Israel is 72, and a certain hysteric, vocal group inside is energetically preparing for its funeral. They say that society is fractured, the economy is collapsing, healthcare isn't well, corruption is rampant, democracy is being extorted, individual liberties are being trampled, poverty is rife, and apartheid is upon us. Some of the most confused even have a flag, and it's all black. Not that there are no problems – it would be inappropriate to paint a rosy picture in the face of the black flag farce. But anyone who hasn't lost all sense of proportion knows that Israel is performing more than satisfactory in every field. If we know what criteria to use to measure its achievements, its problems, and its failures, it turns out that for the most part, the country has achieved dizzying success.
The proper criteria is a comparative framework. It's fine to compare our results with the "perfect" solution and try to narrow the gap between the two as much as possible. But we must not compare them without simultaneously examining our achievements to those of other societies similar to ours, and feeling satisfied when it turns out that our situation is much better than most of theirs. The first comparison motivates us to succeed. The second gives us confidence that allows us to stick the course.
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There are rifts in Israel, particularly between the productive, Zionist majority and most of the Arabs and the "hard-core" ultra-Orthodox, but that doesn't mean that society as a whole is rent in two. Mainstream Israeli society has opted to uphold family structures, and some of the highest birth rates in educated families in the developed world (twice as many as in Europe, and about one-third more than the US), and maintains a measured and healthy level of "tribal" solidarity.
The economy is strong enough to withstand the harsh fallback and unavoidable distress of the corona pandemic. The healthcare system has proven that it can organize relatively quickly, even in the face of a dramatic and unexpected crisis. Even without being the best in the world, it has shown some of the best results, in conditions of extreme uncertainty. There is corruption, and in certain areas, it is spreading and infuriating, but Israel is not a corrupt country. Important institutions – the army, the judicial branch and academia, for example – are not fundamentally corrupt, even though corruption exists within them. Politics and government are unacceptably corrupt but less so than in the past. They are simply more exposed and held to stricter standards.
Israeli democracy has never been stronger, and it is certainly not in danger of being wiped out. Naturally, it is full of dirty tricks, as it always has been and always will be. Clean politics is something preached by the losing side or by those who were better able to expose the dirt on the opponent and hide their own. Everyone likes the theater that serves to undermine power: the Right claims that Supreme Court justices are serving the anti-Israel Left (when in fact they are aiming at political rule). The Left accuses those who work for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of closing down the Knesset and the justice system (in fact, they were trying to postpone by a few days legislation that would prevent an emergency government).
Yair Lapid, Avigdor Lieberman, and Ayman Odeh wanted to bring down the leader of the Right through a dubious legislative trick; Netanyahu and Benny Gantz are now trying to ensure their political future through a dubious legislative trick. Yes, this distinctly unappealing manner is how democracy works – in Britain, the US, Germany, France, Italy, and other countries – in conditions of indecisiveness and crisis. Comparisons to Hungary, let alone Turkey, are ridiculous. In the Israeli political lexicon, "the destruction of democracy" is defined as "I'm not in power." The seriousness of the threat to freedom and freedom of expression is demonstrated when Odeh – who makes excused for the regime of Bashar Assad in Syria – is invited to speak at an emergency protest to save democracy in Israel.
Israel faces many difficult challenges. At the age of 72, it is dealing with them from a base that is strong in terms of values, society, diplomacy, economy, security, and democracy. It must aspire to greater solidarity, more equal opportunities, better welfare, less corruption, and more public integrity. But it's situation is good by all major parameters. Even though it is under greater threat than any other democracy and exists in a violent and failing region, even its harshest critics know that it's a good place to live. There are many Jews who can't feel good unless they feel bad. Why spoil things for them? Let them enjoy their suffering on Independence Day.
