מי ״הצד הממלכתי בסיפור הזה״: מסר מתון ופרקטיקות רדיקליות במחאה נגד המשבר השלטוני

Examining the discourse of the anti-regime protest reveals that the organizers of the “liberal camp” proposed both recognition and a rejuvenated, national identity to the dominant groups (descendants of the founding elite), as well as to women and LGBTQ groups. This identity emphasizes the economy and military service in a republican manner, civil rights for Jews and freedom from religious coercion in a liberal way, and the preference of Jews and inequality to non-Jews in a Zionist fashion.Yet the longstanding message was circulated using state symbols and statist practiceson the one hand, and practices that were perceived as radically anti-establishment on the other hand – particularly refusal of veterans to serve in the military reserve force and bereaved families’ protest during Memorial Day ceremonies. These findings arise from analyzing the protest “headquarters”’ use of cultural resources like symbols and rituals, narration of the past, and memory practices. The moderate message and statistpractices enabled the use of radical methods that were “qualified”/made eligible by protesters who took part in the military and economic establishment and lent their status and public legitimacy to the struggle. However, as doubts about the motivationsbehind government actions rise, the protest’s anti-establishment practices and its opening of the general signifier “democracy” to public debate may lead to ideological radicalization and to an expansion of its claims for equality.