In January 2023, Israel's far-right 37th government introduced a judicial overhaul aimed at weakening judicial oversight and consolidating executive power. These moves sparked unprecedented nationwide protests, with around two million Israelis—one in five citizens—participating at least once.1 After the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attack, public attention shifted to trauma, mourning, and survival.2 As the conflict prolonged, many viewed it as politically motivated, morally injurious, and ineffective in securing the release of hostages.3 Protesters remobilized, demanding both a ceasefire and the return of the hostages. Demonstrators faced intensified repression, selective policing, and heightened governmental alienation, resulting in sustained but declining participation.1 The 12-day war with Iran in June 2025 further exacerbated protesters' emotional exhaustion and deepened their sense of disillusionment, as it ended without meaningful political achievements.
Examining the decline in participation, we propose the concept of resistance battle fatigue (REBF), adapted from Smith's Racial Battle Fatigue,4 to describe the psychological toll of prolonged civic resistance under repressive conditions. While civic engagement often supports mental health,5 REBF reflects a contrasting path marked by exhaustion, anxiety, moral depletion, and diminishing civic stamina that emerges when activists and citizens confront ongoing political threats and institutional betrayal. Importantly, REBF is not personal burnout, but a broader public health concern rooted in sociopolitical instability and perceived democratic impotence.
Recent research underscores these risks. A Lancet Regional Health - Europe study linked collective trauma and institutional betrayal to elevated PTSD and anxiety symptoms among civilians.2 Another recent empirical research underscores the psychological vulnerability of protest participants to “moral injury”, a profound distress resulting from perceived violations of ethical norms by the state or institutions.3 Studies also show that long-term exposure to repression leads activists to emotional attrition and withdrawal and that continuous protest participation increases the risk of depression and PTSD, particularly when social belonging is low.5 REBF thus belongs to a growing discourse on activism-related health stressors, yet it diverges from constructs such as burnout or vicarious trauma. REBF centers on the ongoing nature of protest, capturing both the pervasive sense of futility in the face of institutional power and the shared, public experience of moral depletion. Unlike personal burnout, which is typically individual and work-related, or PTSD, which results from traumatic events, REBF arises from prolonged sociopolitical adversity and is experienced collectively by communities engaged in sustained resistance.
Recognizing REBF as a valid psychosocial construct highlights the need for healthcare professionals to detect its manifestations and offer tailored support such as resilience training, psychological first aid, and ongoing care. Beyond clinical implications, REBF poses a public health challenge. Addressing it is essential for sustaining democratic participation and rebuilding social cohesion, particularly as trust in Israel's institutions deteriorates and 58% fear for democracy's survival.1 Yet, active participation in ongoing protests remains limited,1 indicative not of apathy but of psychosocial exhaustion and possible deterioration in public health. Hence, recognizing REBF as a legitimate psychosocial construct can help clinicians, policymakers, and civil society actors mitigate its toll and support the mental health of those who sustain democracy through resistance.
Contributors
Prof. Michal Mahat-Shamir contributed to the conceptualization of the manuscript, literature review, drafting of the original manuscript, and critical review and editing of the final text.
Dr. Ayelet Oreg contributed to the literature review, and critical review and editing.
Prof. Ester Zychlinski contributed to the literature review, drafting of the original manuscript, and critical review and editing.
Declaration of interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
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