Will civil war break out in Israel before 2024?

In early 2023, mass protests and strikes erupted in Israel over the government's plans to strip power from judges. The reforms would grant the government control over judge appointments and limit the Supreme Court's ability to strike down legislation deemed unconstitutional.

In late March 2023, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a temporary pause to the judicial changes, leading to a divided response. The larger opposition parties cautiously welcomed the decision, while leaders of the street demonstrations denounced it as a temporary freeze. As the Financial Times reported on March 28:

Benjamin Netanyahu bowed to public pressure on Monday and delayed the contentious judicial reform he and his extremist partners have championed. With Israel paralysed by mass protests and strikes, he acknowledged the risk of civil war. The crisis is not over, however. The Israeli prime minister’s language made clear he intends his decision as a tactical pause to quiet the civil disobedience. Netanyahu is buying time.