The nightmare of civil war is rearing its head in Israeli discourse. The Jewish people have experienced many internal conflicts and internecine civil clashes over their long history. Twice these domestic struggles resulted in destruction and loss of sovereignty over their land. Is history about to repeat itself? The prospects of such a scenario may be limited, but that it is being discussed at all is amazing.

Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu has practically completed assembling his sixth government, the most reactionary and right-wing in Israeli history. However, before he can present it for Knesset approval later this month, he must push through several laws in accordance with demands by his ultranationalist and ultra-Orthodox partners as a condition of their participation.

They include an amendment that would allow Shas chair Aryeh Deri to serve in the government despite two criminal convictions, the most recent from January. Also in the pipeline is an amendment handing policing powers to the designated minister of national security, Jewish Power chair Itamar Ben-Gvir, also a convicted felon.

A third controversial amendment would allow the Knesset to override Supreme Court rulings by a simple majority, a move that legal scholars warn would greatly undermine the authority and power of the nation’s top court.