The Israeli government is facing a profound internal crisis and a decline in its foundational institutions, even as it promotes a public narrative of success in its Gaza military operations, according to a stark analysis by prominent Haaretz analyst Zvi Bar’el.

In a recent article, Bar’el argues that the state is undergoing an internal collapse, which official propaganda is attempting to conceal from the public. He contends that the severe intelligence failure of October 7 exposed critical vulnerabilities that the government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is now trying to manage through media manipulation and misinformation.

"The Israeli cabinet is attempting to shift the domestic narrative," Bar’el notes, suggesting that officials are actively working to convince citizens they are "witnessing victory and success, rather than acknowledging internal weaknesses."

The analysis highlights a deeper erosion within the Israeli political system. Bar’el points out that core principles once central to the state's identity—including equality, justice, minority rights, and the separation of powers—have been systematically undermined by "unchecked actors" within the regime. This decay, he suggests, signifies a failure that goes beyond any single military engagement.

Despite these efforts to control public perception, Bar’el warns that the propaganda campaign cannot ultimately halt the ongoing internal decline. The systemic failures, he concludes, are too severe to be permanently obscured by political rhetoric, pointing to a challenging and unstable period ahead for the Israeli authorities.

The critique emerges amid ongoing international scrutiny of Israel's military campaign in Gaza and growing domestic discontent over the government's handling of the conflict and the fate of hostages held in the territory. (ILKHA)