Questions continue to mount daily about the deeper implications of the image Israel will carry home after the Gaza war inevitably concludes. This image is not just to be imagined, but one that the world must envision, one that will inevitably shape Israel’s perceptions and actions across various fronts. A country’s image is undoubtedly framed by visible attributes that carry significant weight, driving countries to meticulously craft and project it both at home and abroad. However, the true essence lies beneath the surface—the framework of reference that shapes its core identity and determines how the ‘image’s quality’ is perceived by others.
This underlying framework of reference varies among countries, shaped by their distinct histories, peoples, and cultures—a complex topic that can’t be fully explored here. Yet, in essence, it is this framework that leads some countries to be seen as historical landmarks, others as modern states. Still, there are others that have painstakingly developed depth and attributes of power and leadership, achieving varying degrees of influence shaped by their resources, potential, and the unfolding of history and events.
Israel, a state with a controversial history, limited depth compared to other countries, and a notable founding crime, had early leaders who swiftly recognized the constant need to build depth that would shape the country’s image both internally and externally.
The first focus was inherently tied to its founding stage, necessitating a display of power—sometimes harshly executed—to protect the spoils of its major crime. This was followed by the establishment of democratic governance structures to maintain internal unity and enhance external appeal towards positioning the state among global powers, considering that the constant backing from these influential countries would serve as a key factor in ensuring vital depth to a state that remains anomalous in many ways.
At a later stage, Israel focused on transforming the support of major countries from a strategic asset to a core feature, enabling it to navigate freely in the international arena and within its regional context. For decades, the international community has endorsed this transformation at numerous historical turning points, perpetuating a fabricated image.
Undoubtedly, this Israeli project has faced numerous tests and upheavals that nearly brought it to the brink or forced it to confront the repercussions of its distortions and rectify its foundational framework. However, the crucial factor in its ability to navigate these precarious moments has been the unwavering international backing, which continually served as a crucial lever to help it surmount the obstacles it faced. While the support from the United States is undeniably vital and central in this respect, it is incorrect to attribute all backing to it alone, much like Great Britain’s role during the initial founding stage. In fact, Israel has benefitted from the support of all major international powers, and without this collective support, the state’s establishment and survival would not have been possible.
Currently, Israel is grappling with an unprecedented challenge. Despite its relentless efforts to downplay the Gaza conflict as another routine episode of its past brutality and moral transgressions—just like the ones it had previously navigated and emerged from unscathed—current indicators suggest that a profound existential crisis looms at the crossroads of the Gaza conflict. This reality likely weighs heavily on Israeli leaders, prompting them to delay the resolution of this return for as long as possible.
This was explicitly articulated in a striking piece published in the Foreign Affairs magazine, penned by two leading American Jewish writers, Ilan Z. Baro and Eli Saltzman. Their article, aptly titled “The Undoing of Israel: The Dark Futures That Await After the War in Gaza,” clearly outlines the looming threats. They began their article by challenging the very core of the state’s foundation, noting that when Israel was established in May 1948, its founders envisioned a “state” rooted in human values and adherence to international law. The Declaration of the Establishment of the State of Israel promised complete equality in social and political rights for all its residents, regardless of religion, race, or gender. However, this vision was never fully realized. Throughout its history, Israeli society has struggled to reconcile the idealistic promise of its declaration with the reality of its commitment to establishing a ‘Jewish state’ focused solely on protecting the Jewish people. This fundamental contradiction has been increasingly apparent over the decades, culminating in significant strains brought about by the Gaza conflict and the judicial reform crisis that preceded it.
Even though this is the first instance of such a tone and language appearing in major US outlets, they are driven by a critical need to urge Israel to confront its challenges with candor and an acute awareness of imminent threats. The article references Israeli philosopher Yeshayahu Leibowitz, who reflected on Israel’s actions during the 1967 war, warning that the country is headed toward a ‘dark turn.’ He cautioned that celebration of a country built on massacres would only “bring [Israelis] from proud, rising nationalism to extreme, messianic ultranationalism.”
Baro and Saltzman argue that this downfall is now closer than many Israelis are willing to acknowledge. On its current trajectory, Israel is veering sharply toward an illiberal state, as its extreme right-wing policies are transforming it into a “religious, national, ethnic state” dominated by a Jewish judicial and legislative council and extremists. Demographic, social, and political shifts—including the surge in religious extremism and the increasing tilt of young Jews toward the far right—have brought figures like Bezalel Smotrich, Itamar Ben-Gvir, and Avi Maoz to power. The specter of collapse, as voiced by American Jewish commentators, looms nearer, and the bloodshed is likely to conjure even more specters, overshadowing the future of the Israeli project.
