Introduction

The 2022 elections marked a significant milestone in the history of the State of Israel in general and Israeli politics in particular. This claim can be substantiated by both retrospective and prospective analyses. Retrospectively, these elections concluded an unprecedented sequence of five elections and the tenure of three prime ministers within three and a half years. This chain of political upheavals ended with Benjamin Netanyahu's return to the Prime Minister's office. Prospectively, these elections ushered in the most terrible year in the history of the State of Israel. The year 2023 began with the government's attempt to reshape Israeli democracy and undermine its liberal characteristics, a move that was met with unprecedented protests. Then, on October 7th, Hamas launched a devastating attack that was followed by a war in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon. This book examines the 2022 elections through this dual lens, looking at the past and the future simultaneously. The chapters in the book examine, through various theoretical perspectives and diverse research designs, how the 2022 elections were shaped by the political upheavals that preceded them. They also seek to identify the seeds sown in these elections that may illuminate the tragic events of 2023.