Throughline The Rise of the Right Wing in Israel
25 snips
Oct 16, 2025 The podcast delves into the rise of right-wing politics in Israel, highlighting Benjamin Netanyahu’s political journey. It examines the historical backdrop of significant events, like Yitzhak Rabin's assassination and the impact of militant activism. The discussion includes figures like Meir Kahane and Itamar Ben-Gvir, whose radical ideologies reshaped Israeli politics. It also explores Netanyahu’s strategic alliances and the normalization of extremist rhetoric in political discourse, while reflecting on societal divisions and civil conflict concerns.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Incitement Before Assassination
- The 1995 right-wing protests against the Oslo Accords escalated to violent rhetoric and imagery targeting Yitzhak Rabin.
- That atmosphere of incitement framed political polarization that culminated in Rabin's assassination and reshaped Israeli politics.
Netanyahu's Balcony Speech Moment
- Benjamin Netanyahu spoke from a Jerusalem hotel balcony at the 1995 protest, denouncing Rabin and Oslo in fiery terms.
- His speech energized the crowd and signaled his skill at mobilizing right-wing sentiment.
Territory Framed As Destiny
- The right-wing religious settler movement grew after 1967 by framing territorial control as both security and biblical duty.
- Menachem Begin's 1977 Likud victory mainstreamed those views and shifted Israeli politics rightward.