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What Do Israelis Think About the Golan Heights?
Article

What Do Israelis Think About the Golan Heights?

Due to security concerns - the majority of Israelis, over the past four decades have consistently opposed the idea of returning the Golan Heights to Syrian control. The article presents a historical overview of Israeli public opinion

The Jewish Home Has Forgotten What It Means To Be Jewish
Op-ed

The Jewish Home Has Forgotten What It Means To Be Jewish

The merger between the Jewish Home party and Otzma LeYisrael marks the end of an era. Since the founding of the State of Israel, the prominent Religious-Zionist parties have played a central role – yet they have now joined forces with the dangerous fringes on the extreme right

Old Fashioned Election Propaganda
Op-ed

Old Fashioned Election Propaganda

When we struggle during election campaigns to enforce a rule against use of private data and building profiles of users in order to target them with personalized messages, we are essentially fighting for the rights of the community of older voters

Hacking Gantz’s Phone
Op-ed

Hacking Gantz’s Phone

If we want to preserve a healthy democratic process, and especially public trust that it is possible to hold fair elections in this country, democracy must stand up and protect itself

Take Great Care When You Limit Freedom of Expression
Op-ed

Take Great Care When You Limit Freedom of Expression

Instead of training rhetorical cannons on the court, which is doing its job in a chaotic situation, the legislature should delete Section 7A from the Basic Law. Let everyone run for the Knesset, and let those who violate criminal laws bear the consequences of their actions

Democracy in Danger: Foreign Intervention in Israel’s Elections via Cyber-Attacks
Article

Democracy in Danger: Foreign Intervention in Israel’s Elections via Cyber-Attacks

Eli Bahar and Ron Shamir examine the threats posed by foreign intervention (in its broadest sense) in Israel’s Knesset elections—by means of Cyber-attacks, whether at the state or sub-state level

Whatever Happened to the Likud's Liberal Values?
Op-ed

Whatever Happened to the Likud's Liberal Values?

Dr. Amir Fuchs looks at how far removed today’s Likud is from the Likud of yesteryear, both in terms of personalities and ideologies

How to Fix the Fatal Flaws in Israel’s Political System
Op-ed

How to Fix the Fatal Flaws in Israel’s Political System

Why doesn't the government take more initiative towards peace? Why is there no egalitarian prayer space at the Western Wall? How come the ultra-Orthodox don't serve in the military? The common denominator to all these issues is that they all stem from a structural flaw in our electoral system, which allows vocal minorities to hold the national interest hostage to their concerns and interests

Will Your Vote Count?
Article

Will Your Vote Count?

To what degree does the Israeli public have faith in the integrity of the elections, to what extent does it believe that the April 9th elections will accurately reflect its views and how does Israel measure against other democracies?

Bribery or Breach of Trust
Op-ed

Bribery or Breach of Trust

The essence of breach of trust is a conflict of interests in which decision-makers may find themselves when dealing with public matters. And we should pause to consider this conflict of interest, on the public level no less than on the criminal level

Behind Every Man Stands… Another Man
Op-ed

Behind Every Man Stands… Another Man

The major parties have been turning a blind eye to women politicians, and their campaigns are the worse for it

Alliance of Interests
Op-ed

Alliance of Interests

The alliances and fragmentation has far-reaching consequences for the work of the Knesset and the government

Netanyahu vs. the State of Israel?
Op-ed

Netanyahu vs. the State of Israel?

While the final decision about an indictment will not be made until after a hearing, with the publication of the draft indictment, the Prime Minister must decide whether he will launch a public campaign under the reverse heading: “Benjamin Netanyahu vs. the State of Israel"

Counting the Votes
Op-ed

Counting the Votes

Will Arab elected officials adopt a pragmatic and matter-of-fact approach and overcome the obstacles standing in the way of establishing political partnerships among them, in order to encourage Arab voters to go to the polls on Election Day?

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Article

Disintegration of the Joint List poses new challenge to future of Arab politics

The fifth in a series of articles and videos prepared by the Israel Democracy Institute in the run-up to April 9, explaining and critiquing what goes on during an election period

Exclusive Pre-Elections Survey
Pre-Elections Survey

Exclusive Pre-Elections Survey

Exclusive Pre-Elections survey by the Guttman Center at the Israel Democracy Institute finds that half of Israelis find it harder than in the past to decide whom to vote for; 25% base their choice on the party’s positions on socioeconomic issues and 18% on who heads the party; 27% do not trust the integrity of the Knesset elections

Don’t Vote for Parties that do not Operate Transparently
Article

Don’t Vote for Parties that do not Operate Transparently

These elections provide us with an opportunity to raise our voices on the need to regulate the parties’ conduct so that they operate transparently and are accountable to the public

UN Commission Report on Gaza – Response
Press Release

UN Commission Report on Gaza – Response

The report and its conclusions, regardless of whether or not they will be acceptable to the State of Israel, once again highlight the importance of the rule of law, and bring to the fore the need for in-depth investigations of events which might be construed as in violation of international law

Is Israel Approaching its Watergate Moment?
Article

Is Israel Approaching its Watergate Moment?

In an op-ed published in the Washington Post, Yohanan Plesner assures readers that, "Supporters of Israel's democracy at home and abroad should know that so far the checks and balances built into our young democracy are holding up in the face of serious pressures."

Response to A-G's Announcement to Indict PM Netanyahu Pending a Hearing
Press Release

Response to A-G's Announcement to Indict PM Netanyahu Pending a Hearing

Yohanan Plesner, President of the Israel Democracy Institute, and Prof. Yuval Shany, Vice President of Research "No democracy can tolerate public corruption or any exception to the principle of equality before the law."

Indictment Timeline
Podcast

Indictment Timeline

As the Israeli attorney-general is expected to announce his decision regarding the possible indictment of Prime Minister Netanyahu on corruption charges, Tipping Point hosts two leading experts for a discussion on the legal and political ramifications. Dr. Guy Lurie (Israel Democracy Institute) and Dr. Emmanuel Navon (Kohelet Policy Forum) try to make sense of what’s about to come

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Research Reel

5 Rules on How to Act Smart and Protect Yourself in the Digital Age

It is difficult to identify them - they are hidden, disguised, sophisticated and resonate to us what our immediate surroundings think. During the election campaign they are at their peak - bots, fake accounts, unnamed identifiers - all trying to influence public opinion. We bring to you 5 tips for managing smart online presence

What Would be the Fate of a Prime Minister Convicted in a Court of Law?
Article

What Would be the Fate of a Prime Minister Convicted in a Court of Law?

The fourth in a series of articles and videos prepared by the Israel Democracy Institute in the run-up to April 9, explaining and critiquing what goes on during an election period

A Call to Adopt a Government Code of Ethics
Op-ed

A Call to Adopt a Government Code of Ethics

Such a code will not only prevent corruption, but in addition will prevent serious damage to the government’s image and attacks on law enforcement

Political Parties Merge: Israel Reverts to Two-Blocs
Podcast

Political Parties Merge: Israel Reverts to Two-Blocs

Following the merger between Yesh Atid and the Israel Resilience Party, April’s elections will feature real competition between two major blocs. The next step in minimizing fragmentation in the Israeli political system is reforming the method by which a government is formed. The head of the largest party should automatically be appointed to form the next government.

Netanyahu – Why is There Such A Fierce Debate?
Op-ed

Netanyahu – Why is There Such A Fierce Debate?

Israel has had 12 prime ministers in its 70 years, but none provoked such fierce emotional debates as Netanyahu.

Prime Minister under Investigation – A Guide for the Perplexed
Article

Prime Minister under Investigation – A Guide for the Perplexed

The following guide represents the collective wisdom of the Israel Democracy Institute's scholars and explains the various possibilities and scenarios as Israel enters unchartered political and legal waters

 

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Article

How do Primaries Work and How Could they be Improved?

The third in a series of articles and videos prepared by the Israel Democracy Institute in the run-up to April 9, explaining and critiquing what goes on during an election period

It’s time to change how we select Knesset candidates
Op-ed

It’s time to change how we select Knesset candidates

Primaries often don't reflect the true will of actual party supporters -- voters should weigh in on Election Day

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Article

How Well are Women Actually Represented in Israel’s Government?

In February 1969, Golda Meir was appointed fourth prime minister of the State of Israel. Despite this achievement, the inclusion of women in Israel’s cabinets is far from impressive. Dr. Ofer Kenig explains that after 70 years of independence, the time has come for Israel’s governments to strive for true equality and reflect greater gender balance.