Netanyahu's judicial reforms are not the end of Israeli democracy

Watching Israel tear itself apart this week has been like seeing your best friend embarrass himself at a party. The world has looked on while the Netanyahu government, in hock to a small cabal of religious chauvinists, pushed through the first stage of its judicial reform agenda, sparking the biggest street protests the country has ever seen. Whatever happened to the start-up nation?

Last night and this morning was the Jewish fast of Tisha B’Av, which commemorates the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD and the subsequent exile from Israel. To mark it, firebrand minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visited the Western Wall to the sound of messianic songs before provocatively ascending Temple Mount, the place where tensions are highest. He has described the passing of the legislation this week as the ‘salad course’ before the main meal, which if served in its entirety, would profoundly change the face of the country.