I am not breaking new ground when I begin by stating that Israel is a deeply divided society. The fault lines extend far beyond the simplistic dichotomy of the “pro-Bibi” camp versus the “anti-Bibi” camp. In a comprehensive book published in 2024, co-authored with Dr. Nahum Shiloh, we mapped the principal cleavages within Israeli society, concluded that no single unifying denominator exists across the population, not even a common external enemy, and accordingly titled the book “In Search of Identity.”

Now, deep into 2026, the picture we presented in that book remains unchanged. One of its most striking characteristics is the persistence of established political violence by various groups within Israeli society. By “established violence,” I mean violence employed to achieve political objectives and conducted by groups that enjoy support, encouragement, or political cover from public figures holding influential positions in government, the Knesset, and religious institutions.

This column focuses on the ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) community. Clearly, many Haredim work, volunteer, and contribute to society, such as ZAKA provide just one example. Yet these individuals remain a minority compared to the broader community. The Haredi population constitutes 12 percent of Israel’s citizens and has, for decades, enjoyed disproportionate political influence over the allocation of state resources.

My central argument is straightforward: the Haredim constitute the most organized and disciplined collective force in Israel when it comes to political mobilization and, when necessary, political violence. They possess three critical resources for sustained protest activity: money, time, and access to public space.

The Haredi community, despite its internal subdivisions, shares a clear collective identity. It operates according to well-established cultural codes, with each religious court maintaining its own norms and authority structures. Above all, it seeks to preserve its traditional way of life, particularly the ability of young men to devote themselves to Torah study without state interference. In political science terms, the Haredim are a classic status quo actor.

When does this community mobilize? When the state attempts........

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