The State Of Israel

As the Arab Spring rolled across the Middle East, protestors were also out on the streets in Israel.

But they weren't demonstrating about human rights or democracy - they were shouting slogans about poverty and the price of cottage cheese.

And all this at a time when Israel has one of the fastest-growing economies in the world - what's going on?

In this week's Assignment, former BBC Middle East correspondent Tim Franks returns to Israel to examine the dramatic social changes within the country.

The numbers of ultra-orthodox and settlers are rising rapidly - and the old European leftist elite is looking increasingly irrelevant.

Will the new Israeli power structure make the chance of peace in the region more or less likely - or will the country become increasingly concerned with its own internal struggles?

Join Tim Franks for Assignment as he unravels the complexities of the state of Israel.

(Image: An Israeli flag. Credit: Getty)