Israeli Politics and Society after the Hamas Attack: A One Year Retrospective

Announced by the University of Pittsburgh

The October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel came at a time when the country was already embroiled in an insurmountable political and constitutional crisis. With multiple government breakdowns and elections within a span of a few years, a concerted attack by the most radical-right government in the country’s history on the judiciary and on the guardrails of democracy, mass demonstrations, and extreme polarization, the future direction of Israeli politics and society seemed uncertain by the middle of 2023. How have the events of October 7th and the ensuing, ongoing war impacted the already unstable situation in the country? In the year since, what were the reactions of the various parts of the Israeli political map to unfolding events, and what will be the likely aftermaths of the current war? Professor Lihi Ben Shitrit will provide an overview of these questions and will also share insights from her edited volume The Gates of Gaza: Critical Voices from Israel on October 7 and the War with Hamas.