1. 6/11/2018
Israel
June 11, 2018

2. Israeli Population What is the size of the Israeli population?:
A. 3 million
B. 8 million
C. 13 million
D. 18 million
E. 23 million
June 11, 2018

3. Israeli Territory What is the size of the country?:
A. Similar to the size of Jordan
B. Similar to the size of Ireland
C. Similar to the size of Wales
D. Similar to the size of Egypt
E. Similar to the size of Belgium
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4. 6/11/2018
Preliminaries
Population: 8,462,000 (2016) Territory: 22,145 square kilometers (8,550 square miles) Size of Wales, or Massachusetts. (Levy Eshkol’s visit to Lyndon Johnson’s farm)
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5. 6/11/2018
Preliminaries
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6. 6/11/2018
Preliminaries
Year of Independence: 1948 Head of State: President Reuven Rivlin Head of Government: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Last elections: March 2015)
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7. Preliminaries Official Languages: Hebrew, Arabic English is popular
Religions: Jewish (75%); Muslim (17%); Christian (3%); Druze (1.7%); Baha'i, Circassians and Samaritans (0.3%); no religion (3%)
Currency: New Israeli shekel
Life Expectancy: 79
GDP per Capita: U.S. $19,500
Literacy Percent: 95
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8. 6/11/2018
Preliminaries
Israel was established as a Jewish democracy Based on Social/Liberal-Democratic values AND Jewish values
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9. 6/11/2018
Preliminaries
Israel is a young democracy. It is still in process of development and undoubtedly it will face further tests.
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10. 6/11/2018
Preliminaries
The key factor for its success is its relationships with its neighbours: Egypt; Gaza; Jordan; PA; Lebanon and Syria.
With Egypt, PA and Jordan, Israel signed peace agreements (1979, 1993 and 1994)
Peace with the PA broke down in September 2000
Security expenses exhausts a substantial part of Israel’s budget, leaving insufficient resources for the development of other spheres.
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11. 6/11/2018
Challenges: Security
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12. Challenges: Security Normality? Tranquillity? 1948 1956 Suez
1967 Six Day
1973 Yom Kippur
Lebanon
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13. Challenges: Security Normality? Tranquillity? 1987-1993 Intifada
Palestinian terror
2006 Hezbollah
December January 2009 Gaza
2012 – Gaza2
2014 – Gaza3
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14. Army/National Duty Army service – 3 years for men; 2 years for women
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Army/National Duty
Army service – 3 years for men; 2 years for women
Arabs are exempted; some volunteer
Druze and Bedouin serve
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15. 6/11/2018
Challenges
People are worried about their physical security as well as about their economic security.
About 70% of the population claims their expenses outweigh their earnings.
About 25% of the population are below the poverty line.
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16. Challenges The occupation Strengthening democratic values 6/11/2018
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17. Government
Parliamentary democracy with legislative, executive, and judicial branches.
The duties of the President are mostly ceremonial (somewhat similar to the Queen).
The Knesset is a 120-member parliament whose members are elected every four years.
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18. Government
The Government coalition must have the support of a majority of Knesset Members.
The government is headed by the prime minister and is collectively responsible to the Knesset.
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19. Elections Nationwide proportional representation.
The electoral threshold is set at 3.25%.
Since 14 May 1948 there were 33 governments.
Unstable coalitions that survive, on average, for about 2 years (although elections are said to be held every 4 years).
All suggestions for reform have failed till now.
Small parties enjoy unproportional power and influence.
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20. Parties Socialist (Left) Revisionist (Right)
Nationalistic (even more Right)
Centralist
Religious
Ethnic (Mizrachi; Russian)
Arab-Palestinian
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21. Parties 1948-1973 Mapai 1973 – Yom Kippur War + corruption;
Since 1977, most governments were led by the Likud.
Exceptions:
Likud-Labour coalition government (Shimon Peres )
Labour (Yitzhak Rabin; Shimon Peres)
Labour (Ehud Barak)
Kadima (Ehud Olmert)
June 11, 2018

22. Society’s Profile - Jews
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Society’s Profile - Jews
42% define themselves as secular;
25% as traditional;
13% as traditional-religious;
12% as religious (mainly Orthodox);
8% as Haredi (ultra-Orthodox).
June 11, 2018

23. Society’s Profile - Palestinians
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Society’s Profile - Palestinians
47% as religious;
27% as not very religious;
18% secular;
8% define themselves as very religious.
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24. Society’s Profile No shared raison d'être
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Society’s Profile
No shared raison d'être
20% wish to transform democracy into theocracy
20% do not endorse the Zionist ethos
20% of the population are immigrants from the former Soviet Union where no democracy existed
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25. Main Schisms Between Jews and Arabs
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Main Schisms
Between Jews and Arabs
Between secular and religious people
Between Israel and the Occupied Territories
Between socialism and capitalism
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26. The Declaration of Independence
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The Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence holds that Israel will foster the development of the country for the benefit of all its inhabitants; that it will be based on the foundations of liberty, justice and peace;
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27. The Declaration of Independence
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The Declaration of Independence
that it will uphold complete equality of social and political rights to all of its citizens irrespective of religion, race or sex, and
that it will guarantee freedom of religion, conscience, language, education and culture.
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28. State and Religion No separation between state and religion 6/11/2018
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29. 6/11/2018
Live and Let Live
We need to differentiate between the symbolic aspects and the modus operandi aspects. As far as the latter are concerned, separation between state and religion should be achieved.
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30. 6/11/2018
Religion and State
The secular majority in Israel objects to attempts which aim at narrowing its freedom of conscience and to broaden the authority of religious orthodoxy.
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31. 6/11/2018
Religion and State
Democracy is supposed to allow each and every individual the opportunity to follow her or his conception of the good without coercion.
Tension between Judaism and Liberalism.
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32. 6/11/2018
Religion and State
Israel, being the only Jewish state in the world, strives to retain its Jewish character.
The symbols are Jewish.
Shabbat is the official day of rest.
Arguably, accommodations are required in order to make the state a home for its Palestinian citizens as well.
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33. 6/11/2018
Religion and State
Palestinian villages and towns may make Friday their day of rest.
Hopefully, one day, when security considerations would become less dominant and pressing, and the Israeli economy could afford two days of rest, as is the case in many parts of the world, then Friday and Shabbat will become the two official days of rest.
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Religion and State
Most importantly, the significant events in one's life: birth, wedding, divorce and death are handled in accordance with their religion.
Coercion.
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36. 6/11/2018
Religion and State
Liberals argue that if they so desire, people may involve rabbinate and other religious institutions in their private lives.
But this option should be left to them. If people wish to have secular ceremonies then they should have the ability to conduct them and not to be forced to undergo practices which mean very little to them, if anything.
The state should have as little as possible say in family, intimate affairs.
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37. Israeli-Palestinians
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Israeli-Palestinians
Formal v. Full Citizenship
Discrimination
Racism
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38. Israeli-Palestinians
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Israeli-Palestinians
Need for accommodating the interests of the Israeli-Palestinians, striving to safeguard equal rights and liberties for all citizens notwithstanding nationality, religion, race or colour, and insisting that citizens have also duties to fulfil.
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39. Israeli-Palestinians
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Israeli-Palestinians
Arabic is one of the two official languages of the State of Israel. Therefore it should enjoy a dominant status and have the importance it deserves.
Should Arabic be taught at every primary and high school (together with English)?
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40. Israeli-Palestinians
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Israeli-Palestinians
Palestinians demand that delegates of the minority be represented in accordance with their size in society in the Knesset and in the government.
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41. Israeli-Palestinians
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Israeli-Palestinians
Guaranteeing representation for a minority
Devolving power to local levels in just ways by just means

42. Occupied Territories Demands for ending the occupation
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Occupied Territories
Demands for ending the occupation
Withdrawing settlements and the IDF
Two state solution
1967 Borders
The Fence
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43. Occupied Territories Ending terrorism and Qassam missiles
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Occupied Territories
Ending terrorism and Qassam missiles
The Right of Return
The refugee problem
Jerusalem
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44. Political Culture and Social Norms
Zionism
Holocaust
Hostile neighbourhood
State under Stress
Small state mentality
Insecurity
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45. Political Culture and Social Norms
Judaism as religion
Judaism as culture
National pride
Independence
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46. Political Culture and Social Norms
No Tzar
Speak Dugri
Frier
The American Dream
51 State of the United States
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47. Economy Shrinking socialism, growing capitalism
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Economy
Shrinking socialism, growing capitalism
The constant security threat destroys the tourism industry and preempts external investments essential for economic growth.
Unemployment continues to be significant (7%-9%).
Salaries going down in real terms.
Welfare benefits are cut.
About 25% of the population under the poverty line.
note: Israel's poverty line is $7.30 per person per day (2012)
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48. 6/11/2018
Economy
Taxes are high.
Israel has the highest tax rate in the world, outside Scandinavia.
The High-tech industry is one of the country's strengths.
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49. Economy No natural resources: no gold, no silver, no diamonds, no oil
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Economy
No natural resources: no gold, no silver, no diamonds, no oil
Lecture in South Africa
“All this mess for face cream?”
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50. Conclusion No shared raison d'être Significant schisms
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Conclusion
No shared raison d'être
Significant schisms
Not-so-friendly neighbours
Terror
Iran
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51. Conclusion Poverty – erosion of the Welfare State
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Conclusion
Poverty – erosion of the Welfare State
Problematic election system that brings about unstable Knesset and
Corruption
Culture in which generals are heavily involved in politics during and after service
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52. 6/11/2018
Conclusion
Racism
Erosion of democratic values: Some thirty percent of Israeli citizenry wish to transform democracy into "a government based on strong hand", limit free expression and freedom of the press so as to have "better control".
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53. 6/11/2018
Thank you
June 11, 2018