religion, conscience, language, education and culture”. Even if we step back from the complexity of the narratives being told about Israel, its government, anti-Semitism, the Arab nations and Islam, the Palestinians, Hamas, etc., we must surely ask “How is the idea of a Jewish homeland consistent with the above words, which talk about equality for all, etc.?” In other words – and this surely remains the deepest grievance among Palestinians past and present – how can a just and democratic nation for all its inhabitants still be a JEWISH state?