Israel is in danger of losing its free press. The Financial Times reported on Friday October 5th 2012, that cuts in the budget of liberal newspaper Haaretz by owner Amos Schocken have led to a strike by workers. Financial problems are driving all Israel's left of center papers into bankruptcy. Even right of center Maariv daily, owned by IDB corporation which is in danger of collapse, may close. Choices of Israelis for news is not only being constrained by troubles in news media, but also in broadcast media. A small rightwing newspaper that caters to the settler community is in talks to buy Maariv further shifting news to propaganda.
Massive investing in media by American gambling billionaire, Sheldon Adelson is driving Israeli political polarization. Adelson is a supporter of rightwing politician Benjamin Netanyahu and has bankrolled a free newspaper, Israel Hayom to support his policies. A coalition of rightwing sources is pushing bills in the Israeli congress that would severely limit the ability of the media to criticize the government (http://www.haaretz.com/...).
Other rightwing, conservative foreign forces are active in Israel as well. The current evangelical annual march represents the massive investments in influencing Israeli political from outside, mainly American religious fanatics are engaged (see Associated Press story at: http://www.sfgate.com/...) .
Democratic institutions in Israel are under attack from a group of families that control most of banking and the financial industry, their efforts to create an oligarchy is supported by a rising criminal class (http://www.dailykos.com/...). All of this drives the war party in Israel and plays into the role of the Evangelicals who desire a final war of apocalyptic extermination that is supposed to bring Christ back. The victims can only be the Israeli people. A recent study by Jewish Philanthropy (http://ejewishphilanthropy.com/... )into donations and the use of social media was not positive in outlook. It appears that most American donors to Israeli institutions are not very critical in how their money is used politically. Money donated or invested in Israeli free press and media will strengthen Israeli democratic institutions and help build a road to peace.