According to George Washington University history professor Shira Robinson, Israel has "abandoned democracy" and is rapidly descending into a fascist state. Robinson recently delivered this dire verdict at New York University with the lecture "Past as Present: Reflections on the 70th Anniversary of 1948." The October 10th presentation actually fell closer to the 69th anniversary, but precision isn't exactly the forte of Middle East studies academics.

. . . Robinson argued that Israel is experiencing not only "creeping fascistization," but that it has never been a democracy: "For Jews, the increasingly racist, far-right turn of the state is fueling . . . an existential debate of sorts over whether the current moment represents a tragic perversion of the Zionist dream or its ultimate realization." She left no doubt she believes the latter.