February 10, 2026
Opposing Extremisms
In Palestine,
opposing extremisms sustain each other; each one draws strength from the other.
The so-called messianic right—more accurately, ultra-Orthodox Jews—are in fact a
mirror image of Islamic extremists: they too are obsessed with sex (women must
have a separate space on public transport), with the idea of being God’s chosen
people, and with the belief that one day they will lead the entire world.
Some think that Israel, from a country with a
European culture, is becoming a Middle Eastern country.
I’m not sure: after all, the great majority of Israelis continue to maintain a
Western mindset—but will it always be so?