Articles

Ahead of tomorrow's expected first reading of the MK Suspension Bill on the Knesset floor, Israel Democracy Institute (IDI) scholars sent an updated policy statement to members of Knesset, calling on them to vote against the bill.

Yesterday, a team of Israeli leaders met with President Reuven Rivlin at his residence to form a new caucus focused on restoring the public's faith in Israel's Parliament. The caucus, led by MK Elazar Stern, will work together with the Israel Democracy Institute to improve the Knesset's image.

"The Knesset is one of the most important institutions in our democracy. Improving its ability to function and its image in the eyes of the public is of extreme national importance," said IDI President Yohanan Plesner.

On March 20, the Ministerial Committee on Legislation will discuss legislation calling to lower the voting age in Israel from 18 to 17. Dr. Ofer Kenig, a researcher in IDI's Political Reform project, explains the the implications.

Ahead Sunday's vote in the Ministerial Committee on Legislation on whether or not the death penalty should be used against terrorists, two IDI scholars are calling on ministers to oppose the legislation.

Following today's advancement of the Mikveh Bill by the Knesset Plenum, IDI President Yohanan Plesner said, "The Mikveh Bill is not worthy of being included in the laws of Israel."

Yair Sheleg says head of Israel's rabbinical court should not take public stances on controversial non-religious issues.

Ahead of today's meeting of the Ministerial Committee on Legislation, the Israel Democracy Institute (IDI) called for supporting a bill that will shorten the length of time allotted to form a governmnet after an election. 

Dr. Shuki Friedman, head of the IDI Center for Nation, Religion and State, said the bill's declared purpose is to attack the decision by the Supreme Court. Moreover, this bill would give the Chief Rabbinate unbridled authority over the mikvehs.

The proposed legislation was presented by Knesset Finance Committee head Moshe Gafni (United Torah Judaism) and would require that mikvehs be run only in accordance with the directives of the ultra-Orthodox Chief Rabbinate. 

IDI's Yohanan Plesner: "We need to look at this from a long-term perspective."

Peace Index: Israelis weigh in on which candidate is better for the Jewish State; Survey examines perceptions of Jerusalem as a divided city.

Policy statement: 'The current law already completely provides a way to deal with these kinds of issues, and there is no reason to change it.'

"The MK Suspension bill is an embarrassment to the Knesset."

IDI to Minister of Education Naftali Bennett: "Form a committee for appointing members of the Council of Higher Education, have the process overseen by the Attorney General and better coordinate with representatives from a variety of fields."

Former MKs say bill is unecessary.

International Advisory Council members from Baltimore, New York, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Toronto, England and Berlin discuss crisis of governance in the democratic world with Israeli government and economic leaders.

IDI researchers come out against MK suspension bill.

IDI event took place at the King David Hotel and included a keynote address by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The PM awarded IAC Chairman and former U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz with an award of appreciation for his service to Israel.

"We are witnessing a flood of initiatives that intend to bring about the politicization of and harm to the independence of the public sector." 

The majority of Israeli Jews (52.8%) say Israel applies the law equally toward Jews and Palestinians living in the West Bank, contrary to a statement made last month by U.S. Ambassador Dan Shapiro. However, 50.1% of respondents thought Israel would be justified in unequal application of the law toward Jews and Palestinians in the territories.

IDI Vice President Yedidia Stern responds to government's January 31, 2016 decision to allow egalitarian prayer at some parts of the Western Wall.

At roundtable event, government officials and researchers say time to move dialogue from quantity of Haredim in the workforce to the quality of their jobs.

The law is not similar to the American law. It discriminates and is likely to lead to lawsuits against Israel in the international criminal court.

Reform was written based on extensive research done by IDI.

Ahead of Sunday's vote on an 'Arab exclusion' bill by Yisrael Beiteinu Minister of Knesset Oded Forer, IDI's Prof. Mordechai Kremnitzer and Dr. Amir Fuchs sent a policy statement to the committee against the bill.

The Israel Democracy Institute's Dr. Shuki Friedman took part in a "Nation, Religion and State" coalition meeting  under the oversight of Knesset Members (MKs) Aliza Lavie and Elazar Stern (Yesh Atid). The topic: Finding alternatives to marrying through the Israeli Rabbinate.

The index, polled between Dec. 29 and 30, 2015 – before the Jan. 1 Tel Aviv terror attack and before the indictments against the Jewish suspects were handed down – focuses on the Israeli public’s positions on aspects of the efforts to prevent terror attacks and on issues in the background of these incidents, such as the current level of support for the two-states-for-two-peoples solution, the relative bond to the land among Jews and Palestinians, and the balance between Israel’s Jewish and democratic components.  

Policy statement: "The current law from 1959 does not jibe in the current media and political reality of the 21st century and causes discrimination between different forms of media and political forces."