Will Israel become a theocracy?

+ sketchy science of aromatherapy US Edition - Today's top story: As contentious judicial 'reform' becomes law in Israel, Netanyahu cements his political legacy [View in browser]( US Edition | 25 July 2023 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Top headlines - [Freshwater megafish are dying off]( - [Americans have become too eager to recycle – at the expense of more sustainable options]( - [Why more students should aspire to become urban planners]( Lead story You could say that Israelis took to the streets in protest after passage of legislation Monday to rein in the country’s Supreme Court. But they were already in the streets. Since January, there have been massive citizen protests against so-called “reform” measures proposed by the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to shift power from courts to the executive branch. Netanyahu claimed the measures would tamp down on excessive judicial activism; opponents say they will destroy Israeli democracy. That the polarizing figure of Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu is at the center of this storm is no surprise. He has been a divisive figure in Israeli politics for decades. And the battle over judicial reform pushed by the coalition of right-wing and religious groups Netanyahu now heads, writes UMass Amherst Middle East scholar David Mednicoff, [is a prime example of how]( “today’s Israel is marked by growing splits between secular, urbanized citizens near the Mediterranean coast and Orthodox and other settlers in or near the West Bank.” The two groups have competing visions for the country, with the latter pushing Israel in a more theocratic direction. In his review of Netanyahu’s career at this crucial moment in Israeli history, Mednicoff explains how the prime minister’s leadership is largely responsible for this divisive battle over Israel’s future. [ [Sign up for our weekly Global Economy & Business newsletter, with interesting perspectives from experts around the world](. ] Naomi Schalit Democracy Editor Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the country’s parliament in Jerusalem on July 24, 2023. AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo [As contentious judicial ‘reform’ becomes law in Israel, Netanyahu cements his political legacy]( David Mednicoff, UMass Amherst Benjamin Netanyahu has helped reshape Israel and the broader world in profound ways. And there’s a dark side to those changes. Health + Medicine - [Millions of Americans believe aromatherapy works – but for many doctors, it still doesn’t pass the smell test]( Marian Reven, West Virginia University As the evidence for aromatherapy trickles in, be wary of marketing ploys and possible risks posed by some of these products. Environment + Energy - [In search of the world’s largest freshwater fish – the wonderfully weird giants lurking in Earth’s rivers]( Stefan Lovgren, University of Nevada, Reno Freshwater megafish numbers have fallen by 94%, according to one study. - [Decades of public messages about recycling in the US have crowded out more sustainable ways to manage waste]( Michaela Barnett, University of Virginia; Leidy Klotz, University of Virginia; Patrick I. Hancock, University of Virginia; Shahzeen Attari, Indiana University New research shows that Americans may have absorbed public messaging about the importance of recycling too well. - [How well-managed dams and smart forecasting can limit flooding as extreme storms become more common in a warming world]( Riley Post, University of Iowa An engineer who managed dams for years explains the tradeoffs operators make as they decide when to release water and how much to stay safe. Politics + Society - [NATO isn’t the only alliance that countries are eager to join – a brief history of the Five Eyes]( Joshua Holzer, Westminster College NATO gets the headlines, but the Five Eyes alliance is another close connection between key Western powers, and it may expand. - [Calls for Judge Aileen Cannon to recuse herself from Trump’s criminal case don’t meet the standard of when a judge should step away]( Peter A. Joy, Washington University in St Louis Trump appointed Cannon to the bench, but that alone is not a good enough reason for her to recuse herself from the case. Education - [Urban planning is often overlooked as a career – here are some ways to change that]( Stephen Kofi Diko, University of Memphis; Danilo Palazzo, University of Cincinnati ; Leah Hollstein, University of Cincinnati A project to upgrade a high school playing field led to a book on how to inspire more young people to pursue careers as urban planners. Science + Technology - [Laughter can communicate a lot more than good humor – people use it to smooth social interactions]( Adrienne Wood, University of Virginia Laughter is so fundamental that animals like chimps, rats and dogs share the ability with humans. But in people it serves more serious social functions than just letting others know you’re having fun. - [Horse health research will help humans stay healthy, too, with insights on reining in diabetes and obesity]( Jane Manfredi, Michigan State University Horses and humans share biological similarities that lead them to suffer from similar endocrine and orthopedic diseases. A number of treatments that work for one species often work for the other. Ethics + Religion - [Women can now undertake Islamic pilgrimages without a male guardian in Saudi Arabia, but that doesn’t mean they’re traveling alone – communities are an important part of the religious experience]( Iqbal Akhtar, Florida International University A religion scholar argues that the communal nature of Islamic pilgrimage helps worshippers go through a physically demanding schedule and creates camaraderie that continues beyond the pilgrimage. Trending on site - [Is it really hotter now than any time in 100,000 years?]( - [WHO expert cancer group states that the sweetener aspartame is a possible carcinogen, but evidence is limited – 6 questions answered]( - [When Greenland was green: Ancient soil from beneath a mile of ice offers warnings for the future]( Today's graphic 📈 [Researchers hid a disabled gun in their lab and then watched to see what kids would do. Out of 226 children ages 8 to 12, 96% discovered the firearm. But what they did next differed based on whether they'd watched a gun safety video or a car safety video at home a week prior.]( From the story, [A 1-minute gun safety video helped preteen children be more careful around real guns – new research]( - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our weekly and biweekly emails: • [Weekly Highlights]( • [Science Editors' Picks]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Politics Weekly]( • [Global Perspectives]( • [Global Economy & Business]( Trying out new social media? Follow us: • [Threads]( • [Bluesky]( • [Spoutible]( • [Mastodon]( • [Post.news]( • [LinkedIn]( - - About The Conversation We're a nonprofit news organization dedicated to [helping academic experts share ideas with the public](. We can give away our articles thanks to the help of foundations, universities and readers like you. 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