Articles

IDI experts outline the initiatives and measures undertaken by the government that, taken together, constitute a concentrated effort undermine Israel's democratic institutions. At the core of these efforts is a dramatic attempt to weaken the status of the Attorney General; increased politicization of the police; continued undermining of the independence of the judiciary and more.

The State Inquiry Commission on Naval Vessels was tasked with examining the decision-making processes at both the professional and political levels between 2009-2016 in relation to the acquisition of naval vessels during those years. 

"Basically we've entered into a new unknown terrain," says IDI President Yohanan Plesner.

"It's a matter of a change in the trajectory," says Yohanan Plesner, president of IDI following the Israeli Supreme Court ruling on the issue of ultra-Orthodox conscription.

The Supreme Court ruling on June 25th addresses the question of whether the government is operating in accordance with the law. It determined that the state must act in accordance with the law and act to draft ultra-Orthodox. It also connects between the issue of exemptions and the criteria for eligibility for yeshiva budget funds.

The aim of this review is to present the views of the Jewish public in Israel regarding the institution of the Chief Rabbinate, based on the findings of an opinion survey that was conducted in May 2024.

Dr. Ariel Finkelstein warns that the proposed new "Rabbis Law" would weaken the standing of local communities, could lead to cronyism, reduce women's representation and more. 

Yohanan Plesner, President of IDI lays out the basic principles for a fair draft law.

Israeli Supreme Court Hearing on what is known as the "Ben Gvir Amendment" to the Israel Police Ordinance.

What are the economic impacts of the Haredi blanket exemption and how would drafting the ultra-Orthodox benefit Israeli society and economy?

The roots of the crisis between Israel and the United States are supposedly in Rafah. But the key to resurrecting the relationship lies far from Gaza, between Moscow and Beijing.

Ahead of the Shavuot holiday, the Israel Democracy Institute is releasing a series of source materials for study during the "tikkun leil Shavuot" (the traditional Shavuot eve study session).

While the Israeli public has been focusing on the war and on the hostages in Gaza, the government—led by the minister of justice—has been preparing an assault on the independence of the judicial system.

Across the issues of US-relations, the war in Gaza, evacuees from the south and the north, fighting Hezbollah, and public diplomacy efforts abroad—both Jewish and Arab Israelis give the government low grades.

A survey of various demographic statistics on Jerusalem, the capital of Israel. Which neighborhoods are more densely populated? Which ones are aging and which have a large majority under the age of 20? 

The discussion in the Supreme Court yesterday was not about whether a law exempting yeshiva students harms the principle of equality. It was about a much more basic question: is the State of Israel acting in accordance with the principle of the rule of law—that is, can yeshiva students be exempted from enlisting in the IDF, when there is no law allowing for this.

Israel's Supreme Court convened to hear arguments on the issue of drafting ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students who no longer are exempt from military service, and the legality of providing funding for yeshivas that enroll them as long as no new law has been legislated on this issue.

Article 18 to the ICC Statute requires the Prosecutor to notify the relevant States regarding a decision to open an investigation, providing those States the opportunity to request deferral of the investigation, because of the existence of a domestic investigation. The Prosecutor’s approach of not issuing new notifications new charges emerged weakens the ability of the Pre-Trial Chamber to monitor the implementation of the complementarity principle.

The heroic stories of battle alongside the volunteer spirit that swept the entire nation have shaken the dichotomies nurtured by the Haredi society for years.

The model that has supported the IDF and Israeli society since the state's founding and has been eroded over the years received renewed reinforcement in the current war. The avoidance of participation by Haredim places it at renewed risk.

The issuance of additional interim orders in the genocide proceedings underway at the ICJ limits Israel’s operational wiggle room in Rafah, but leaves it with some flexibility in the interpretation and implementation of the new orders.

A special collaboration with Makor Rishon includes updated data on conscription, information on shifting trends in Haredi public opinion, articles and columns by researchers at IDI.

The Brussels Effect and the Washington Effect represent two paradigms in the realm of AI governance, each with its own strengths and challenges. However, the tension between "accelerationists" and "regulationists" demands alternative proposals. One of them is introduced in this report as the "Mumbai and Tel Aviv Effect."

A serious public and governmental discussion is needed regarding the privatization of internal security governance that we are currently witnessing, and its implications. This privatization threatens us all.

Religious Zionism (the sector, not the political party that appropriated the name) is one of the most influential population groups in Israel. In the following essay, I wish to draw attention to a worrying process afflicting religious Zionism, the roots of which can be traced back to its early days and has dramatically worsened in recent years.

The International Court of Justice in The Hague (ICJ) issued new temporary orders against Israel this week. Justice Barak’s dissenting opinion would seem to offer an important lesson for the future. Professional, focused, and well-founded legal criticism—as opposed to the very different means that are currently being widely discussed and pursued—is likely the best way to deal with the ICJ.

Women in senior government positions are leaving their roles, the number of victims of domestic violence is rising, and the prevailing spirit from the government does not bode well. Now more than ever, there must be a call for immediate and fundamental change in placing women's rights at the top of the national agenda.

The government and the coalition have been given a second chance – which has come at a heavy price of blood and suffering – to turn this crisis into an opportunity and set the foundations for a new social covenant among Israelis.

In this article, we wish to identify and discuss here some potential problems we identify in the part of the request pertaining to Netanyahu and Gallant, at least as it was presented in the Prosecutor’s short announcement and by the expert report supporting it. 

A special report on consumption patterns and trust in the media and social media.