About the mindset of people who are currently protesting in Israel

I'm an Israeli who lives in Berlin for the last few years, both because it's an amazing city and because of my German origin. Here I meet a lot of people who are often very much pro-Palestine, and it's a bit of a challenge to be pro-Israel in such circles. I'm in regular contact with my family and old friends in Israel. I have a deep understanding of both sides, the Israeli and the European mindset.<br><br>I recently noticed that many people in the international media, including Germans and other Europeans, often generally don't understand why people are protesting in Israel, especially among the right-wing nationalist Israelis. They truly don't understand the arguments and needs of many Israelis that make them protesting so fiercely. I hope I can explain why they are protesting in simpler words, and in a way that makes sense in the European mindset.<br><br>Right-wing Israelis have a very basic need that they want the government to take care of: their personal safety. Many of them live in cities that are next to Palestinian cities like Gaza or Ramallah. They can't go to sleep at night without the fear of waking up to the sound of sirens. They live in cities that are regularly bombed by terrorist groups from Gaza. And I don't mean your typical missile - I mean missiles of the kind that can level entire buildings and neighborhoods. Some people went through this experience. Some were injured and became handicapped. Some families lost their children. Right-wing Israelis think that the left-wing government won't take care of this need, and that they won't protect them against those terrorists.<br><br>Another need is their national pride. Israel is a nation that was founded after the Holocaust on the ashes of 6M dead people. The last time that Jews had their own state was over 2000 years ago. Right-wing Israelis see Israel as a truly historical achievement that they're proud of. They have a deep sense of belonging and loyalty to the country. When they see that the government is making compromises with the Palestinians, they feel that the country's pride and identity is being crushed. They see it as a betrayal, like the left-wing government is sweeping the entire country's identity under the rug. They feel that their voice and feelings are ignored.<br><br>Another thing is immigration. Many right-wing Israelis want to allow immigration to Israel only for people who are fully Jewish according to Jewish religious law, i.e. only if their mother was Jewish, or if they go through a religious conversion process. This is not just out of racism, but out of the wish to preserve the Jewish religion and tradition that were the foundation of the country. But the left-wing government wants to allow immigration for people who aren't Jewish, but have a Jewish ancestry, e.g. people from the former Soviet Union whose grandparents were Jewish.<br><br>Right-wing Israelis also feel that the left-wing government ignores their feelings and needs in favor of people who they see as enemies of the state. They see the government as being in cahoots with terrorist groups. They think that the government's compromises with the Palestinians won't bring any peace, but the opposite - it will only embolden the terrorist groups and cause more harm and instability.<br><br>They also feel that the government ignores their feelings and needs in favor of people who they see as traitors in their own country. They see Israeli Palestinians as people who can't be trusted because they will always sympathize with Palestinians and terrorist groups over their fellow Israeli citizens. They see them as a fifth column, a kind of enemy from within. This is why they want all citizens to declare loyalty to the state, including Palestinian citizens.<br><br>Another thing is that the left-wing government opened the borders to allow refugees from Ukraine. The refugees often didn't speak Hebrew, were often drunk and aggressive, and often harmed locals. Right-wing Israelis see them as dangerous. They see the government as responsible for the harm and violence that the refugees caused.<br><br>Many right-wing Israelis also feel deeply betrayed by the left-wing parties. They feel that the government ignores their feelings and needs because they're not part of the country's elite. They see the left-wing politicians as arrogant, corrupt, and hypocritical. Many politicians from the left-wing parties went through scandals of corruption. Some of them lied about being in the army. Some of them have second homes in France or the US. Many right-wing Israelis feel that their voices and needs are ignored because they're not part of this elite circle of politicians and celebrities who are running the country.<br><br>Lastly, many right-wing Israelis see the current protests as a last stand of the entire country. Some of them are willing to die for the country. They see the country as truly in danger. The last time that the country was in such a big crisis was in 1973 during the war with Egypt. They see it as an existential crisis like in 1948 when the country was founded. This is why they're protesting so fiercely.