MELISSA BLOCK, Host:
NPR's Lourdes Garcia-Navarro has this story from Jerusalem.
LOURDES GARCIA: Regularly in the Israeli press, words like fascism and racism are used to describe some of the policies under consideration by the government. Yaron Ezrahi is a left-leaning political scientist from Hebrew University.
P: I was born in Israel over 70 years ago. I don't remember a period where people would feel that speaking openly against the occupation, against racism directed to Israeli Arabs, is a dangerous thing. In Israel, it is a dangerous thing.
GARCIA: Gadi Wolfsfeld is also a professor of political science at Hebrew University. He says many here blame Netanyahu for not doing more to temper rhetoric that could provoke political violence among Israelis.
P: Once again, he has stood on the side as the flames of hatred are rising, and, you know, I think violence is inevitable at this point.
GARCIA: Wolfsfeld says Israelis are polarized, and they aren't sure anymore what Netanyahu stands for. His only real achievement, Wolsfeld says, has been his ability to keep his coalition government intact.
P: When all you do is technical moves - you know, give the Haredim this, give Labor that, give the - when all you are doing is trying to keep alive, in the end it may kill you because you have no vision. You're not - you don't have any momentum.
GARCIA: A recent poll shows that Netanyahu's popularity is at an all-time low. Only 34 percent think he's doing a good job. And so Netanyahu has found himself in the uncomfortable position in recent weeks of having to do damage control. Here he is speaking at a news conference given to the foreign press.
P: The assumption that Israel, that Israel is moving to a bad place, no compare - look, you have to ask where is the government going because we are committed, and I am committed, to Israel as a Jewish and democratic state with its democratic values.
GARCIA: A European Union report released this week recommended harsh measures against settlers and settlements in East Jerusalem. Netanyahu, again speaking at the foreign press news conference, insisted that he is a man who can make peace.
P: No coalition considerations will prevent me from pursuing a peace that I believe in. And I'll tell you something else: I think if I bring a peace agreement, which means that I believe in the agreement that I will sign, I think I will bring the support of the Israeli public. I don't think. I know that.
GARCIA: Lourdes Garcia-Navarro, NPR News, Jerusalem.