Netanyahu is desperate to subject the Israeli judiciary to his powerso that it cannot convict him of corruption. The army won't stand forthat change, and the defense minister (a former general) called onNetanyahu to compromise. Instead he fired the minister. Meanwhile,100,000 protesters came out and pole-wielding thugs attacked them onhorseback.A general strike has been announced.I've predicted this confrontation for many years. Ultra-orthodox Jewshave special privileges which they use to increase their numbers, andthey have joined with the extreme right-wing. That increase, acrossthe decades, has brought the right-wing to a position where control ofthe state is in the balance. Even if the supporters of democracy winthis time, the demographic trand will sooner or later deliver victoryto the right-wing.The only path I see for its survival is for the democratic Jews andthe Palestinians to unite to support liberal democracy. But I don'tsee how there could be enough trust between them for that to happen.Maybe Uri Avnery could have united them if he lived, but it would havebeen a tall order even for him.If Israel's democracy falls, many Israeli Jews will have to search forcountries to move to where they can be safe from repression.