For Heaven’s Sake: Israel’s Sovereignty Crisis

Episode Date: February 18, 2026
Hosts: Donniel Hartman & Yossi Klein Halevi
Podcast: For Heaven’s Sake, Shalom Hartman Institute & Ark Media

Episode Overview

In this episode, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi delve into Israel’s current “sovereignty crisis,” unpacking what it means for the state to lose control within its own borders. The discussion focuses on recent violent events involving Israel’s Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) community, ongoing violence in Arab-Israeli sectors, and the apparent willingness of the current Israeli government to abdicate traditional notions of sovereignty for the sake of political survival. Throughout the conversation, they connect contemporary realities to deep questions about governance, identity, tribalism, and the future of Zionism.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Defining the Sovereignty Crisis

• Sovereignty Historically External, Now Internal:
  Traditionally, Israel’s sovereignty issues have revolved around defending its borders; today, the crisis is internal—spanning cities and sectors within the country’s recognized territory.

  • Quote (Donniel Hartman, 02:58):
    “Now, sovereignty essentially means... to hold onto a territory, your territory, to the exclusion of all others... But we're facing now not a sovereignty problem, but a profound sovereignty crisis inside.”

• Current Events as Symptoms:
  The attack on two female IDF soldiers by Haredi youths in Bnei Brak and the surge in violent crime within Arab-Israeli communities are showcased as vivid examples. In both sectors, the state’s presence and authority have receded.

  • Quote (Donniel, 04:04):
    “We can't send our soldiers into an Israeli city to do their job... it's just not part of the country.”

2. Government Abdication & Selective Sovereignty

• Coalition Politics Undermining Authority:
  The coalition government, heavily reliant on Haredi and far-right support, enables these factions to operate autonomously, even openly defying national laws such as military conscription.

  • Quote (Yossi, 08:39):
    “A country that can't impose what the overwhelming majority of citizens and the army itself regards as a critical security need is a crisis of sovereignty.”

• Different Treatment of Communities:
  The state indulges Haredi non-compliance due to political necessity yet exhibits contempt and neglect toward Arab-Israelis, creating parallel crises of sovereignty.

  • Quote (Yossi, 14:43):
    “In the government's relationship with the Haredi... there's an indulgence... needed to uphold Netanyahu’s coalition. In the case of the Arab Israelis, there's an active contempt, a denial that you are part of us.”

3. Fragmentation and Anarchy Across Multiple Fronts

• Breakdown of Central Authority:
  An atmosphere of “sovereign quicksand” pervades. It’s not just in contested areas but stretches—by the hosts’ account—to the government and judiciary themselves. Ministers pursue autonomous agendas; even the Attorney General refuses to defend the government in court.
  • Quote (Donniel, 20:43):
    “The whole system. The Minister of Justice refused yesterday to state that if the Supreme Court gives a ruling, he's not committing to accept... So you have this dismantling. And I have to tell you, it's a very strange experience.”

4. Tribalism vs. Collective Identity

• Israel as a Mosaic of Tribes:
  The hosts draw on biblical texts (Numbers 32) to frame Israel’s dilemma as one between legitimate tribal/communal claims and the needs of the larger collective.

  • Quote (Donniel, 27:05):
    “Part of the breakdown, this chaos, this lack of sovereignty, is that the whole system is falling apart. First, it falls apart on the tribal level... as sovereignty is breaking down, their only responsibility is to look out for themselves.”

• Leadership Failing to Balance the Needs:
  Instead of integrating divergent groups, the state allows (or even encourages) tribal self-interest, pushing the nation toward deeper fragmentation.

5. The Right’s Redefinition of Sovereignty

• From State to Land:
  For parts of the Israeli right, the ideological focus has shifted from the authority of the state to a near-sacred relationship with the land itself.

  • Quote (Yossi, 15:38):
    “It's not about the state, it's about the land... The land of Israel has greater weight than the state of Israel.”

• Slogans Meet Reality:
  The irony is highlighted: Politicians who ran on restoring order are overseeing the disintegration of state control.

  • Quote (Yossi, 23:32):
    “Ben Grier's slogan was Mepo Barnabite, who here is the sovereign. And under Ben Grier, we are losing whole parts of sovereign Israel.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Absurdity of “Kosher” Phones with WhatsApp
  (Donniel, 05:16):
  "Technically... kosher phones in the Haredi community don't have WhatsApps... But somehow in Bnei Brak, the WhatsApp system is working."
  (Yossi, 05:19):
  "It's a miracle."

• On Leadership Responsibility
  (Yossi, 33:55):
  “My problem really is with the top leadership in this country and the abrogation of the responsibility of sovereignty.”

• On the Coming Elections
  (Yossi, 34:30):
  “This is the issue that's going to define the next election: Are we going to return to a normative understanding of national sovereignty, or allow the Right's distorted understanding of sovereignty to become the new Israeli norm?”

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:02-04:07] – Framing Israel’s internal sovereignty crisis
• [04:43-06:01] – Case study: Soldiers attacked in Bnei Brak; WhatsApp and Haredi mobilization
• [08:39-12:04] – Crisis of sovereignty over military draft and government abdication
• [14:43-15:41] – Contrasting state attitudes toward Haredi and Arab communities
• [18:00-20:43] – Anarchy at every level: Ministers, judiciary, coalition survival
• [27:05-30:13] – Tribalism vs. collective identity, biblical reference (Numbers 32)
• [33:24-34:35] – Final reflections: Leadership failure and the critical choice ahead

Tone and Flow

The conversation is engaged, at times wry, but driven by deep concern and an urgent sense of purpose. The speakers examine current events and systemic failings both analytically and morally, frequently referencing classical Jewish sources and the nation’s founding values. Their tone alternates between alarm, irony, empathy, and historical perspective, inviting listeners to grapple honestly with the state’s moral and existential crossroads.

Summary Takeaway

Hartman and Halevi argue that Israel’s gravest contemporary threat is not external but internal: the erosion of state sovereignty—manifest in lawlessness, tribal fragmentation, and a government unwilling or unable to assert collective authority for fear of political instability. This, they contend, is not only a security crisis, but a crisis of national identity, leadership, and purpose, which will define the fate of Israel’s democracy in the years ahead.