The battle over Israel's soul

Moreover, the absurdity and hypocrisy of the ultra-Orthodox Jews is that while they want to impose their will on all Israelis, they demanded and received special rights that exempt young Haredi Jews from serving in the military. Over time, Israel will increasingly resemble Iran and Afghanistan more so than European democracies.

Thus far, Netanyahu and his cohort have refused to heed President Herzog's call to suspend the legislation process and reconsider his judicial reforms which he presented and which the opposition parties have accepted. Netanyahu's refusal to enter into serious talks will leave the public with little choice but to continue to pour into the streets by the hundreds of thousands, which may well swell into a million or even more. Air force, intelligence, and drone operator reservists have made it clear that they will not report to duty if this legislation passes, which will introduce a new dimension to the crisis, the likes of which Israel has never faced before.

If Netanyahu still refuses to change course and suspend the proceedings, the Israeli public should call for nationwide civil disobedience to be followed by general strikes that will bring the country to a screeching halt. On the positive side, even if the public will not resort to such extreme measures, this corrupt and fascist government is already finding itself under siege due to the growing discord and squabbles between and within the coalition parties and may well collapse before the end of the year.

In the final analysis, the Israelis are in a fateful battle for the very soul of the country. The demonstrators cannot falter, dither, or vacillate because the fate of Israel and world Jewry is intertwined. How this battle ends will determine whether the Jews can govern themselves and maintain the unique bond and affinity between them, which was the secret behind their survival for millennia.