Israelis Turning Inward

James Prince & Michelle (Michal) Miller
September 20, 2005

One of the most dysfunctional internal political systems in the Western world, according to a recent World Bank report.  An inadequate, unrepresentative political system, suffering from political malaise, write two of its former Prime Ministers from opposite political spectrums.  A declared constitutional democracy that prides itself on pluralism and democracy that does not have a legally codified constitution, bill of rights, or a basic law promulgating civil liberties.  Political infighting has brought down 30 governments in its 56 years of existence.  Most Americans would be surprised to learn that the country in question is Israel.   

It is true that the government of Israel is a democracy without compare in the Middle East.  That said, while Israelis are only too aware of the festering sore that is their political system, the pro-Israel communities around the world have generally been unaware or possibly, choose to ignore, the highly charged, highly divisive domestic problems to focus on more pressing issues, namely those involving national security.  Historically, the persistent threat of war precluded dedicating resources and political capital to domestic issues that did not physically threaten the existence of the tiny state.  

Today however, a unique confluence of events and new realities provide Israelis with some much needed breathing room which may now allow them to refocus inward.  Israel is more secure now than at any other time in its existence, at least from the threat of a conventional military attack.  The ascent of the U.S. as the sole superpower; degradation of the combined military might of the surrounding countries; the establishment of the Palestinian Authority after the Oslo Peace Accords, and a move toward more liberalization and leadership changes in regional states such as Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and even Libya make a significant conventional threat from any combination of states an incalculable scenario for the mid-term.  Just as importantly, the political threat from the so-called “demographic bomb” of an increasing Palestinian population has been removed by the recent disengagement from Gaza and parts of the West Bank.

This unique window of opportunity is giving rise to a burgeoning reform movement both in Israel and the Jewish Diaspora.  Following a successful and relatively peaceful disengagement process, there are increasing signs that the country and pro-Israel elements in the Diaspora are now ready and able to turn inward. 

Bipartisan forces grapple with reform from opposite ends.  Unusual for the diffuse political system, the emerging reform effort cuts across the political spectrum.  As former Prime Ministers Ehud Barak and Benjamin Netanyahu jointly wrote in a bipartisan letter of support “[T]he time for change is long overdue.”

Reforming the political system and establishing a durable constitutional framework requires dealing with uncomfortable questions such as the degree of minority rights, separation of religion and state, direct national elections, definition of who is a Jew and the privileges bestowed upon that status.  Although there is a low hum, these nascent movements need support to grow.

The Citizens’ Empowerment Center in Israel (CECI) founded by the distinguished U.S. philanthropist Isaac Parviz Nazarian, The Israel Democracy Institute (IDI) an independent non-partisan Israeli think tank, and the Knesset’s Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee chaired by MK Michael Eitan are leading the charge for a massive reform effort.  Polls show that the Israeli public is ready and motivated to move into the next stage of the country’s development.  However, President Bush and the Jewish Diaspora remain pre-occupied with the Middle East peace process and the traditional Arab-Israeli conflict; have yet to fully engage with the reforms. 

Israeli expatriates and pro-Israel activists around the world should take a hard look at what it means to support Israel during this transitional time.  Many experts believe that some of the traditional pro-Israel contributions can and should be reprogrammed to support the organically emerging political reform effort.  Friends of Israel should be applauded for helping Israel heal thyself, not criticized.  Perhaps the time has come to listen to the long-espoused arguments for reform by the general citizenry and support those domestic efforts. 

Democratic values are strong in Israel.  The good news is that these movements are organic responses to a dysfunctional system meaning that although sick, the system is healthy enough to sustain change.  The medicine needed to put Israel on the road toward a more effective political system will have the bitter taste of inner-familial dissent, nevertheless the time is right to move the debate into action.