When to Obey Law and Order Is a True Subversion: Žižek on Netanyahu, Mossad, and State Power
In this Substack essay, Slavoj Žižek responds to reports that Roman Gofman, proposed as head of Mossad, cited Žižek as intellectual grounding for acting beyond formal authority. Žižek uses the episode to argue that the deeper issue is not disobedience to law, but how state organs and settler movements can openly or covertly violate law in service of occupation and ethnic cleansing. He contrasts this with remarks from former Mossad chief Efraim Halevy, who called for a political approach that recognizes the need for Israelis and Palestinians to live together.
Žižek Reacts to the Mossad Appointment Claims
Žižek opens by noting reports that Roman Gofman, an IDF colonel proposed as head of Mossad, allegedly drew on Žižek’s writings to justify acting without formal authorization. Žižek says the reference could be read seriously, ironically, or as a joke, but he chooses to take it literally for the sake of argument.
Law, Settlers, and State Duplicity
The essay argues that Gofman’s logic reflects how the Israeli state and settlers break their own laws to oppress Palestinians. Žižek compares this to Daniella Weiss’s account of settlers doing for governments what they cannot openly do themselves, gradually creating facts on the ground until the state accepts them.
Secret Services and a Different Political Message
Žižek says Netanyahu wants Mossad and Shin Bet under his control because the security services sometimes express a different view. He cites former Mossad chief Efraim Halevy, who after October 7 called for a viable policy based on the reality that Israelis and Palestinians must live together and that the aspirations of both sides cannot be ignored.
Key takeaways
- Žižek uses the Gofman controversy to explore the relationship between law, state violence, and occupation.
- The essay frames settlers and state institutions as working together through public denial and private enforcement.
- Žižek contrasts hardline militarized logic with a more conciliatory view associated with Efraim Halevy.
- The piece presents the conflict as one in which the masks of law and order are falling away.
Source: Slavoj Žižek, “WHEN TO OBEY LAW AND ORDER IS A TRUE SUBVERSION,” Substack, published 2026-05-09. Read the original: https://slavoj.substack.com/p/when-to-obey-law-and-order-is-a-true Read the original post on Substack.