After a winter hibernation, The Interesting Times podcast is back with an exploration of the many causes and consequences of the still unfolding upheaval in Israeli politics and society. To guide us through this complex situation I was fortunate to speak with Michael Hilkowitz. Mike has been living in Israel for over a decade and has worked as the chief content officer for the Israel Innovation Fund. He is currently near the completion of a master’s degree in security and diplomacy studies at Tel Aviv University. His columns on the political situation in Israel have a appeared in a variety of publications, including The Times of Israel.
Though I have been keeping up with the story, Michael was able to shed quite a bit new light on the situation and some of its roots. This is the first part of our conversation where we cover some of the more immediate issues at hand and also the changes to the social and political landscape over the past several decades that laid the groundwork for the present conflicts, mass protests, and a general strike that brough the country to a halt last week. Part II of our conversation looking at the role of the even wider backdrop of the Israeli—Palestinian conflict, and the now seemingly moribund peace process. That should be out in the next week or so.
Israel's Supreme Political Crisis (Part I)