Articles

The problem with the Nation-State Basic Law is what it fails to mention - equality! Thus excluding Israel’s minorities who call the country home.

Following the announcement by MK Ghaida Rinawie Zoabi that she no longer views herself as a member of the governing coalition, Dr. Assaf Shapira, Director of the Political Reform Program at the Israel Democracy Institute, examined the three instances in which a minority government of 59 MKs served in Israel.

Israel is the only democracy whose constitution or basic laws omit all mention of the right to equality –leaving a gaping hole that must be filled.

The Knesset might be dissolved before the end of its term – a phenomenon not unique to Israel, but rather common to almost every parliamentary democracy providing a degree of flexibility.

The unlikely coalition that survived thanks to the one vote has lost the parliamentary majority. Does this mean that the Knesset will disperse and new elections will be held? Dr. Dana Blander explains the different ways in which the Knesset can be dissolved and discusses the relationship between these mechanisms and government stability in a parliamentary system. 

As Israel celebrates its 74th birthday - what must be done to bolster social solidarity? Education, education and education!

50% of Jewish Israelis support allowing Jews to pray on the Temple mount – 38% because it is proof of Israel’s sovereignty over the site and 12% because it is a religious commandment.

Dreams of free content and equality are often highjacked and tightly controlled by wealthy people with a hearty appetite for attention.

The Israeli discourse on Holocaust remembrance lacks depth and is too far removed from profound and complex study of the critical significance of its Jewish, as well as of its universal, lessons.

As Israel prepares to mark Holocaust Remembrance Day (Thursday), IDI’s Viterbi Family Center for Public Opinion and Policy Research examined how Jewish Israelis relate to this solemn day.

Ahead of the Knesset House Committee’s debate and vote to declare MK Amichai Chikli as a ‘defector’ - what is a parliamentary defector, how are they designated as such, and what are the repercussions? IDI experts Dr. Chen Friedberg, Dr. Assaf Shapira have all the answers.

Harsh measures often have unintended consequences – and, when it comes to collective punishment, they also have troubling moral implications

A special IDI survey finds that while Israelis are divided on whether hametz (leavened foods) should be forbidden on Passover from public institutions such as hospitals, over 96% of Jewish Israelis say they plan on holding a Seder this year.

Prof. Karnit Flug, Vice President of Research and William Davidson Senior Fellow for Economic Policy at the Israel Democracy Institute, as well as the former Governor of the Bank of Israel on Israel’s economy after two years of the global pandemic and political crisis in Israel in conversation with Talia Dekel from the Jerusalem Press Club.

IDI experts Prof. Gideon Rahat and Dr. Chen Friedberg explain what a Constructive No-Confidence Vote means for the stability of Israel’s government.

People today are largely judged on merits and not their lineage - except when technology preserves an inherited 'illegitimate' status in ways Jewish law never anticipated.

Memorandum of a Bill to Amend the Police Ordinance, which deals inter alia with the sensitive topic of the use of biometric facial recognition systems by the Israel Police, is abusive and disproportionate and reflects a lack of adequate preparatory work

In the wake of the latest political crisis - can a minority government prevent yet another election? 

In the wake of the announcement by MK Idit Silman (Yamina party) that she no longer supports the current government (as Yamina MK Amichai Chikli did shortly after the coalition was established), the coalition now includes only 60 Knesset members. What are the implications of her move? What developments can we expect to see in the government and the Knesset in the near future?

Rabbi Yonatan Reiss, of the Belz community, on their agreement to teach a core curriculum at the opening of the conference: “The change in mindset began when I went to the Ministry of Education and said that for us Haredi public schools are not an option. It is a question of independence. The Ministry of Education agreed and said, 'OK you will be exempt, you will reach the same milestones and we will move forward.'”

Despite the many challenges integrating the ultra-Orthodox into the workforce is essential for the well-being of Israeli society, the labor market, and the ultra-Orthodox community itself

The Israeli Voice Index for March 2022 focused on Israeli’s security in wake of recent terror attacks and found that the majority of both Jewish and Arab Israelis are pessimistic about Israel’s security situation in the foreseeable future.

The Israeli Voice Index for March 2022 focused on Israeli’s security in wake of recent terror attacks and found that the majority of both Jewish and Arab Israelis are pessimistic about Israel’s security situation in the foreseeable future.

This new study offers the perspective of Jewish Israelis who are not ultra-Orthodox—their attitudes on ultra-Orthodox integration in the labor market and their experience with employing the ultra-Orthodox or working alongside them on a daily basis.

The proposal to hold the public hearing of the Judicial Selection Committee is a reasonable arrangement and the fact it was agreed to by the President of Supreme Court, indicates that it is intended to increase public confidence in the selection process of justices.

The Israel Democracy Institute announced today the establishment of the Joan and Irwin Jacobs Center for Shared Society and the creation of a prestigious new Distinguished Fellowship for former policymakers. Former President Reuven Rivlin will serve as the inaugural Joan and Irwin Jacobs Distinguished Fellow at IDI.

A new study utilizes extensive data to offer a new understanding of the changes the labor market underwent during two years of Covid-19

The Israel Democracy Institute's Viterbi Family Center for Public Opinion and Policy Research published a special survey on the stances of Israelis on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and issues related to the conflict. The survey included both native-born Israelis and immigrants from the former Soviet Union – and found that 60% of Israelis back the government’s policy on the conflict and a large minority (44%) support absorbing refugees regardless of nationality

For now, no one in the next cadre of prominent Lithuanian rabbis stands out as likely to inherit the leadership mantle at a relatively young age.

The Annual Statistical Report on Arab Society was published today for the first time by the Israel Democracy Institute. The Report provides an overview of the changes that have taken place in Arab society in recent decades in a number of fields, including education, employment, and lifestyle.