Articles

Last week, the Justice Minister proposed a bill aimed at separating the duties of the Attorney General from those of the Public Prosecutor. Prof. Mordechai Kremnitzer writes that Friedman's several attempts to introduce changes to the judicial system should be seen for what they are: a part of his larger agenda of weakening the judicial system.

Prof. Mordechai Kremnitzer and Roy Konfino respond to a bill that in practice exempts the State of Israel from compensating Palestinians who live in the occupied territories for any damages the State may have caused them as part of the war on terror.

The rising use of sensational photographs as framing tools in newspapers is highly controversial. In this article from The Seventh Eye, 2008, Noam Yuran expands on this topic. Can we criticize print media for using the same methods as television? Or should we expect newspapers to offer an alternative to television?

How central is the security question among the general Israeli public, and to what extent is it central in party eyes? What are the estimated percentages of citizens in Israel who associate themselves with the right and left camps? This article explores these questions and associates Israel's right and left political camps with their perceptions of security-related issues. 

This article presents an interview conducted with IDI researcher Yair Sheleg on the occasion of the publication of his IDI policy paper on the political and social ramifications of evacuating settlements in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza, which used the Disengagement of 2005 as a case study.

Barak Cohen discusses how Israel's lack of a constitution manifests itself today as unanswered fundamental questions of seemingly irreconcilable identities. The steps of progress and maturity have to consist of compromises and rationality.

Since its establishment in 1948, Israel's demographics have shifted greatly due to large immigrant waves (aliyot). This article examines several models of cultural absorption, analyzes the success of Israeli absorption efforts in the past, and proposes possible improvements for the future.

Has Israeli society always been characterized by a sense of closeness with the state? During which periods did the wish to remain in Israel waver, and when were almost all Israelis certain of their desire to stay?

IDI researcher Karin Tamar Shafferman calls for a reexamination of the relationship between Arabs and Jews in the State of Israel and an exploration of the way Israel's Arabs define themselves, in order to determine whether the equality that Ben-Gurion spoke of upon founding the State has been achieved.

According to recent data, every second person emigrating from Israel is an immigrant from the Former Soviet Union. This article by IDI's Michael Philippov asserts that the failed integration of the Russian aliyah is not a natural, predictable process but a painful failure for Israel as a host society.

A response to Michael Philippov's "Why are the Russians Leaving Israel" written by Arnon Sofer.

In an article originally published in Hebrew in IDI's online journal Parliament, Naomi Himeyn Raisch surveys the unique characteristics of women's organizations and how they affect productivity in Israel.

IDI's Karin Tamar Schafferman discusses Israel's legislative history regarding gender equality. She applauds Israel's regulatory accomplishments but warns that gender inequality still exists in the public and private spheres. The article concludes with three conditions that must be met in order for Israel to achieve "full and fundamental equality." 

This article investigates participation trends in Western countries. It explores trends within the socioeconomic, religious, and educational status of women and relates them to voting outcomes. This article explores why there is no "women's voice" in Israeli politics, and why Israeli women diverge from women in other democratic countries.

IDI Vice President of Research Prof. Yedidia Stern discusses the innovative Sabbath Law proposed by IDI. This proposed legislation seeks to a unique Israeli character in the public sphere on Shabbat and Jewish holidays, in a way which does not force religion on the public. 

Findings on Israeli secularism from an in-depth study of religious behavior in Israel conducted by the Guttman Center and the Avichai Foundation, which show that a vast majority of secular Jews observe certain aspects of Jewish tradition.

While pending the possible decision to evacuate settlements in Judea and Samaria, IDI Research Fellow Yair Sheleg offers a new model of evacuation, based on the Algerian evacuation model, altered to fit Israeli reality.

Dr. Aryeh Carmon on emerging anti-political sentiments in Israel. He calls upon the Israeli public and media to show their sense of responsibility to politics by renewing their participation in its processes.

 Effi Michaeli, warns against the full privatization of prisons and argues that such a decision represents a breach of boundaries that can transform Israel into a corporate regime.

In this article, the former Director-General of Israel's Ministry of Public Security debunks the case against the proposed privatization of prisons in Israel. In his opinion, operating a prison under private management is an experiment that can actually improve prison conditions and support prisoners' rights.

In this article from The Seventh Eye, two journalists from  Globes explain discuss a new phenomenon: many journalists have abandoned reporting legwork and let their fingers do the walking, reproducing, sometime verbatim, anonymous content circulating on the web.

The once beloved Tel Aviv local newspaper Ha'ir was plagued with instability for many years. In this article published in The Seventh Eye on February 28, 2007, Hanoch Marmari, Former Editor in Chief of Ha'aretz, investigates the downfall of the old Ha'ir, "may it rest in peace." An administrative takeover of the newspaper, a face transplant, and the publication of over-produced content are a few of the newspaper's deep flaws that Marmari describes.

Journalists face pressure from the public and from their editors to produce as many dramatic headlines about future events as possible. This article by Tamar Guttman, a doctoral student in the Department of Anthropology and Sociology at Tel Aviv University, focuses on published predictions that often don't pan out. Originally published in The Seventh Eye on February 28, 2007, the article describes this phenomenon, its causes, and its effects.

In an article originally published in <em>The Forward</em>, IDI's Prof. Yedidia Z. Stern explores the responsibility of the Jewish and democratic state for Sudanese refugees and calls on Israeli religious scholars to formulate a halakhic response.

Despite last summer's war in Lebanon, Hamas's rise to leadership, Hizbullah rockets being aimed at Israeli cities, and international boycotts, Israeli economy is thriving, the national debt and unemployment have significantly dropped, and investors continue to look to Israel as fertile ground for investment.

Yair Sheleg investigates whether the separation of religion and state manifests itself differently in Israel than it does in other countries.

Is the institution of the presidency necessary? Who elects the president? Is the election an open vote or secret ballot? Dr. Ofer Kenig explores the situation in Israel and other parliamentary democracies.

Following is the response of the President, Senior Fellows, and Board of Directors of the Israel Democracy Institute to "The Future Vision of Palestinian Arabs in Israel" document published in December 2006 and to two additional documents published by the Israeli-Arab organizations Adalla and Mossawa at around the same time.

The regulation of marriage and divorce in Israel is perceived by many as the main obstacle in attaining a constitution for Israel. Can the Spousal Registry Law help solve the discrepancies that subsequently arise? Dr. Shahar Lifshitz, author of a new Policy Paper on the topic, gives us his personal view.

In an article originally published in the Forward, Prof. Momi Dahan argues that it is possible to fight and reduce poverty without increasing taxes.