“Democracy in Israel is very strong in the sense that society is involved in what is going on. This is one of the most important assurances for the continuance of democracy.”
IDI's Prof. Amichai Cohen,
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IDI is an independent, non-partisan think-and-do tank dedicated to strengthening the foundations of Israeli democracy.
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Israel Democracy Institute’s Tweets
“They start with some little piece in the composition, jurisdiction, and then they will simply add new elements. This is how it started in Poland... Once the court is gone, this is the end.” Prof. Tomasz Tadeusz Koncewicz. #nootherdemocracy
youtu.be/jr4MOwDck6A
“Simply halting this package that destroys democracy is not enough… we need a broad constitutional arrangement.
This is the reform [needed]. 70% of the public wants it… on the basis of the Declaration of Independence.”
"The perception that a democracy requires a majority of political appointments in the judiciary loses sight of the values that have to be cherished & the importance of judicial impartiality" , former Minister of Justice in Ireland
"The rule of law is what protects us against arbitrary power. The citizens in Israel understand that, and in Israel, it's not too late"
Prof. , Chair of Global Affairs, European University Institute
Watch IDI's emergency conference
bit.ly/40u0OQA
Acts of civil disobedience are covered by the ‘right to assembly’ as defined by the United Nations Human Rights Committee based on international law, as long as they are not violent in nature.
The Committee places the burden of justifying any limits placed on the right to… Show more
Almost a quarter of Israelis have participated in some form of protest in the last few months, according to IDI’s recent flash survey. This is the equivalent of over 70 million Americans.
18.5% of all Israelis have participated in overhaul protests at least once. This is the equivalent of over 61 million Americans. For the full report: bit.ly/42cb7dI
“This myth – once we appoint judges they will be independent – it’s a myth. It doesn’t work like that. The judges (in Poland) who are appointed by political power… see themselves as loyalists.” Prof. Tomasz Tadeusz Koncewicz, at IDI’s emergency conference. #nootherdemocracy
How is Israel's judicial appointment system different from the one in the US, and what does it all have to do with checks and balances?
Poland is the only country with no restrictions on the power of the ruling majority to appoint judges.
Read Prof. and Prof. Guy Lurie’s in-depth research on the appointment of Supreme Court justices in democracies around the world.
bit.ly/4355iir
“The prices keep rising. Why? Because five large monopolies own 40% of the food market in Israel. The problem of industry centralization is the result of many years and until it’s dealt with honestly and bravely, everything else is just talk.”
, Founding Partner and… Show more
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What does the Israeli Democracy Index tell us? Only a minority believes that an appropriate balance exists between Israel's democratic & Jewish components. Among state institutions, the IDF enjoys the highest levels of trust among Jewish Israelis.
bit.ly/3iGh8NG
Former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada : "I referred to the Israeli judicial selection committee, as a model that Canada should adopt"
“Democracy as majority rule. Democracy as limited government.
According to the first view, judicial independence is a hindrance to the will of the people. According to the second, it is the last defense of liberty” Dr. Jesse Ferris, VP of Strategy at IDI
bit.ly/3HsbZSp… Show more
Prof. Jacob Frenkel, former Governor of the Bank of Israel at IDI’s 30th Eli Hurvitz conference:
“Since the establishment of the country, we have not seen such a swift depreciation of value, and not due to external factors, but from within. Using majority rule as an excuse is a… Show more
The Standard of Reasonableness acts to prevent the arbitrary and capricious exercise of power by the Israeli government.
The court cannot revoke government decisions they do not agree with, but rather, only in cases where the balance between the various considerations is… Show more
Supporters of the overhaul argue that repealing the Standard of Reasonableness is a minor issue, but this is not true.
It is a big constitutional change and presents a real danger to Israeli democracy.
IDI's Prof. Suzie Navot explains what the Standard of Reasonableness is and… Show more
Eliminating the Standard of Unreasonableness from the Israeli judicial system may have far-reaching negative repercussions on the protection of human rights, preventing corruption, and promoting a rational and balanced decision-making process.
Tomorrow, the Knesset will hold its… Show more
Israel is in the grip of an unprecedented social and political crisis, yet this can also be an opportunity for a historic constitutional reform.
What would comprehensive constitutional reform look like?
bit.ly/428wLzl
“This plan for a constitutional overhaul is unpopular throughout the Israeli public. There isn’t even majority support for this plan among Likud voters.” As the government resumed unilateral legislation of the judicial overhaul this week, Israelis took to the streets in protest.… Show more
48% of respondents think people should be able to bring Hametz into hospitals during Passover and 44% oppose this.
The 'Hametz Law' was voted into law by the Knesset earlier this week.
IDI surveys show that less than a third of the Israeli public supports barring the Supreme Court from intervening in decisions by politicians or public officials when they are found to be “grossly unreasonable”.
For more survey analysis: bit.ly/3NJneIq
“In order to reduce the number of young (Arab) people who are not working or studying we must strive for their integration in higher education and the labor market,” says IDI’s Ahmad Badran.
The potential damage of their detachment was estimated at about 1 billion NIS per year.… Show more
Was there a constitutional revolution in Israel in the 90s or are we seeing one now?
For a complete explanation of how Israel moved closer to western democracies and why the planned judicial overhaul would overhaul the liberal democratic system:
youtu.be/rybcf-QWqBc
The editor of the stated that: “the new government’s agenda poses a direct threat to judicial independence and other democratic principles.”
How does Israel rank today in comparison with other liberal democracies?
IDI's Dr. Assaf Shapira: bit.ly/3lsgK6L
Israel's hi-tech industry accounts for 10% of Israeli employment and 25% of direct tax revenues.
Shlomo Dovrat, General Partner at Viola Ventures talks about the imminent threat of the judicial overhaul to the hi-tech sector.
youtu.be/n0ltqtSMM5c
Noa Jahshan Batshon, CEO of Co Compact speaking at the #EliHurvitz2023 conference:
“I am here because I think that the issue of Arab businesses must remain on the agenda. We will not let it fall behind.”
As of early July, the vast majority (69%) of respondents to IDI's flash survey say that the protests are impacting the progression of the judicial overhaul.
Is Canada’s ‘Notwithstanding Clause’ comparable to the ‘Override Clause’ proposed in Israel?
Former Canadian Supreme Court Justice Rosalie Abella expounds:
IDI’s Daphna Aviram Nitzan used the Ministry of Finance's risk scenarios to show the real impact of the judicial overhaul on Israeli households.
The results show that a majority of Israelis would finish the month with a negative balance.
Read the analysis here:… Show more
“If people cannot persuade others, write freely in the media, and investigate corruption, you cannot really claim that the majority has spoken, even when there are elections.”
IDI's Dr. Amir Fuchs oped:
bit.ly/408VK3R
“In Israel, only 6.5% are non-brand small businesses, compared to 35% in Europe. That’s the meaning of industry centralization. If you bring Israel from 6.5% to 35% you’ll reduce prices by 10%.” Uri Kilstein, CEO of Carrefour, speaking at IDI’s #EliHurvitz conference.
IDI’s April Israeli Voice Index shows a sharp climb in the percentage of Arab Israelis who fear violent crime. Concurrently, levels of concern among the Jewish public remain stable.
The complete survey: bit.ly/3O0ppZU
Noam Bardin, the former CEO of WAZE, explains the dependency of the Israeli economy on the hi-tech industry, which can be volatile and always seeks greener pastures in terms of brain-power and labor:
#EliHurvitz2023
"Any blow to the Israeli economy as the result of the adoption of hasty measures is liable to be costly and hard to repair."
Prof. Karnit Flug, IDI's VP, & Prof. Jacob Frenkel warn of the potential implications of a judicial overhaul on the economy .
bit.ly/3l0MmQw
As negotiations on possible judicial reforms continue at the President's Residence, the public is divided in its allocation of blame for the stalemate.
A majority of coalition voters blame the coalition and protest movements for the lack of agreement, while opposition voters… Show more
The Israeli public’s ability to hold MKs accountable to their promises and commitments is minimal. In professional jargon, Israeli politics suffer from a severe deficiency in responsiveness and accountability. IDI’s Assaf Shapira & ’s
bit.ly/44oqT5Z
“We (Israeli society) need to look ourselves in the mirror, and every time we, as decision-makers make a decision, we need to ask ourselves, does this decision serve all of Israel’s citizens or only parts of them? Are we mobilizing all of Israeli society to lead them forward? Who… Show more
Since 2015, there is a downward trend in marriages among the Jewish public. Even so, the number of divorced couples has increased by 14% over the past decade among Jewish couples, and 44% among Muslims.
IDI's Biennial Religion & State report: bit.ly/3Lfnijb
"Let's look around the world. 87% of the countries have strong judicial review mechanisms. Some have a weak form of review, such as the UK or the Netherlands. However, all these countries have other mechanisms to protect basic rights."
With less than 90 days until the election in the upcoming weeks the parties will finalize their slate of candidates, begin airing their TV ads and voting will be held at Israel’s diplomatic missions around the world. Milestones on the way to Election Day.
bit.ly/3QdqwTW
“We’ve lost the trust of investors and are creating negative incentives for the ultra-Orthodox, so what other consequences could there be?” MK , Chair of Yisrael Beitenu Party speaking at the #EliHurvitz2023 conference.
Israeli leaders should consider whether asking the Attorney General to authorize the circumvention of the already limited Security Cabinet is the right course of action when sending the IDF into battle.
IDI’s Dr. Eran Shamir-Borer discusses the decision process behind the recent… Show more
Six months since the government was formed, only 9% of Israelis feel it’s addressed the housing crisis well. 10% feel that it’s doing a good job dealing with the high cost of living.
Data from IDI’s recent Israeli Voice Index: bit.ly/3Xwv90t
“In Israel, public confidence in the judiciary is twice as high as public trust in politicians so I’m not sure how moving towards a more politicized system will enhance trust in the judiciary system.” , "No Other Democracy"
“The noble spirit is moral, and the noble spirit appeals to democracy, and the noble spirit is half of what it is to have Israel, and to have Israel is something that means something, I think, to every Jew”
Former Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer
IDI’s Prof. presented research that shows the economic implications of the judicial overhaul: “Even the most cautious of predictions shows dramatic negative impacts on the economy.”
#EliHurvitz2023
According to IDI’s annual Statistical Report on ultra-Orthodox Society as of 2022, only 3.5% of Haredi schools are public schools with government oversight, while a majority (74%) are private institutions recognized by the government. 22.5% are exempt from the compulsory… Show more
IDI President : "We can change the policy but we cannot change the rules of the game without a broad consensus.
Every day that goes by, we pay the price for this: fewer investments, fewer initiatives, and a weaker Shekel. The constitutional process must go hand in hand… Show more
Does the IDF need the Haredim and if so, why hasn’t the issue of Haredi recruitment been resolved to date?
Everything you need to know about the government bill for the exemption of the ultra-Orthodox from IDF service in one place: bit.ly/432fwQs
The explainer is by… Show more
ICYMI: , and discussed 'The Erosion of Public Trust and the Struggle for Liberal Democracy' at the Yaron Ezrahi Conference on Democracy.
"Policy and enacting to policy does not include the right to violate rights. The definition of rights is a restriction on power."
“In 1992 the Knesset enacted 2 Basic Laws which are actually Israel’s Bill of Rights. These are the basis for the Court’s authority to strike down laws” Dr. Amichai Cohen on the history of constitutional reform. For a more in depth survey: bit.ly/40bwlXK
On November 15th the world’s population crossed the 8 billion threshold. The global growth rate has diminished and is currently less than 1% annually, while in Israel the average growth rate is currently 1.6% and the population is projected to reach nearly 20 mil by 2065.
73% of workers who work from home and spread their hours throughout their day report high levels of satisfaction with their work-life balance. The number of remote workers has almost quadrupled since the pre-Covid era.
Read the complete survey findings: bit.ly/41EzT4n
Prof. Karnit Flug, IDI's VP of Research at the #EliHurvitz Conference: “It is reasonable to assume that passage of the judicial overhaul will lead to further institutional enfeeblement and a deepening of sectorial policies, of the sort we have seen in the coalition agreements and… Show more
“We share the same values… but the structure of our system is different, and therefore, you cannot compare,” says former Supreme Court President Dorit Beinisch, explaining the judge selection system and the judicial overhaul in Israel.
“We still have three important legal gatekeepers with us:
The Attorney General. She stands strong against everything that is happening. The Supreme Court is there. And we have the citizens of Israel which is something new and it makes all the difference.” IDI’s Prof. Suzie Navot
Menachem Begin, former Prime Minister of Israel & founding chair of the Likud party, was a staunch believer in an independent judiciary and viewed it as an important protector of human rights.
שאפו ענק לד"ר שנבחרה לפרוייקט 12 הדמויות המשפיעות בהייטק הישראלי של אתר . אינספור חוות דעת, מחקרים והצעות חוק שמיתרגמים לחיים עצמם. ובמילה, נגיד, הגנת פרטיות, איכוני השב"כ, חוקי הסייבר והפייסבוק. קראו, כאן- bit.ly/3Ke7ye1
Alan Feld, Co-Founder of Vintage Fund and Founder of "Power in Diversity Israel" at the Eli Hurvitz conference today:
"In all 29 years that I’ve been here, I’ve never been so worried about the future of Israeli hi-tech as I am now. Allegedly, the last few years have been… Show more
"We did not do so (draft a Constitution) because we knew we had a Supreme Court that would interpret all of our laws."
bit.ly/3DIgHJr
Former President Reuven Rivlin, IDI's Honorary Chair, and Joan and Irwin Jacobs Distinguished Fellow addressed thousands of protestors… Show more
How do we make sure Israel is both Jewish and democratic? What are the rules of the game that need to be in place? Prof. Suzie Navot explains the fundamentals. Watch:
Minister : "For the 1st time the 4 relevant ministries - Energy, Transport, Economy & Environmental Protection, are committing together to act now to reduce emissions & set ambitious targets to be submitted to the UN as part of Israel's international commitment."
From our statistical report on Ultra-Orthodox Society, published today: Despite high rates of unemployment, general lifestyle satisfaction among the Hareidi community is much higher than among other Jews in Israel.
bit.ly/3G9zlem
“20% of Jews say that they have participated in at least one protest. The situation in the Arab public is more different, they are not taking part.” Prof. Tamar Hermann
MK Benny Gantz (), Chair of the National Unity Party opened the second day of the Eli Hurvitz Conference: “I am a big believer in Israeli society, I believe that we are destined to live here as a united society even if it is not uniform.”
#EliHurvitz2023
"What’s at stake is a fundamental change in the checks and balances and the protection of minorities.
It will leave Israel without any proper mechanism to ensure the principle of separation of power."
IDI appoints Prof. Suzie Navot as Vice President of Research: "The values represented by IDI are the same that have guided my personal vision for Israel’s future, and I am honored to join such a reputable cohort of experts." Read the full statement bit.ly/3JG0pSu
Based on a series of calculations, IDI research found that estimated long-term damage per capita GDP varies significantly, from a decline of 9% in the most optimistic scenario to a drop of around 45%, in the most pessimistic. In terms of real-world impact, a 10% reduction… Show more
"I don’t recall a court that overtook a country and transformed it from a democracy to an autocracy. But I’ve seen many countries where other branches have overtaken the country and transformed it from a democracy to an autocracy."
"The coalition's ambition to abolish the reasonableness standard, now submitted to the Knesset as a stand-alone move, is actually part of their broader plan: aspiration for unlimited power.”
IDI’s Dr. analyses the proposal to abolish the Standard of… Show more
Former President of the Supreme Court, Justice Dorit Beinish: "We were established as a liberal democracy made up of three branches of government. You can’t copy judge selection from one legal system and the override clause from another. Each country has its own legal culture,
With COVID-19 numbers on the rise, spoke with on a podcast about the government's surveillance methods used to Israelis who've tested positive for the coronavirus. Listen: bit.ly/2DjiLfe #democracy #IDI #coronavirus
Minister of Transport & Road Safety "Concentrated urbanization will allow us to reduce the use of private vehicles. We must stop the unplanned population dispersal and plan housing, employment and public institutions which do not require hours of travel."
#EHC21
“Corruption has a small impact on voting. The first reason is a lack of information and the second is the relative importance of corruption compared with other political considerations.” at the Perspectives on Government Corruption Conference at IDI.
"Instead of scrapping the conscription law, all young Israelis 18 years and over can serve. Some will serve in the IDF, others in national service or community service. Both the ultra-Orthodox sector & the Arab sector can participate in this."
#SecurityandDemocracy
Join IDI & ’s for an in-depth conversation on Israel's Supreme Court & its meaning for democracy with former Chief Justice Dorit Beinisch, & Manal Totry-Jubran. Opening remarks by .
Registration & more info: bit.ly/356EpRS
Daphna Aviram-Nitzan, Director of the Center for Governance and the Economy at IDI presented research that shows the negative impact of the judicial overhaul on Israeli household incomes.
Read a summary of the research here:
bit.ly/3nHMbLp
#EliHurvitz2023
Join us tomorrow at IDI's Yaron Ezrahi Conference on Democracy: keynote lecture by Prof. Moshe Halbertal followed by a conversation between Pulitzer Prize winning journalists & with celebrated Israeli journalist
The American Haredi education model proves it is possible to combine secular and religious studies. How different is ultra-Orthodox education in the US and in Israel? The Sacred and the Secular by & bit.ly/3zIHqDv 🧵
Netanyahu, who was also the youngest Israeli prime minister when he first took office in 1996, will now be the most veteran OECD leader apart from Victor Orban in Hungary, and, at 73, the oldest leader after US President Joe Biden.
Poll: Four out of five Israeli Jews oppose a unilateral Israeli ceasefire.http://t.co/fI9XIoQcAB #IsraelUnderFire #OperationProtectiveEdge
Democracy doesn't come in disguise. You know it when you see it. Happy Purim to our friends around the world! #IsraElex19
The Haredi education system recently received a 3.5 billion NIS increase in its budget. Even so, the majority of ultra-Orthodox boys do not receive an education in core subjects (i.e. English, Math, Science, History). How can the graduates of this system integrate into the job… Show more
IDI's August 2020 Israeli Voice Index found that Jewish Israelis who participated in recent months in protest activities against the government’s policy and/or Prime Minister Netanyahu self-identified as: 46.5% as left 27.5% as center and 26% as right.
There will be fewer women than in the previous coalition which had the most women ministers to date in Israel. In real numbers, the new coalition has 5 female ministers, while the previous government included 9.
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58% of Israeli Jews think Israel should fight Hamas until it surrenders and not yield to any demands en.idi.org.il/about-idi/news
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Twitter analytics does not recognize my tweets and has not been counting them since mid-January. Is anyone else encountering the same problem?
“Look at the Declaration of Independence for Israel. If you look at what (Israel) was meant to address, namely, populism run amuck in Germany, which affected a minority – the Jewish people.
Now we are seeing a process… that has the power of taking away the power of meaningful… Show more
Eliminating the Standard of Reasonableness will “make it more difficult to conduct oversight over arbitrary decisions of elected officials” , president of IDI explains to reporter . “This is one chapter of a broader program of the government to weaken… Show more
Recent polls find: the next Knesset will include 5-6 senior generals–not a particularly large presence in the political arena compared to the 1980s when 4 former chiefs of staff served in the Knesset in addition to other former generals. By Prof Ofer Kenig bit.ly/3SRhwWY
Although Trump’s peace plan has not yet been revealed 74% of Israelis think that it will not gain traction. The monthly Peace Index of the Israel Democracy Institute and Tel Aviv University goo.gl/NRdzj1
We published our Statistical Report on Ultra-Orthodox Society today: Ultra-Orthodox population growth rate is the highest in Israel, at 4% a year. Their segment of the population is expected to reach 16% by 2030 and over 40% by 2060.
bit.ly/3G9zlem
"Israeli prices are 40% higher than in the Euro zone and 17% higher than in the United States, according to research co-authored by former Bank of Israel Governor Karnit Flug at the Israel Democracy Institute."
“Implementation of the judicial reforms could actually overrule the rights of a majority of Israelis including those who identify as secular, traditional, liberal, and modern Orthodox” IDI's Shlomit Ravitsky Tur-Paz.
The Law of Return allows anyone with at least one Jewish grandparent the right to immigrate to Israel.
Is this about to change under Israel’s new government?
Register for the webinar on Thursday to learn more:
bit.ly/3J9qs7B
