Israeli politics and Orthodox power
I've been having a wonderful email discussion with my grandmother over politics. In a previous post about the Duma I'd said that Israel was a theocracy - and she said (very nicely) that I was wrong, that Iran is a theocracy, and Israel is parliamentary democracy. Here is why. And instead of summarizing, I'm going to cut and paste our emails and quote her directly.
"It is true that Ben Gurion [first Prime Minister] gave the Orthodox dominion over laws concerning marriage, death, conversion, and other concessions. But the basis of the State of Israel is the Basic Laws (since we do not yet have a Constitution) which express the guarantee of civil and human rights. The Supreme Court, the Legislative Body (the Knesset), and the Prime Minister are not connected to religion. The religious leaders, including the Chief Rabbis, etc. are on a separate stream. Ben Gurion did not want to give away authority to the Orthodoxy, but did so in order to avoid a civil war (literally) at the very moment that the State of Israel was being formed... Israel is a Parliamentary Democracy. Much more democratic than in the U.S. where winner takes all -- but very clumsy because every pipsqueak party that can gather up 2% (I'm not sure of today's number) of voters gets representation in the Knesset!"
An example of the power struggle in a Parliamentary Democracy:
"The Supreme Court of Israel made a very important decision today. Gay couples who were married outside of Israel (for instance, in Canada where it's legal) will be recognized in Israel as a married couple, entitled to all rights etc. of marriage. You see, Israel is not a theocracy, although that is what the Orthodox would like to achieve. They are enraged by this decision, but they are always at war with the Supreme Court which does uphold the civil status of Israel's Jewish Democracy. Because the Orthodox still have control over some areas of Jewish life including marriage, gays cannot marry inside Israel -- neither can heterosexuals who are not both "halachically" Jewish. They too go to Cyprus or wherever to be married and then return to Israel where the union is recognized. Isn't that RIDICULOUS!!???!!!
....That [Orthodox power is] why we don't have a Constitution yet. A Constitution would expand in detail upon the Basic Laws which protect our civil rights, so the Orthodox will not agree to its creation.
By the way, except for the Zionist Religious Party, none of the Orthodox parties agreed to take part in government for the first many years of Israel's existence because they were opposed to the State having been formed before the Messiah arrived. It was after I had been here for a while [she got here in the late 70s] that they lowered their principles and took active roles politically, and accepted minisries and money. The Zionist Religious Party used to be moderate and a bridge between the secular and religious; today it is one of the most extreme parties."
It's interesting, I've never been that much into politics, either American or Israeli. But living here, political decisions seem to have more weight - I'm effected by the little things, like whether or not malls should be open on Shabbat. I think Israelis as a whole are much more politically aware than Americans... maybe I'm just starting to fit in!
"It is true that Ben Gurion [first Prime Minister] gave the Orthodox dominion over laws concerning marriage, death, conversion, and other concessions. But the basis of the State of Israel is the Basic Laws (since we do not yet have a Constitution) which express the guarantee of civil and human rights. The Supreme Court, the Legislative Body (the Knesset), and the Prime Minister are not connected to religion. The religious leaders, including the Chief Rabbis, etc. are on a separate stream. Ben Gurion did not want to give away authority to the Orthodoxy, but did so in order to avoid a civil war (literally) at the very moment that the State of Israel was being formed... Israel is a Parliamentary Democracy. Much more democratic than in the U.S. where winner takes all -- but very clumsy because every pipsqueak party that can gather up 2% (I'm not sure of today's number) of voters gets representation in the Knesset!"
An example of the power struggle in a Parliamentary Democracy:
"The Supreme Court of Israel made a very important decision today. Gay couples who were married outside of Israel (for instance, in Canada where it's legal) will be recognized in Israel as a married couple, entitled to all rights etc. of marriage. You see, Israel is not a theocracy, although that is what the Orthodox would like to achieve. They are enraged by this decision, but they are always at war with the Supreme Court which does uphold the civil status of Israel's Jewish Democracy. Because the Orthodox still have control over some areas of Jewish life including marriage, gays cannot marry inside Israel -- neither can heterosexuals who are not both "halachically" Jewish. They too go to Cyprus or wherever to be married and then return to Israel where the union is recognized. Isn't that RIDICULOUS!!???!!!
....That [Orthodox power is] why we don't have a Constitution yet. A Constitution would expand in detail upon the Basic Laws which protect our civil rights, so the Orthodox will not agree to its creation.
By the way, except for the Zionist Religious Party, none of the Orthodox parties agreed to take part in government for the first many years of Israel's existence because they were opposed to the State having been formed before the Messiah arrived. It was after I had been here for a while [she got here in the late 70s] that they lowered their principles and took active roles politically, and accepted minisries and money. The Zionist Religious Party used to be moderate and a bridge between the secular and religious; today it is one of the most extreme parties."
It's interesting, I've never been that much into politics, either American or Israeli. But living here, political decisions seem to have more weight - I'm effected by the little things, like whether or not malls should be open on Shabbat. I think Israelis as a whole are much more politically aware than Americans... maybe I'm just starting to fit in!
posted by Michal at 8:50 AM
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