The Handbook of Israel's Political System

A comprehensive presentation of political life in Israel from the pre-state formative period to the present.

Itzhak Galnoor (Author), Dana Blander (Author)

9781107097858, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 26 July 2018

982 pages, 52 b/w illus. 76 tables
26.1 x 18.5 x 4.8 cm, 1.85 kg

'This is a monumental work. It is precise and fluent and enables the reader to see both the forest and the trees. The authors know how to distinguish between the important and the unimportant. The book is mandatory reading for anybody interested in Israeli public and political life. It offers a useful and enlightening reading for those interested in political systems.' Mordechai Kremnitzer, Vice President, Research, The Israel Democracy Institute

There is growing interest in Israel's political system from all parts of the world. This Handbook provides a unique comprehensive presentation of political life in Israel from the formative pre-state period to the present. The themes covered include: political heritage and the unresolved issues that have been left to fester; the institutional framework (the Knesset, government, judiciary, presidency, the state comptroller and commissions of inquiry); citizens' political participation (elections, political parties, civil society and the media); the four issues that have bedevilled Israeli democracy since its establishment (security, state and religion, the status of Israel's Arab citizens and economic inequities with concomitant social gaps); and the contours of the political culture and its impact on Israel's democracy. The authors skilfully integrate detailed basic data with an analysis of structures and processes, making the Handbook accessible to both experts and those with a general interest in Israel.

Part I. Establishing the State: The Supremacy of Politics: 1. The formative early years of the state (1948–53)
2. Does Israel have a constitution?
Part II. Institutions Matter: 3. The presidency and the symbols of power
4. The Knesset: first among equals?
5. The executive branch and attempts to strengthen it
6. The judiciary's growing involvement in public life
7. Monitoring mechanisms: the state comptroller and state commissions of inquiry
Part III. Political Society: 8. Political participation: have Israeli citizens given up on the political system?
9. Political parties: can we get along without them?
10. Elections: the vague verdict of the Israeli voter
11. Government coalitions: a steering mechanism in the political system
12. Civil society: the third sector that grew unnoticed by the state
13. The media in Israel: do they strengthen or weaken democracy? Part IV. Open Policy Problems: 14. Security reigns supreme
15. Arab citizens of Israel
16. Politics, society, and economics: how did the state provide for the society?
17. Religion and state: between social conflict and political accommodation
Part V. Democracy in Israel: 18. Political culture in Israel.

Subject Areas: Diplomacy [JPSD], International relations [JPS], Regional government policies [JPRB], Regional government [JPR], Comparative politics [JPB], Politics & government [JP], Society & social sciences [J]