Gaza in Israeli Politics: From the Disengagement Plan to Trump’s Plan

About the lecture: This presentation explores the role of Gaza and its influence on Israeli politics over the past two decades. It will examine the aftermath of Ariel Sharon's 2005 disengagement plan, which not only deepened political rifts but also catalyzed a revival of the Right-wing, led by Benjamin Netanyahu. The lecture will highlight how these divisions, alongside the corruption scandals surrounding Netanyahu, played a pivotal role in sparking ongoing debates over judicial reforms and the broader Israeli political system. While protests against judicial reforms have revealed deep fractures within Israeli society, Gaza has increasingly taken a backseat in the national discourse, with the conflict paradoxically becoming a unifying force within Israeli politics. This unity in the face of Gaza, contrasted with internal political fragmentation, sets the stage for understanding the October 7th attack and the ensuing war in Gaza.

About Adam Hefetz: Adam Hefetz is a postdoctoral scholar at Arizona State University. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Haifa Jewish History Department in July 2022, after completing his M.A. in Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies in 2014. His work has appeared in Enterprise & Society and the Journal of Israeli History, and he is currently revising his dissertation into a manuscript, titled Financing Zionism: The Anglo-Palestine Bank and the Origins of Israeli Capitalism. He has worked as a history teacher in high school and middle school and is the founding editor of Pigumim, a socialist magazine.