Understanding Israel’s Deep State

Israel’s Deep State is run by Modern Orthodox Religious Zionists but to say that the Deep State is rightwing would be a misstatement. Israel’s Deep State represent what they understand as the deeper national interest and is extremely active in all streams of Zionism. The Deep State rightly believes that it is a national interest of the Jewish people for the State of Israel to remain an open society while at the same time it has no illusions about the genocidal nature of Israel’s enemies in Islamdom. What is somewhat unclear though is what role Religious Zionism plays in the policies of the Deep State beyond its role in the indigenous restoration project in Judea, Jerusalem and Samaria. Do they consider themselves agents of redemption or are they simply practitioners of Realpolitik? The answer is likely both.