Is Israel still on its way to fascism?

the big proof of that Isreal has been supporting fascist government and regimes around the word specialy in middle east. Isreal has been supporting the Turks for more than half century against its kurdish poulation and they were supporting Iraqi regims against its minority groups, same thing in egypt, Saudi Arabia. Isreal never stood for the right of any minority or any persecuted group or nation.

No need to claim Israel as fascist,usurper and imperialist_every one knows it

The only way Israel would become a fascist state is if the likes of Haaretz had its way and a 12th century Islamist regime took hold

The article's author is totally ignorant of what fascism is. The term's definition was defined by Mussolini in 1932, as follows. By that definition, Israel has always been a fascist state and is even more so now. In 1932 Mussolini wrote (with the help of Giovanni Gentile) and entry for the Italian Encyclopedia on the definition of fascism. Fascism, the more it considers and observes the future and the development of humanity quite apart from political considerations of the moment, believes neither in the possibility nor the utility of perpetual peace. It thus repudiates the doctrine of Pacifism -- born of a renunciation of the struggle and an act of cowardice in the face of sacrifice. War alone brings up to its highest tension all human energy and puts the stamp of nobility upon the peoples who have courage to meet it. All other trials are substitutes, which never really put men into the position where they have to make the great decision -- the alternative of life or death.... ...The Fascist accepts life and loves it, knowing nothing of and despising suicide: he rather conceives of life as duty and struggle and conquest, but above all for others -- those who are at hand and those who are far distant, contemporaries, and those who will come after... ...Fascism [is] the complete opposite of…Marxian Socialism, the materialist conception of history of human civilization can be explained simply through the conflict of interests among the various social groups and by the change and development in the means and instruments of production.... Fascism, now and always, believes in holiness and in heroism; that is to say, in actions influenced by no economic motive, direct or indirect. And if the economic conception of history be denied, according to which theory men are no more than puppets, carried to and fro by the waves of chance, while the real directing forces are quite out of their control, it follows that the existence of an unchangeable and unchanging class-war is also denied - the natural progeny of the economic conception of history. And above all Fascism denies that class-war can be the preponderant force in the transformation of society.... After Socialism, Fascism combats the whole complex system of democratic ideology, and repudiates it, whether in its theoretical premises or in its practical application. Fascism denies that the majority, by the simple fact that it is a majority, can direct human society; it denies that numbers alone can govern by means of a periodical consultation, and it affirms the immutable, beneficial, and fruitful inequality of mankind, which can never be permanently leveled through the mere operation of a mechanical process such as universal suffrage.... ...Fascism denies, in democracy, the absur[d] conventional untruth of political equality dressed out in the garb of collective irresponsibility, and the myth of "happiness" and indefinite progress.... ...iven that the nineteenth century was the century of Socialism, of Liberalism, and of Democracy, it does not necessarily follow that the twentieth century must also be a century of Socialism, Liberalism and Democracy: political doctrines pass, but humanity remains, and it may rather be expected that this will be a century of authority...a century of Fascism. For if the nineteenth century was a century of individualism it may be expected that this will be the century of collectivism and hence the century of the State.... The foundation of Fascism is the conception of the State, its character, its duty, and its aim. Fascism conceives of the State as an absolute, in comparison with which all individuals or groups are relative, only to be conceived of in their relation to the State. The conception of the Liberal State is not that of a directing force, guiding the play and development, both material and spiritual, of a collective body, but merely a force limited to the function of recording results: on the other hand, the Fascist State is itself conscious and has itself a will and a personality -- thus it may be called the "ethic" State.... ...The Fascist State organizes the nation, but leaves a sufficient margin of liberty to the individual; the latter is deprived of all useless and possibly harmful freedom, but retains what is essential; the deciding power in this question cannot be the individual, but the State alone.... ...For Fascism, the growth of empire, that is to say the expansion of the nation, is an essential manifestation of vitality, and its opposite a sign of decadence. Peoples which are rising, or rising again after a period of decadence, are always imperialist; and renunciation is a sign of decay and of death. Fascism is the doctrine best adapted to represent the tendencies and the aspirations of a people, like the people of Italy, who are rising again after many centuries of abasement and foreign servitude. But empire demands discipline, the coordination of all forces and a deeply felt sense of duty and sacrifice: this fact explains many aspects of the practical working of the regime, the character of many forces in the State, and the necessarily severe measures which must be taken against those who would oppose this spontaneous and inevitable movement of Italy in the twentieth century, and would oppose it by recalling the outworn ideology of the nineteenth century - repudiated wheresoever there has been the courage to undertake great experiments of social and political transformation; for never before has the nation stood more in need of authority, of direction and order. If every age has its own characteristic doctrine, there are a thousand signs which point to Fascism as the characteristic doctrine of our time. For if a doctrine must be a living thing, this is proved by the fact that Fascism has created a living faith; and that this faith is very powerful in the minds of men is demonstrated by those who have suffered and died for it.

Looking at all this from across the pond, it seems insane - the tortured questions about who is a Jew, the hair splitting about the difference between the Jewish people and the Jewish nation, the shabby treatment of minorities, the fear of losing control....there's only one way out, no matter how difficult it seems: moving towards a state in which all people, regardless of their religion or ethnicity, are treated exactly the same way, and relegating ones religious views to the sphere or private practice. I sincerely hope that we Americans will refuse to fund anything else.

Israel is not a fascist state because the people have free speech and aren’t arrested for having opposing view points. Oops, sorry, did I say people I meant Jews. Palestinians do not have the same rights. Peaceful protesters are attacked/arrested. Bad things can happen to Palestinians who voice their opinion, hell they are even trying to stop Palestinian tour guides just in case they give an alternative view point. THE OFFICIAL LINE MUST BE FOLLOWED AT ALL TIMES. As I was saying Israel is not a fascist state...

settlerism picks a glorious martial past,out of many options.settlerism demands a big army;armies are always glorified,more so in israel,where it provides a disproportional number of politicians.settlerism assumes one sector enjoying full civic rights and status,another none at all.settlerism demands total disregard for all the laws of property.settlerism demands two separate and incompatible legal systems.but the most telling settlerism is that purports "settlement",which is solely settlement of accounts.no settler ever ventured alone into the promised land,viking-like,nor did he expend a shekel in his reconquista.every inch of settlerism is state-built and all expenses state-funded. but-history is not shaped by morality-if this colossal enterprise had any realistic chance-settlerism might have had a point.

Excellent summation: "The settlement map created since then was explicitly meant to prevent the division of the country between two peoples. If this intention succeeds, then in the end there will be no Israel, and in any case there won't be Israeli democracy. Neither will there be non-Israeli democracy."

israel is on the peak of fascism, and it will break very soon. BECAUSE other jews want to breathe, and as long as the jewish country follows it's egoistic agenda, no one will be free of us. therefore, israel had time for 60 years, and now it's time to give up to the other half of jewish population, that is waiting to help out and change. this sounds self-centered now, but it is a fact that many (secular) diaspora jews have no idea how to deal with israel, which is again and again critizised and spit on by gentiles in front of their eyes. israel needs to remember the good jewish values, remember we came from being victims for centuries, and this should not make us criminals now....! neither is the holocaust an excuse for treating palestinians as lower class people. i say, be glad you live in the middle east now, the gas chambers are far away, and every single islamist voice raised against israel is nothing but pure provocation. no one will have the guts to f*** with israel. so please, dear israel with all your beauty you have to give, remember we came from a long tradition of "we will make it better" with each new generation, do never forget we cannot stick in suffering just because we have a country now, better wash our eyes and see what holocaust survivors, minorities in this country have to say to make it a pure place! thanks

I was heartened by the author's statement that Israel is, today, less fascistic and more democratic than at any time since 1977. Rome wasn't built in a day, and the thing to do now is keep up the good work, and (if it seems appropriate, of course) consider picking up the pace a wee bit.

an European democracy, and you right, there are many autocratic features in Israel, however there is still a certain freedom of press for its Jewish inhabitants, dont you think? Otherweise, critical articles like this one, also from Gideon, Hass and others journalists could neve be published. So let me say, as an European, Israel is a Middle East democracy for Jewish Israelis, with certain flaws!

Was Moses fascist? King David? Solomon? Define fascist. When the majority attach to a concept and anyone else is wrong who disagrees? When those who disagree have their ability to do so publicly is taken away? Well, you are writing this so Israel can't be fascist if that's what fascism means. Jimmy Carter isn't shot on arrival but is ironically allowed to keep coming back. What fascism? Fascist requires a vast majority to agree on whatever their views are, and to silence all criticism, right? Or what is fascism? Is it just a word people use to defame another political world view and economic view, or for any sort of being different to be defamed? That's how it is in America. If they don't agree with you, they're a fascist Nazi communist, so, we must first decide what the word means before we go around using it while so ill defined... and to not know that God will deliver Israel, that is faithlessness, and a cause of why God might bring such disaster upon you...

Alexander you should write a new paper and change fascism by nazism Seriously I hope that you are jocking!!!!!!!!!!!! The right title would be rather: "Is Haaretz dangerous for Am Israel?"

I seem to remember that posters of Rabin wearing a Keffieh were condemned just before Rabin's assasination. I also remember the right saying the government was becoming a group of fascist dictators and the Left screamed incitement. Now that the Left is doing it makes it OK? Are you kidding me? By using this rhetoric you're no better than the fanatic right.

Quite telling to see now that not only Ha'aretz is throwing around the words fascism and nazism with every other breath. We see the same thing happening in the US. We're constantly told we're on the verge of facsism, that Israel is only two short steps away, and now we hear it being said in the US about the US. The real sad thing is that its like the boy who cried wolf. The media have come to warn every day that this country or that is on the verge of fascism, socialism and Nazism. And if it does eventually come, no one will believe it, because much like Ha'aretz has been doing, in an ever more zealous manner, the false accusations lead to the loss of meaning for the real concepts of fascism, one in which all nations more or less have various aspects which might be similar, but that doesn't make them fascist, it makes Ha'aretz a fear mongering, alarmist newspaper.

Fascism is such a loose term. It can be used, at the user's choice, either very widely to denote just something unpleasant and right-wing or very narrowly to denote something like Mussolini's Italy. Clearly Israel is nothing like Mussolini's Italy, however, it does seem to be becoming increasignly unpleasant and right wing. I can't remember any government as unpleasant and right-wing as this one. More importantly I don't remember the open racism that is on display in Israel today. Maybe there were always people like the Safed Rabbis, Ovadia Yosef and Lieberman out there, maybe there were always laws like the loyalty oath and the law to let commeunities exclude non-Zionists but I don't remember them being out and loud and proud like they are now.

There is nothing clear about the High Court of Justice dumping "populist laws in present times. Neither in Israel nor in Europe. The reason is that Hight Court of Justices are being chased by populist voices. If they stiok to "judicial activism" both in Israel and Europe, the popular vote will increasingly go to radical right wing parties. In other words popular vote will advance anti liberal legislation. There is not need for a fascist revolution to turn down democracy. Democracy will enact anti liberal rule without the need of fascism

... it is the segregation and general second class status afforded to Israeli Arabs that causes people to criticize Israel loudly. And also the blockade of Gaza. The article points to the instruments of democracy as proof that fascism is at bay. I would point to the words and deeds of the nation as proof that it has already arrived. It is not too late to reverse course, but to pretend that Israel is an open minded society is .... well let's just call it "mistaken".

Nor do I recall ever hearing anywhere near as many cries of "fascism", or from as many different sources. Meanwhile, one quick look at the facts discounts your assertion about the High Court preventing fascist laws from taking affect, because its rulings are generally ignored by both the IDF, state and local government, law enforcement, and in many cases even the lower courts. However, you are absolutely right about the intention of the settlements and what affect their success will have on the state of Israel. I think, however, that what you don't see is that the very real manifestations of fascism that are taking place today are the beginnings of precisely those things implicated in your prediction of an end to the Israeli democracy should the purpose of the settlements succeed - and that outright fascism is indeed beginning to take root.