Israel is a Democracy, but a Single Chambered Parliamentary Democracy, which is different from the American Democracy of which people are trying to alter right now in the counting of votes. All men and women with Israeli citizenship above the age of 18 have the right to vote. Candidates must be above the age of 25. Israel's birth was May 14, 1948 and they had to meet in Tel Aviv at first. Then Jerusalem was threatened with internationalization, so they moved there by 1949. Their permanent building was opened in 1966 in Jerusalem where it sits today. The population is made up of 75% Jews, 21% Arabs and 4% others.
President Reuven Rivlin |
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu |
Israel has a President and a Prime Minister, and it seems to me that the Prime Minister is the main leader in all things. Actually, it's the Knesset who has supreme authority which is a 120 legislative body membership. USA has 100 senators; 2 from each of their 50 states.
The Knesset is elected under proportional representation for 4 years, but can under certain circumstances decide on new elections before the end of its term.
When there is an election, the voters choose candidates between national lists of candidates, not just one person. There are 34 political parties for this tiny country. All these ideas are represented by this many political parties pushing their main concern. The 120 seats are allocated in proportion to the number of votes obtained by each list. Israel's population is 8, 555, 242.
Netanyahu greeting Likud supporters on election night |
"Israel has a multiparty system, and its elections can be inconclusive.
But voters appear to have handed a clear victory to the right-wing parties that support Netanyahu.... Netanyahu will now move to form a coalition similar to his previous one, between his own enlarged Likud and other right-wing factions."
"Likud’s main rival in the election, the Blue and White party led by Benny Gantz and Yair Lapid, won 25.94% of the vote, which would also give it 35 seats, but had insufficient support from other parties to prevent Netanyahu staying in power for what will be a fifth term."
Knesset at Night |
The consent of the Knesset is needed before the installation of a new Cabinet which must resign on losing its confidence. The Knesset also approves the annual Budget and keeps Cabinet policy under constant survey by means of questions to Ministers and public debates in the plenary (meaning that all must attend) and discussions in the Knesset committees, which hear reports from Ministers and senior officials.
A motion of no confidence in the Government may be proposed at any time and takes precedence over all other business.
The MKs in Knesset just passed a bill slashing their own salaries. |
Debates, which are conducted in Hebrew, are open to the public. The proceedings are translated simultaneously into Arab for Arab members, who may address the House in that language.
The President of the State is elected by the Knesset for a 5 year period and may serve for 2 five year terms. The President has the prerogative of pardon and of commuting sentences. He accept the accreditation of foreign ambassadors and ministers, appoints Israel's ambassadors and ministers, judges and the State Comptroller, and signs all laws except those concerning the presidential powers.
Where it all happens, the Knesset |
When a new Government is to be formed, the President consults with representations of the parties and then calls on a member of the Knesset to undertake the task.
The powers of the president were written in general terms in the Transition Law of 1949 and included the Legislature and the Cabinet. In June 1950, the Knesset resolved not to enact a formal Constitution but to adopt basic laws, which shall eventually taken together, form a Constitution.
The first 4 of these laws, dealing with the Knesset, the Israel Land Regime, the President of the State, and the Government were passed in 1958, 1960, 1964 and 1968. A Basic Law of Human Rights is before the Knesset, supplementary laws on the working of courts were being drafted in 1973.
The tribe of Manasseh has returned. |
There is, besides ordinary legislation on administrative matters such as the Law and Administration Ordinance 1948, the State Comptroller Law 1958, the Law of Return 1950 (Israel has a Law of Return, which grants all Jews and people of Jewish descent the right to citizenship. The Jewish people in Israel come from many backgrounds. About 73% are Israeli-born while 18% are immigrants from North America and Europe and almost 9% are from Africa and Asia. Jewish people from the former Soviet Union and Europe, plus Israeli-born descendants and Ashkenazi Jews, account for 50% of Jews in Israel.", recognizing the right of Jews to settle in Israel; for this is why Jews needed their own country. When anti-Semitism threatened their lives, they had no place to go. Most countries wouldn't allow them in, and would use excuses that they didn't have a baptismal certificate. It was definitely religious discrimination in WWII and at other times as well.
So far, a claim of Ashkenazi or Sephardic DNA only does not grant you the Right of Return. I might add that most all Arabs tested so far carry the Y haplogroup of J1 and J1c3d or j2, This has been found to be the Cohen haplogroup as well. Abraham must have been the origin. The test needs to be taken to a higher level like 111 alleles to confirm Jewish identity if you're interested.
IDF protecting citizens |
Universally recognized human and civil rights and freedoms, even if not yet laid down in the form of explicit enactment, form part of the law of Israel, much as in Britain, and are safeguarded by the courts by habeas corpus, mandamus and so forth. They include the freedoms of religious worship, speech, association, assembly and the Press, and the free exercise under the rule of law of any profession, trade or business, all this without any discrimination of sea, religion or race. The right to hold property is also assured subject to law and to the State's power to acquire land for public purposes on payment of compensation assessed by a District Court. Israel also has the equal rights for women Law 1951, the Nationality Law 1952, the Judges Law 1953, the Courts Law 1957, and the Knesset Elections Law 1969.
First Arrivals: Pioneers draining swamps |
For 2,000 years Jews were not allowed to do anything; 2nd class citizens in Muslim countries, and in Christian countries not allowed any entrance into a profession other than money-lending. What they are allowing are things never allowed for themselves. They truly follow the Golden Rule laid down by HILLEL, a Jew born in Babylonia from the attack in 586 BCE by Nebuchadnezzar: DO NOT DO UNTO OTHERS THAT WHICH YOU WOULD NOT HAVE THEM DO UNTO YOU.
Talking with rabbi about Haradi men and IDF Service Another difficult subject for MKs (member of Knesset). |
Capital punishment has been abolished except for treason in wartime and collaborations with the Nazis. It has been applied only once in Israel's history; in the case of Adolph Eichmann. There is no presidential power to veto laws passed by the Knesset, nor has the Israel Supreme Court the power of the US Supreme Court to declare a law unconstitutional, as there is no complete written constitution.
Resource: https://www.timesofisrael.com/with-most-votes-in-netanyahu-gantz-tied-at-35-but-likud-led-bloc-set-for-win/
fact about Israel up to 1973; Division of Information, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Jerusalem
The New Standard Jewish encyclopedia
http://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/israel-population/
https://jtf.org/after-temple-mount-victory-arab-muslim-mks-in-israeli-government-set-sights-on-western-wall/
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