1. Israel at 60 – Challenges on the Road to Tranquility
9/20/2018
Israel at 60 – Challenges on the Road to Tranquility
Raphael Cohen-Almagor
The following is the presentation given by Raphael Cohen-Almagor in connection with his participation in the meeting entitled “Israel at 60 – Challenges on the Road to Tranquility,” which was held at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars on March 19, The opinions expressed here are those of the speaker and in no way represent the views or opinions of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.
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Preliminaries
Israel is still in process of development and undoubtedly it will face further tests.
Never a dull moment.
Missing component: Tranquility.
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3. The main challenges Relations with Neighbours
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The main challenges
Relations with Neighbours
Integration of the Israeli-Palestinians
State and Religion
Economy under Stress.
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4. Neighbours Authoritarian regimes surround it.
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Neighbours
Authoritarian regimes surround it.
The key factor for success is its relationships with our neighbours.
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Preliminaries
Israel survived seven wars, Iraqi Scud attack, and two Palestinian uprisings in 60 years of independence.
It is hard to maintain normality under such a hostile environment.
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Preliminaries
Security expenses exhausts a third of our budget, leaving insufficient resources for the development of other spheres.
The constant security threat destroys the tourism industry and preempts external investments essential for economic growth.
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7. Arguments I argue for ending the occupation
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Arguments
I argue for ending the occupation
I argue for strengthening democratic values
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Arguments
I argue 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 fulfill.
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9. Arguments I argue for separation between state and religion 9/20/2018
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10. Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
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Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
Between the Jordan River and the sea there are now about 7 million Israelis (among them 1.3 million Arabs/Palestinians) and 4 million Palestinians.
The annual growth rate of the Palestinians is among the highest in the world. There is a need for separation in order not to reach the point of an apartheid state.
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11. Occupied Territories Ending the occupation
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Occupied Territories
Ending the occupation
Historian Lord Acton ( ) said: "Liberty is not a means to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end... liberty is the only object which benefits all alike, and provokes no sincere opposition."
In 2000 I started my international campaign for “Gaza first”.
This idea was largely adopted by Prime Minister Sharon.
Sharon did not think we will get in return the Hamas and Qassams.
Still, we should have tried it.
Now we will be much more careful in carrying out unilateral steps.
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12. Occupied Territories Securing our borders
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Occupied Territories
Securing our borders
Building trust and good-faith
Upon having a partner and reaching agreement, withdrawing settlements and the IDF
Hopefully two (not three) state solution
1967 Borders
The Fence
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13. The Fence For bridges, not fences
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The Fence
For bridges, not fences
Turning point – Passover, March 2002, Netanya Hotel Park
Divorce
death toll has dropped by over 70 percent, and number of injured has dropped by more than 80 percent
The route should be fair
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The Fence
The Fence should have been built along the 1967 Green Line, with some accommodations necessary to include large cluster settlements in the Jerusalem area and Ariel, and compensating the Palestinians in other areas.
The idea of using the Fence to create geographic-political facts that in effect make greater Israel and smaller Palestine is unfair, discriminatory, unwise and unjust.
The Fence should be moved, and it will. The questions revolve only about time, money and blood involved.
In the Bible, there is one word for both money and blood: "Damim". Israeli politics eloquently and forcefully explains why.
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15. Occupied Territories Evacuate isolated settlements
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Occupied Territories
Evacuate isolated settlements
Consolidate economic conditions for Palestinians
Bolster security on both sides
Stop enlarging existing settlements
Dismantle checkpoints to make the lives of Palestinian civilians easier.
Develop the nautilus against rockets and other anti-rocket mechanisms
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Occupied Territories
Clean the atmosphere: fight bigotry, racism, incitement and hate on both sides of the fence.
This includes a close study of the Palestinian and Israeli education curricula
Utilize the media to promote peaceful messages of reconciliation and mutual recognition.
Demand the Palestinians to fight down terrorism. Zero tolerance in this sphere.
The Right of Return
The refugee problem – international economic effort
Jerusalem
Mount Temple – International Zone
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17. 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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18. Schisms In addition, Israel suffers from internal schisms:
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Schisms
In addition, Israel suffers from internal schisms:
between Israeli-Palestinians and Israeli-Jews inside the Green (1967) Line;
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19. Schisms between orthodox Jews and secular Jews;
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Schisms
between orthodox Jews and secular Jews;
between the ideological right and the ideological left – Peace v. Land, now transformed to Security and Demography v. Land
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20. 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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21. 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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22. Israeli-Palestinians
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Israeli-Palestinians
Formal v. Full Citizenship
Discrimination
Racism
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23. 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.
Arabic should be taught at every primary and high school together with English.
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24. Israeli-Palestinians
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Israeli-Palestinians
Studies of all cultures and religions that exist in Israel should be made available.
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25. Israeli-Palestinians
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Israeli-Palestinians
Delegates of the Arab minority should be represented, in accordance with their size in society, in the Knesset and in the government.
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26. Israeli-Palestinians
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Israeli-Palestinians
Guaranteeing representation for a minority
Devolving power to local levels in just ways by just means
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27. Israeli-Palestinians
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Israeli-Palestinians
At the same time, Israel would like to see from all its citizens, without exception, a real and strong commitment to the state, to peace, and to the struggle against terror.
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Army/National Duty
Citizens who have a problem in serving in the army for religious, moral or national reasons should commit themselves to do national service for the required period of time (presently three years for men; two years for women) in their own communities, working to better the conditions of their own group.
Army service – pretext for discrimination
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Questions
Can a liberal democracy allow minority groups to restrict the individual rights of society at large?
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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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Religion and State
If an illiberal minority is seeking to oppress other groups, then most liberals would agree that intervention is justified in the name of self-defence and liberty
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Religion and State
The secular majority in Israel has every right to object to attempts which aim at narrowing its freedom of conscience and to broaden the authority of religious orthodoxy.
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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.
Israel today gives precedence to Judaism over liberalism.
I submit that on issues such as this one, the reverse should be the case.
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Religion and State
Israel, being the only Jewish state in the world, should strive to retain its Jewish character.
The symbols should remain Jewish with some accommodations in order to make the state a home for its Palestinian citizens as well.
Shabbat should remain the official day of rest.
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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
while Shabbat should be observed, malls and shopping places outside the cities should be available for the many people who work during the week and do their shopping during weekends.
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Religion and State
Public transportation should be made available for all people who cannot afford having a car and for those who do not drive.
The state should cater for the needs of as many citizens as possible.
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Religion and State
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Religion and State
Kosher shops and restaurants should be available and with them non-Kosher shops and restaurants for the secular, agnostic population.
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Religion and State
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Religion and State
Most importantly, the significant events in one's life: birth, wedding, divorce and death should be handled in accordance of the people's own choices.
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Religion and State
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Religion and State
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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Religion and State
Along Hevra Kadisha secular burial services should be offered.
Today people need not travel outside the country to marry in civil marriage.
10% of the population are gay/lesbian. The liberal state should address their needs as well and allow them to marry as they see fit.
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Duties
Large sectors, mainly the ultra-orthodox, do not pay taxes, do not serve in the army, do not work;
yet, they receive state support allowing them to study torah.
Resources should be distributed equally to all sectors.
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Duties
Every citizen is expected to pay in accordance with his/her abilities.
Israel should sponsor religious studies to the same extent that it supports university and other forms of high education.
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47. Economy Unemployment continues to be significant
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Economy
Unemployment continues to be significant
Salaries going down in real terms (35% of lecturers salaries from 1997 till now).
Welfare benefits are cut.
Taxes are high and continue to rise.
Israel has the highest tax rate in the world, outside Scandinavia.
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Economy
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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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. Education Our greatest asset is education
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Education
Our greatest asset is education
But it is not in the government’s priorities
20% cut in universities’ budget since 2001
In 2008, a 90-day universities strike, longest in our history
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51. Economy Israel’s economy is still dependent at large on the USA.
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Economy
Israel’s economy is still dependent at large on the USA.
We should strive to gain independence and autonomy.
Stop the brain drain.
Decrease the increasing gap between the small rich cream and the large poor sector.
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52. In Conclusion Security remains the main preoccupation
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In Conclusion
Security remains the main preoccupation
Strive for co-existence with neighbours
Mitigate schisms
Narrowing the gap between rich and poor
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53. 9/20/2018
Thank you
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