• To explain how Israel’s parliamentary democracy works. While similar to the U.S. system, it also has differences 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 demonstrate
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. |
1. 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.)
2. How do the political rights of Israeli Arabs compare to the rights of Arabs living in the Palestinian Administration (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.)
3. 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 comparing 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.)
4. 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.)
5. 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 opposition 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!) |
Activity 1
Activity 2
Activity 3
Activity 4
Complete PDF |
