These are my impressions of Israel having just completed my latest trip. I first visited in 1970 (I was very young!) and have been many times since. Naturally I do not have the same level of engagement as a native Israeli. However, seeing regular snapshots of the country has the advantage of making changes appear starker.

In addition to my own observations these are based on discussions with my extensive family there, who are overwhelming Israel-born. I also read widely on the subject including survey data to gauge opinions.

* Israel has become more religious on average over the years. The proportion of both the national-religious community (dati leumi) and the haredi (ultra-orthodox) community has increased substantially over the years. This is apparent from many indicators including the way people dress with, for example, national religious men often wearing knitted skullcaps (kippot) on the street. Hence the national religious are sometimes known as srugim (knitted ones).

Note there are substantial differences between the two sets of religious communities. For example, the national religious are generally the most patriotic and pro-Zionist. In contrast the haredim tend to lean towards non-Zionism or even anti-Zionism. Having said that there is some overlap between the two communities in the hardal (an acronym made up of haredi-dati-leumi) section of society.

* There is huge resentment of the fact that few haredim serve in the army. Typically they are granted exemptions from military service. The annoyance applies across the national religious, traditional and secular sections of society. Haredim are widely viewed as free-loading while the rest are making huge sacrifices in human and economic terms. Yet the government is unwilling to make substantial changes to this situation as it depends on their political support for its ruling coalition.

In this context it should be noted the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has severe manpower shortages. That means it does not have sufficient soldiers to properly fulfil its extensive needs. As a result, some - not always young - have done two years or more of reserve duty since the Hamas pogrom of 7 October 2023. That is on top of the time they have spent as conscripts. Typically men are currently conscripted for two years and eight months with women serving for two years. Officers and those in special units generally serve for longer. In contrast, with a few exceptions, haredim do not serve at all.

* Israel has become more politically conservative. At least as conventionally defined. Perhaps more precisely the left has become increasingly marginalised. This is a trend that was already apparent in 1977, when for the first time the right won a majority in an election, but has become clearer over time. Israel has not had a Labor-led government for about a quarter of a century. 

* In this context it should be remembered the "left" represents the traditional elite of Israeli society. The main forces which set up the state in the first place were leftists. Today leftism has a marginal influence in politics but still retains a substantial hold in areas such as academia, the judiciary and the media. It should also be noted that the high-tech sector - the most dynamic part of the Israeli economy is leftist. 

* The left has become increasingly post or even anti-Zionist. It identifies more with its international peers than domestic Israeli society. In politics it has an affinity with progressivist “woke” movements in the West. In relation to economics those in the high-tech sector often seem to be more comfortable relating to Silicon Valley than to ordinary Israelis.  The left is also more than willing to use its influence in the judiciary to thwart democratic demands. That is the main reason it was opposed to the Likud government’s judicial reform programme launched in 2023. The left is particularly keen on retaining a strong supreme court to veto legislation. Leftists also tend to look at the traditional and religious sections of Israeli society with disdain. 

* Israeli Jews seem to have become increasingly nervous about entering predominantly Arab areas. That includes east Jerusalem and the Old City of Jerusalem (both part of Israel according to Israeli law). When they do so they are often armed, although they do need a permit to carry weapons.

* Palestinians seem to have become less nervous about entering mainly Jewish areas. It is common to hear Arabic in Jewish cities and to see women wearing hijabs. Some do menial work but others do more prestigious roles such as working as pharmacists and doctors. Others are just making use of generally better amenities in Jewish areas.

* Many Palestinians, especially in East Jerusalem, speak little or no Hebrew. The curriculum in East Jerusalem schools is in Arabic rather than Hebrew. Having said that those Arabs who live in pre-1967 parts of Israel, such as Haifa and the Galilee, often do speak good Hebrew. Few Israeli Jews speak Arabic. Those that do often have links to the intelligence services. Few Jewish students take up Arabic as an option at school. There is also a shortage of Arabic teachers in Israeli schools – which is notable given the number of Arabic-speakers in the country as a whole. Despite – or perhaps because of – the signs and announcements on public transport tend to be in Arabic, English and Hebrew.

*Since 1990 Israel has developed an extensive system of public colleges. As opposed to universities – which have existed for much longer – these have a vocational focus. They have increased accessibility to higher education including among the Arab sector (although it should be noted there are also significant numbers of Arab students at universities too). In some cases Arab students need to do Hebrew preparatory courses to bring their language to a sufficient level.

* The economy seems to retain a degree of dynamism. One manifestation of this is the extensive infrastructure projects still underway. For example, building a second light rail line in Jerusalem and extending the inter-city line further into the city.

* Even soldiers on leave nowadays seem to keep their rifle magazines loaded. The advantage of this is that the weapons can be fired more quickly. The disadvantage is that there is a risk of accidental firing.  In the past, if my memory serves me correctly, the magazines were often detached. The M4 carbine, a short version of a rifle, has become the standard issue weapon.