So what happened to the Zionist dream?

 Surely Theodor Herzl and the others who attended the first Zionist Conference in 1897 envisaged a homeland established by agreement with other governments, not expansion by violence. Certainly, the Balfour Declaration which started the process of re-establishing Israel "clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine". 

Yet the returning prime minister, who has unresolved criminal charges hanging over him, has appointed as head of national security a man who has been convicted under Israeli law of incitement to racism.

France 24 reports:

In recent days, lawmakers hastily passed legislation watering down standards required to hold ministerial office -- allowing people convicted of crimes, but not sentenced to prison, to serve as ministers. The move paved the way for the leader of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, Aryeh Deri, a long-time Netanyahu ally who was convicted of tax evasion earlier this year, to be appointed to cabinet. 

 The introduction of a derogation clause would allow lawmakers to maintain the controversial law even if the Supreme Court were to overturn it. Analysts say such a clause would also allow lawmakers to uphold any annulment of the corruption charges against Netanyahu, should parliament vote to absolve the prime minister and the Supreme Court then rule against it. 

 For the left-wing Haaretz newspaper, Justice Minister Levin's mandate is clear: "destroy the rule of law and its institutions, and with them, the entire system" by allowing parliament to "override" the judiciary. "Fighting a government like this one, which is emptying democracy of all its values, isn’t sedition... it’s a duty incumbent on both the opposition and civil society. This is their great time of trial," Haaretz said in an editorial.

The new minister has lost no time in stirring trouble. 

President Biden may have issued a bland uncritical statement welcoming the new government, but there is considerable disquiet in American Jewry.