Israel’s Government
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Israel’s Government Israel 101, Pages 16-17 Rationale and Goals • To explain how Israel’s parliamentary democracy works. While similar to the U.S. system, it also has differ- ences that make it resemble other democratic systems. • To demonstrate that Israel is a democracy that gives civil and human rights to all its citizens. To also demon- strate how Israel has adapted its system to the needs of different ethnic and religious communities, as in its personal status law system, for example, in which each religious community adjudicates and establishes law about personal issues—marriage, divorce and wills. (This system resembles the millet system in use under the Ottoman Empire.) • To demonstrate that people of all religions and non-Jewish ethnic groups, including Israeli Arabs living in Israel (more than one million people), are equal citizens under Israeli law. Discussion Questions • What are the similarities and differences between the Israeli and U.S. government systems? (Note to teachers: Both are democracies with full and equal civil and political rights for all, and both have separation of powers. But Israel has proportional representation with the whole country as one district, while the U.S. has direct representation based on elections in multiple districts. Israel has one house while the U.S. has both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Israel has a multi-party system while the U.S. has two main parties. In Israel, the executive branch is elected by the Knesset, while in the U.S., the president is elected by the people at large.) • How do the political rights of Israeli Arabs compare to the rights of Arabs living in the Palestinian Administra- tion (PA) and in Arab nations in the Middle East? (Note to teachers: Arab Israeli citizens, the largest minority in Israel, are represented in the Israeli parliament (Knesset) in many of the major political parties. In addition, they have their own political parties (such as the Arab Democratic Party). Also, Israeli Arabs are represented in government service, i.e., they serve in different ministries, such as the Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Education.) • In Israel, even the smallest political parties can get representation if they get 2 percent of the popular vote. In contrast, in the U.S., small political parties do not get representation in Congress. Which system do you think gives divergent views more representation? (You can conduct a discussion about political science by compar- ing the proportional representation system that Israel and many European countries have with the “winner takes all” system in the U.S. A brief description of the differences is available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Proportional_representation.) • Israel’s 1948 Declaration of Statehood laid out the main principles for Israel’s government. Based on the information on pages 32-35, how well has Israel lived up to these principles? (The Declaration is available at www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Peace%20Process/Guide%20to%20the%20Peace%20Process/Declaration%20of%20 Establishment%20of%20State%20of%20Israel.) • In the Israeli multi-party parliamentary system, the prime minister is the leader of the government. As in Britain, the Knesset can call for new elections at any time in a “vote of no confidence,” which will produce a new prime minister and new Knesset members. In contrast, in the American two-party system, once the president is voted into office, he or she governs for four years. What do you think are the pros and cons of these different systems? (Note to teachers: As a result of the above, Israeli governments can be voted out of existence at any time if the opposi- tion parties can collect enough votes. This practice has resulted in a “rough and tumble”culture of politics in Israel. For example, during the first 15 years of Israel’s existence – 1948 to 1963 – each government lasted for an average of about one-and-one-half years!)
Transcript of Israel’s Government
Israel’s Government
Israel 101, Pages 16-17Rationale and Goals• To explain how Israel’s parliamentary democracy works. While similar to the U.S. system, it also has differ- ences that make it resemble other democratic systems.• To demonstrate that Israel is a democracy that gives civil and human rights to all its citizens. To also demon- strate how Israel has adapted its system to the needs of different ethnic and religious communities, as in its personal status law system, for example, in which each religious community adjudicates and establishes law about personal issues—marriage, divorce and wills. (This system resembles the millet system in use under the Ottoman Empire.)• To demonstrate that people of all religions and non-Jewish ethnic groups, including Israeli Arabs living in Israel (more than one million people), are equal citizens under Israeli law.
Discussion Questions • What are the similarities and differences between the Israeli and U.S. government systems? (Note to teachers: Both are democracies with full and equal civil and political rights for all, and both have separation of powers. But Israel has proportional representation with the whole country as one district, while the U.S. has direct representation based on elections in multiple districts. Israel has one house while the U.S. has both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Israel has a multi-party system while the U.S. has two main parties. In Israel, the executive branch is elected by the Knesset, while in the U.S., the president is elected by the people at large.) • How do the political rights of Israeli Arabs compare to the rights of Arabs living in the Palestinian Administra- tion (PA) and in Arab nations in the Middle East? (Note to teachers: Arab Israeli citizens, the largest minority in Israel, are represented in the Israeli parliament (Knesset) in many of the major political parties. In addition, they have their own political parties (such as the Arab Democratic Party). Also, Israeli Arabs are represented in government service, i.e., they serve in different ministries, such as the Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Education.)• In Israel, even the smallest political parties can get representation if they get 2 percent of the popular vote. In contrast, in the U.S., small political parties do not get representation in Congress. Which system do you think gives divergent views more representation? (You can conduct a discussion about political science by compar- ing the proportional representation system that Israel and many European countries have with the “winner takes all” system in the U.S. A brief description of the differences is available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Proportional_representation.)• Israel’s 1948 Declaration of Statehood laid out the main principles for Israel’s government. Based on the information on pages 32-35, how well has Israel lived up to these principles? (The Declaration is available at www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Peace%20Process/Guide%20to%20the%20Peace%20Process/Declaration%20of%20 Establishment%20of%20State%20of%20Israel.)• In the Israeli multi-party parliamentary system, the prime minister is the leader of the government. As in Britain, the Knesset can call for new elections at any time in a “vote of no confidence,” which will produce a new prime minister and new Knesset members. In contrast, in the American two-party system, once the president is voted into office, he or she governs for four years. What do you think are the pros and cons of these different systems? (Note to teachers: As a result of the above, Israeli governments can be voted out of existence at any time if the opposi- tion parties can collect enough votes. This practice has resulted in a “rough and tumble”culture of politics in Israel. For example, during the first 15 years of Israel’s existence – 1948 to 1963 – each government lasted for an average of about one-and-one-half years!)
ActivitiesActivity 1
Israel’s Declaration of Statehood
Preparation:Estimated Time: 2 class periods • Materials: Israel 101 booklet, access to the Internet and/or other books
Background: On May 14, 1948, when the British Mandate ended, the Jewish People’s Council gathered at the Tel Aviv Museum and approved a proclamation declaring the establishment of the state of Israel. The new state was recognized that night by the U.S. and three days later by the U.S.S.R. The proclamation explains why and how the Jewish state was established in this particular area, the legal justifications for establishing it, and its principles of government. The new government did not know whether the U.S. and other countries would recog-nize it and give it international legitimacy. The proclamation was designed to define the new state as well as to persuade others countries to recognize it.
Activity: Introduction: Discuss this historical background of the establishment of the state with students, and use pages 8-11, 12, and 20 to set up the context.
Divide the class into groups of four students. In the first class period, have each group carefully read the Procla-mation of Statehood, do additional research if they wish, and develop arguments for persuading President Truman to recognize the new state. They should cover:
• History of the region and of the Jewish connection to the land.• Why a new country, a Jewish state, should be established.• The type of government the new state plans to create.• How the new country plans to deal with its minorities and its neighbors.• The freedoms the new state hopes to establish.
Students can use the Internet and/or the following sources:
• www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Peace%20Process/Guide%20to%20the%20Peace%20Process/Declaration%20of%20Establish ment%20of%20State%20of%20Israel
• www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Facts+About+Israel/History/HISTORY-+The+State+of+Israel.htm
• www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/History/dectoc.html
• www.trumanlibrary.org/whistlestop/study_collections/israel/large/israel.htm
• A.J. Balfour, “The Defense of the Mandate,” 1922 at www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1922balfour.html • Blech, Rabbi Benjamin. Complete Idiot’s Guide to Jewish History (second edition)• Sachar, Howard M. History of Israel• Silverman, Maida. The Founding of a Modern Nation
In the second period, each group should select a spokesperson to present the group’s arguments to the class. After the presentations, the class should vote on which group was the most persuasive and discuss why.
ActivitiesActivity 2
Comparing the civil and human rights of Israelis with the civil and human rights of citizens in other Arab and North African countries
Preparation: Estimated time: 1 class period • Materials: Israel 101, access to the Internet
Background: Israel is the only free, democratic society in the Middle East, a region still dominated by non-free political systems. What criteria would you use to define a free society? What freedoms do Israelis, including Israeli Arabs and non-Jews, enjoy? What freedoms do citizens of the surrounding Arab states have?
Introduction: Explain to students some of the criteria of a free society (freedom of assembly and expression, no censorship, free elections, protection of human and civil rights, including for religious, ethnic and racial minori-ties). Write the list of criteria on the board.
Students should download the following materials or view them on the Internet:• Comparative human rights booklet: www.standwithus.com/pdfs/flyers/HR_Booklet.pdf and human rights informational flyers at www.standwithus.com/flyers.asp?wc=13 • On religious tolerance: www.standwithus.com/pdfs/flyers/religiousintolerance.pdf • Students can also explore the Freedom House Web site, www.freedomhouse.org. • Freedom of the press at www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=251&year=2007. (They can view the map of free, partly free and not-free press, and compare Israel to the surrounding states.)• Summaries of religious freedom by country are available at www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2007/90080.htm.
Activity: • Divide students into groups of four. Have each group write a list of the criteria for a free society. They should then list the main Middle Eastern-North African countries and determine how each ranks on the list of free criteria by reviewing the materials in Israel 101 and in the sources recommended above.
• Have students report on their findings.
Discussion: Students should then discuss what rights and freedoms they would have if they were average citi-zens in the North African or Middle Eastern countries. What rights or freedoms would they have if they were average citizens, including Israeli Arab citizens, in Israel? What rights or freedoms would they have if they were average citizens in the U.S.? How do U.S. freedoms compare to those in Middle Eastern countries and in Israel?
Wrap-Up: We tend to take our free society for granted. Students should understand that not all societies have the freedoms Americans enjoy. Israel is the only country in the Middle East that upholds the freedoms like those of Western-style democracies and the U.S.
ActivitiesActivity 3
Israel’s Arab Minority
Preparation: Estimated time: 1 class period • Materials: Israel 101, access to the Internet
Background: Twenty percent of Israel’s population is made up of Arabs who are Druze, Bedouin, Christians, and Muslims. Israel is not a melting-pot society like the U.S., but rather a mosaic in which different minority groups try to preserve their own unique culture and traditions. Nonetheless, they all have full and equal civil and political rights. There are five Israeli Arab political parties, and Israeli Arabs hold prominent positions in the government and in all sectors of society. However, in part due to traditional cultural patterns, some Israeli Arab communities are disadvantaged and underrepresented compared to other Israelis. Israel has instituted affirma-tive action-style programs to help some of the more impoverished minorities, such as the Bedouin in the south of the country.
Activity: Have students research the different Arab minorities and their cultures in Israel and list some Israeli Arab celebrities.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry Web site has information about the Israeli Arab minorities and their cultures at www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Facts+About+Israel/People/SOCIETY-+Minority+Communities.htm and www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Society_&_Culture/Minority_communities.html.
Although there are not many English articles or biographies of the prominent Israeli Arabs listed on p. 40, some are available on the Internet. For example:• Reda Mansour, “Israel sets an example of freedom, tolerance,” Atlanta Journal Constitution, 2/5/07, at www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opinion/stories/2007/02/05/0205edisrael.html. (The writer, a Druze, is Israeli consul general for the U.S. Southeast.)
• Bedouin Ishmael Khalidi at www.ishmaelkhaldi.com
• Yousur Faisal, a 17-year-old Israeli Arab rap singer, at www.jpost.com/servletSatellite?cid=1173823734835&p agename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
• Israeli Arabs in the Judiciary: www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Politics/arabct.html
• Khaled Abu Toameh: Israeli Arab journalist at www.united4freedom.org/speakers.asp and www.jcpa.org/ brief/brief005-14.htm and spotlight.deeperlook.net/video_toameh.html
Have students report to the class what they learned about the different non-Jewish minority groups. Wrap-up: Israel has a large non-Jewish minority that has equal rights and helps make up the rich mosaic of Israeli life.
ActivitiesActivity 4
Comparing the Israeli and American systems of government: How do you run for office and form a government?
Preparation: Estimated Time: 2 class periods • Materials: Israel 101, access to the Internet
Background: This activity will help students better understand both the American and the Israeli governmental systems and the differences between proportional representation and winner-takes-all elections.
Activity: Introduction: Discuss the Israeli political system, as described in Israel 101.
Have students describe the main differences and similarities between the U.S. and Israeli systems.
• Similarities: free elections, separation of judicial, legislative and executive branches.
• Differences: Israel has many political parties, while the American government is a two-party system; Israel only has one house, not a Senate and House of Representatives; all of Israel is one district while the U.S. is divided into states and Congressional districts. In Israel, people vote for a political party, not for an individual to represent them. The U.S. has “winner takes all” elections, while in Israel, Knesset seats are allotted accord- ing to the percentage of the popular vote that each party receives. The party determines the list of candidates and the order they are on the list. For example, if your party puts you fifth on the list, and your party wins only four seats, you will not get a seat in the Knesset.
Part 1 Mock election campaign U.S. style: Divide the class into a Republican and a Democratic group. Have each group vote for a student to be their candidate for election in an American Congressional campaign. Have stu- dents choose four or five key issues that matter to them. They can be important in the school, in your district or state, or nationally (for example, legalizing marijuana, outlawing smoking, instituting a dress code at your school or raising taxes to provide universal health care). What does the candidate have to do to get elected? Compromise? Highlight his/her position on one issue that will attract voters from the other party?
Have the two candidates campaign, trying to keep his/her own party behind him/her and also win some votes from the other party so he/she can be elected. Then have students vote. The winner takes all, but the candidate is up for reelection in two years and has to keep his/her district satisfied.
Part 2 Mock election campaign Israeli style: Divide half the class into four parties. Then have the selected groups choose their party platforms based on the issues used in the U.S.-style campaign. The size of each party will be determined by how many students set the issue as their highest priority. (In Israel, some parties have posi- tions on a wide range of issues, while some of the smaller parties often focus on only one issue. In addition, there are Arab, religious, and secular parties.) Then have each party choose its list of candidates in descending order. What do the candidates have to do to get elected?
Have the candidates campaign for their party to the whole class, and then have all the students vote. Each stu- dent can vote only for the party that best represents his/her positions. There are 10 seats to fill, so 10 candi- dates will be elected.
To determine the winner, count the votes for each party. Then determine what percentage of the total vote each party got. If a party gets 2 percent of the vote, it is entitled to one seat, and its top candidate serves in the Knesset. If a party gets 40 percent of the vote, it will seat the top four candidates on its list.
Part 3 Forming a government, Israeli style: In front of the class, have the 10 elected representatives try to form a government and elect a prime minister. (In Israel, two major parties, Labor, Likud and now Kadima, have never gotten an absolute majority of seats, that is, 61 of the 120 Knesset seats, so coalitions have to be formed.) This exercise should demonstrate to students how coalitions are formed to create a governing party and how they can be unstable if there is not broad consensus.
Discussion: What are the main differences between the “winner takes all” and the proportional representation system? (Many European countries use a combination of the two.) Which system did you find best for express-ing your particular views on the issues? In which system do you think minority views would be more likely to be addressed? Which system makes for a smoother government?
Wrap-Up: Israel is a multiparty, pluralistic democracy that at times has had as many as 18 parties represented in the Knesset. This helps explain why some people have said that Israel has “too much democracy.”
ResourcesInternetThe Israeli government: how does it work?–www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Politics/how_govt_works.html
Overview of Israeli democracy –www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/talking/11_Democracy.html
Israeli government: executive branch–www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Politics/exec_branch.html
List of Israel’s prime ministers –www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Politics/prime_ministers.html
Israeli government: legislative branch (Knesset)–www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Politics/knesset.html
Israel does not have a constitution–www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Politics/Constitution.html
Israeli government: judicial branch–www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Politics/judiciary.html
Israeli government: the president–www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Politics/presidency.html
Elections in Israel–www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Politics/elections.html
Political parties in Israel–www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Politics/partytoc.html
Coalition politics–www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Politics/coalition.html
Israel ranks as most democratic country in Middle East (2005)–www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Politics/freedomindex2005.html
Freedom of expression and freedom of the press in Israel (2005)–www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Politics/freepress.html
Report on religious freedom in Israel (2000)–www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/anti-semitism/relisrael00.html
Israel is not a theocracy–www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Politics/theocracy.html
Minority communities in Israel–www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Society_&_Culture/minortoc.html
Israeli Arabs–www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Society_&_Culture/arabs2.html
Status of Israeli Arabs–www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Society_&_Culture/arabstat.html
Myths and Facts Online: Human rights in Israel and the territories–www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/myths/mf18.html
Myths and Facts Online: Human rights in Arab countries–www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/myths/mf16.html
VideoThe following video is available at no charge (except for shipping) from: www.israelupclose.org/stories.html.
Volume 13: The Menachem Begin Heritage CenterProvides information about Menachem Begin, Israel’s sixth prime minister. Also offers students, Israeli and Arab alike, an innovative way of learning about parliamentary democracy.
