Twelve Tribes

1. Israel is fracturing into distinct, separate "tribes" divided by faith, ethnicity, and geography.

"In the State of Israel, the basic systems that form people’s consciousness are tribal and separate, and will most likely remain so."

A deeply divided nation. The modern state of Israel is no longer a cohesive melting pot but a highly fragmented society split into distinct cultural, religious, and ethnic factions. This tribalism, warned of by former President Reuven Rivlin, manifests in separate school systems, media platforms, and geographic enclaves that rarely interact.

The tribal landscape. The country's population is broadly divided into four main groups, alongside various sub-tribes that compete fiercely for resources and political dominance:

• Secular Zionists, who historically dominated the state's cultural and military institutions.
• National Religious Zionists, who merge orthodox faith with militant political expansion.
• Ultra-Orthodox Haredim, who reject secular state authority in favor of rabbinic law.
• Palestinian citizens of Israel, who make up over twenty percent of the population.

A zero-sum game. This internal division has turned Israeli politics into a highly volatile, zero-sum game where each tribe fights to secure budgets and protect its own sector. Without a shared national narrative, the country faces an existential struggle to define whether it will remain a liberal democracy or transition into a religious state.

2. The secular-socialist Zionist dream of the early pioneers has given way to privatization and capitalism.

"I’m very disappointed with capitalism—with the wealthy, their lack of service to the poor and to people at the margins of society."

The socialist decline. The early years of Israel were defined by the kibbutz movement, a radical experiment in communal living and socialist self-reliance that shaped the nation's founding ethos. Over the decades, however, economic crises and shifting cultural values forced these communes to privatize, abandoning their egalitarian principles for competitive wages and private property.

A changing landscape. The physical and social transformation of the kibbutzim reflects a broader national shift away from collective solidarity toward free-market capitalism:

• Communal dining halls have been closed or rented out to high-tech corporations.
• The traditional "children's houses," where kids slept separately from parents, have been abolished.
• Land once dedicated to agriculture has been converted into luxury tourist resorts.
• Members now own their homes individually and can pass them on to heirs.

Loss of safety nets. While privatization has stabilized the finances of many kibbutzim, it has left older pioneers feeling deeply disillusioned. The loss of the socialist safety net has mirrored the broader state's retreat from welfare programs, leaving vulnerable populations to navigate a hyper-capitalist economy.

3. Palestinian citizens of Israel navigate a complex reality of professional integration and systemic discrimination.

"If you want to sit with me with respect, as an equal, that’s fine, but I won’t sit with you as a second-class citizen."

The integration paradox. Palestinian citizens of Israel, who make up over twenty percent of the population, are increasingly integrated into the nation's economy, universities, and healthcare systems. Yet, they continue to face systemic discrimination, social exclusion, and constant suspicion from state authorities and the Jewish majority.

Daily indignities. Despite achieving professional success as doctors, lawyers, and civil servants, Palestinian citizens are subjected to humiliating security protocols that their Jewish colleagues bypass:

• Constant identity checks at public transit hubs and government buildings.
• Exclusion from high-tech and security sectors due to lack of military service.
• A complete absence of academic institutions and hospitals in Arab-majority towns.
• Political backlash whenever Arab voter turnout increases.

A fragile identity. This systemic bias forces Palestinian citizens to walk a tightrope, balancing their national identity as Palestinians with their civic identity as Israelis. Many feel like perpetual outsiders in their own homeland, tolerated for their labor but vilified as a demographic threat.

4. The West Bank settlement movement is fueled by biblical ideology, political power, and foreign financial support.

"This is the historical land of the Jewish people—all the Bible stories took place here—how could you say that Jews do not have the right to live here?"

Biblical reclamation. The Israeli settlement movement in the West Bank has grown from a fringe ideological group into a dominant political force that shapes national policy. Settlers view their presence in "Judea and Samaria" not as an occupation, but as a divine mandate to reclaim the ancestral lands of the ancient Jewish tribes.

A powerful network. The expansion of the settlements is sustained by a highly organized political apparatus and substantial international funding:

• Over 600,000 settlers now live in heavily fortified West Bank communities.
• Millions of dollars in donations flow from wealthy American Jewish philanthropists.
• Evangelical Christians provide political backing and volunteer labor, viewing the settlements as biblical prophecy.
• Infrastructure, including bypass roads and security barriers, is built to connect settlements while isolating Palestinian towns.

An irreversible reality. Settler leaders like Yaakov Berg of the Psagot Winery openly reject the possibility of a Palestinian state, advocating instead for the formal annexation of the West Bank. By creating irreversible facts on the ground, the settlement movement has effectively dismantled the viability of a two-state solution.

5. Ultra-Orthodox Haredi communities are growing rapidly, challenging the secular foundations of the state.

"Will this be a secular, liberal state, Jewish and democratic? Will it be a state based on Jewish religious law?"

Demographic shift. The ultra-Orthodox Haredi population is the fastest-growing sector in Israel, doubling in size every sixteen years due to exceptionally high birth rates. This rapid growth is shifting the country's cultural and political balance, as Haredi communities increasingly demand that public life conform to strict religious laws.

Sectarian isolation. Haredim maintain a highly separate lifestyle, insulated from secular Israeli society through their own institutions and customs:

• Separate, government-funded school systems that de-emphasize secular subjects like math and science.
• Widespread exemption from mandatory military service, which secular Israelis view as an unfair burden.
• Strict enforcement of gender segregation and Shabbat closures in their neighborhoods.
• Rapid geographic expansion, transforming previously secular cities like Safed.

The political leverage. Despite their isolation, Haredi political parties wield immense leverage in coalition governments, securing massive subsidies for their yeshivas and families. This political power has created deep resentment among secular Israelis, who fear the eventual erosion of the country's democratic and liberal character.

6. Holocaust survivors shaped Israel's early identity but often felt alienated by its militant, forward-looking ethos.

"We accepted the narrative that we didn’t fight back," she summed up.

The survivor paradox. Although Holocaust survivors were central to rebuilding the Jewish people and staffing the institutions of the new state, they faced profound social alienation in early Israel. The young nation, desperate to project an image of the strong, militant "New Jew," often viewed survivors with pity or shame, accusing them of failing to resist the Nazis.

Silenced memories. For decades, survivors felt pressured to suppress their trauma and assimilate into the dominant, forward-looking Zionist culture:

• Early Israeli society lionized active resistance, leaving survivors to feel like second-class citizens.
• Many survivors struggled in poverty, neglected by the state despite official commemorations.
• Only in recent years have younger generations of Israelis begun to actively seek out and honor their stories.
• The memory of the Shoah was eventually institutionalized, but often used to justify militant state policies.

Disillusionment with the state. As they aged, many survivors of the founding generation grew disillusioned with the state's political trajectory. Having risked everything to build a just and compassionate refuge, they lamented the ongoing occupation of Palestinian territories and the erosion of the socialist ideals that had initially inspired them.

7. The Israeli military is undergoing a profound cultural shift as religious Zionists replace secular elites.

"Will they obey their commanders," Yehudah asked, "or their rabbi?"

A changing officer corps. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF), historically the primary engine of secular national solidarity, is experiencing a significant demographic and cultural shift. Secular elites are increasingly eschewing military careers, while key positions in combat units are being filled by "religious Zionists" who merge military duty with messianic faith.

Divided loyalties. This shift has introduced a volatile element into the military chain of command, raising questions about where soldiers' ultimate loyalties lie:

• Religious Zionist soldiers are highly organized and strongly support the West Bank settlements.
• Military analysts worry that soldiers may refuse orders to evacuate illegal settlements if their rabbis forbid it.
• The rise of religious nationalism in the ranks has alienated secular Israelis, who feel their values are no longer represented.
• Former Air Force pilots express deep concern that the military is losing its professional, secular character.

The moral burden. At the same time, the military's ongoing operations in densely populated areas like Gaza have placed a heavy moral burden on its soldiers. Veterans of elite units increasingly question the strategic efficacy and ethical cost of low-level warfare that results in high civilian casualties.

8. American Jews and evangelicals exert massive, often polarizing influence over Israeli politics and society.

"Israel is very strong because of American support, but most Americans don’t know their tax dollars are used in the wrong way, to strengthen the occupation,"

The American connection. The relationship between Israel and the United States is not merely diplomatic; it is deeply woven into the fabric of Israeli society through immigration, philanthropy, and political lobbying. American Jews and evangelical Christians exert a powerful, often polarizing influence on the country's political trajectory, frequently funding the most conservative and expansionist elements.

A diverse diaspora. The flow of people and money between the two nations highlights the complex dynamics of this partnership:

• American-born Jews who move to Israel often adopt highly conservative, pro-settler political views.
• Evangelical Christian organizations donate millions of dollars to support settlements, viewing them as biblical prophecy.
• Major American corporations benefit from regular military aid, which must be spent on American-made weapons.
• American Jewish critics of Israeli policy are increasingly vocal, creating a growing rift between the diaspora and the state.

A captive alliance. This deep entanglement has made Israel highly dependent on American political and financial backing, even as it pursues policies that alienate liberal Americans. The alliance has empowered right-wing leaders in both countries, ensuring that the status quo of the occupation remains unchallenged.

9. Diverse enclaves of coexistence, like Jaffa and Haifa, are threatened by gentrification and rising nationalism.

"We need each other as partners to progress and develop," Marwan said, "even if not everyone knows it."

The threat to coexistence. Mixed cities like Jaffa and Haifa have historically been celebrated as rare enclaves of Jewish-Arab coexistence, where diverse populations live, work, and create culture together. However, these fragile spaces are increasingly threatened by rapid gentrification, rising real estate prices, and the encroachment of nationalist politics.

Displacement and division. The transformation of these historic neighborhoods reflects a deliberate effort to alter their demographic and cultural character:

• Historic Arab homes are purchased by wealthy developers and converted into luxury condominiums.
• Local businesses and cultural venues, like the mixed Jewish-Arab bar Anna Lou Lou, are forced to close.
• Nationalist groups actively work to increase the Jewish population in Arab-majority areas to alter the demographic balance.
• Rising housing costs force working-class Palestinian residents out of their ancestral neighborhoods.

A fragile peace. While restaurants like El Marsa in Akko showcase the potential for creative, cross-cultural collaboration, the underlying political tensions remain highly volatile. Without active efforts to protect these mixed spaces, the promise of coexistence is at risk of being entirely overwhelmed by sectarian division.

10. Israel's high-tech boom has brought immense wealth but also fostered economic inequality and global financial scams.

"We don’t have oil," the bald man said, tapping his exposed pate, "so we have to use our brains."

The high-tech paradox. Israel's transition into the "Start-Up Nation" has brought unprecedented wealth and global prestige, driven by a highly sophisticated technology sector that emerged from the military's elite intelligence units. However, this boom has also fostered deep economic inequality, creating a wealthy high-tech elite while leaving the majority of the population to struggle with an exorbitant cost of living.

The dark side of tech. The rapid growth of the technology sector has also provided a convenient cover for highly sophisticated, global financial scams:

• Multi-billion-dollar binary options companies operated out of sleek office towers in Herzliya for years.
• These firms targeted vulnerable foreigners, including retirees and veterans, bilking them of their life savings.
• Recent immigrants were recruited to work as sales staff, lured by high salaries in a country with a high cost of living.
• Weak local law enforcement and regulatory oversight allowed these fraudulent operations to thrive in broad daylight.

A growing divide. The high-tech boom has created a two-tiered economy, where those without access to the sector are increasingly priced out of major cities like Tel Aviv. This economic divide has fueled widespread frustration, as ordinary citizens struggle to afford basic housing while the nation's wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few.