The Audio Long Read Best of 2025 … so far: Kahane’s ghost: how a long-dead extremist rabbi continues to haunt Israel’s politics
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Aug 20, 2025 The podcast dives into the haunting legacy of a long-gone extremist rabbi and his unsettling influence on modern Israeli politics. It discusses the alarming rise of Kahanism and its acceptance in mainstream political discourse. Through a historical lens, listeners explore how radical ideologies, once marginalized, are now reshaping policies and public sentiment. Attention is drawn to violent narratives and the troubling behavior of radical groups, illustrating a dangerous cycle of extremism in contemporary society.
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Outsider Populism Preceded Global Trends
- Meir Kahane sold himself as an outsider who voiced forbidden sentiments and attacked elites.
- That outsider strategy prefigured global populist tactics seen in Brazil, the US, India and Europe.
Kahanism's Durable Ideological Core
- Kahanism fused violent ethno-nationalism with apocalyptic religious fervour to demand Palestinian expulsion.
- Its core idea survived because occupation and inequality kept the conditions that created it intact.
Structural Drivers Of Radicalization
- Occupation, economic inequality and prolonged conflict amplified Kahanist appeal.
- These structural pressures made extremist, zero-sum thinking more resonant in Israeli society.
