The story of Benjamin Netanyahu is not merely the story of a man in power. It is the story of a political structure that allowed one individual to grow beyond the institutions meant to contain him, until he became—psychologically and politically—larger than the state itself. The question in Israel today is no longer “Who governs?” but rather: Who actually has the power to restrain Netanyahu’s arrogance? Three recent signals—from Ehud Barak, Donald Trump, and Ram Ben-Barak—paint a troubling picture. A country long marketed as a model of “strong institutions” and “independent strategic decision-making” now finds itself exposed, led by a prime minister who behaves as if he holds absolute authority, only to discover that the real limits on his power [...]
