Ten Reasons Why Israelis Keep Believing the Biggest Lie of Their Lives

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu background — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Photo: Chaim Goldberg/flash 90)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Photo: Chaim Goldberg/flash 90)

In this article, we argue that there are several core reasons why the Israeli public continues to accept what may be the central deception of its collective experience: the illusion that there is a genuine struggle between government institutions, when in reality, these entities are deeply coordinated with one another.

The roots of this deception include:

Entrenched Sectorialism - The segmentation of Israeli society into distinct interest groups enables ruling elites and political "cartels" to maintain control with minimal resistance.
The Removal of Traditional Jewish Scholarship from Education - The sidelining of deep, analytical Torah-based study from the educational system weakens critical thinking and diminishes the public's ability to engage in complex discourse about reality.
Encouragement of Historical Amnesia Regarding Zionism - By limiting access to and understanding of the true history of the Zionist movement, the system undermines collective memory and weakens citizens’ ability to defend normative values over time.
Overwhelming Economic Pressure - The exhausting pace and demands of Israeli life suppress the emergence of alternatives. Many, worn down by daily struggle, cling to the worst available options, convinced institutional change is unattainable.
Protectionist Economic Structures – Israel's semi-socialist economy fosters entrenched interests, from powerful labor unions to archaic Ottoman-style NGOs - whose survival depends on preserving the status quo.
The Pension State - Hundreds of thousands of Israelis rely on state-funded pensions, particularly in the security sector. Any challenge to the current system would threaten their material well-being. These groups will do whatever it takes to defend the existing order.
The Politics of Fear - Historical traumas, frequently evoked by those in power, serve as a powerful control mechanism. The message is clear: If you don’t fall in line - disaster will follow.

The invocation of antisemitism; is used to stifle criticism, discourage introspection, and portray all dissent from Israeli status-quo as a danger to Jewish survival.

9. The Endless Conflict as a Control Mechanism

The Israeli–Palestinian conflict serves not only as a geopolitical narrative but also as a domestic tool: a justification for censorship, military dominance, and suppressing Jewish-Israeli civil unrest.

10. The Illusion of Democracy

Democratic symbolism is waved like a flag to placate Israel's liberal center: elections, courts, and media appear independent, until they are revealed to function within tightly controlled boundaries.

These are the reasons why Israelis refuse to begin seeing that the elected and unelected institutions—though seemingly in conflict—are in fact coordinated down to the last screw.