Between fragmentation and stability : continuity and crisis in Israel's political system / Abdullah Sawalha

Includes author's biography (page 105)

Includes bibliographical references (pages 95-103)

Introduction

1: The Altalena Affair and the Consolidation of State Authority

2: The 1952 Reparations Crisis and the Limits of Political Protest

3: The 1977 Elections: Political Upheaval and the Transformation of Israeli Politics

4: Gaza Disengagement and a Crisis of National Unity

5: The Great Divide: The Judicial Overhaul and Crisis of Democracy

Conclusion

Bibliography

About the Author

Between Fragmentation and Stability: Continuity and Crisis in Israel’s Political System examines one of the enduring paradoxes of modern Israeli politics: how a society marked by profound ideological, religious, cultural, and political divisions has consistently avoided systemic domestic breakdown. While public discourse frequently portrays Israel as a state on the verge of constitutional crisis or even civil conflict, this study argues that such assessments often overstate the fragility of its political system.

Drawing on five pivotal episodes in Israeli history—the Altalena Affair (1948), the Reparations Agreement controversy (1952), the 1977 electoral transition, the Gaza disengagement (2005), and the judicial reform crisis (2023)—the book explores how successive governments and institutions have managed periods of acute internal confrontation without undermining the continuity of the state. These case studies reveal recurring patterns of institutional adaptation, political compromise, civilian control, and the containment of conflict within established political and legal frameworks.

Rather than viewing each crisis in isolation, the study identifies the structural characteristics that have enabled Israel to preserve political order despite persistent polarization and competing national visions. In doing so, it challenges assumptions that domestic tensions necessarily translate into imminent state failure, demonstrating instead that political contestation has often reinforced, rather than weakened, institutional resilience.

Offering rigorous and evidence-based analysis, this volume provides policymakers, researchers, and students with a deeper understanding of the dynamics shaping Israel’s political development and strategic behavior. At a time of profound regional transformation, it also offers valuable insights for Arab decision-makers by distinguishing between heightened political rhetoric and genuine systemic vulnerability, enabling more informed assessments of Israel’s stability, policy trajectory, and long-term resilience.