Review of the 2010 Israel Democracy Institute Conference on the Demise of The Jewish State of Israel
University of Haifa – Sami Smooha (Department of Sociology) claims the Jewish State of Israel cannot be “both democratic and Jewish”

Sami Smooha, who is professor of sociology at the University of Haifa, said that Israel is neither a liberal nor a constitutional democracy, but something special. In the past he has termed Israel an “ethnic democracy,” but he now declined to use any term containing the word “democracy” to describe Israel. He emphasizes that he is a sociologist, not a political philosopher, and as such he maintains that Israel cannot be both democratic and Jewish. ... As an antidote to Israel’s specialness Smooha recommends a special kind of anti-Semitism. Smooha argues that Israel’s Jews don’t want a Jewish and democratic state but rather a Zionist and democratic state, which is somehow worse. A “Zionist” state maintains that it is connected to all the world’s Jews and engages in Zionist “projects,” such as settling Jews in Israel, trying to create an amalgamated Jewish identity out of new immigrants, and consolidating Jewish dominance through law and politics. ... Smooha’s call for an “end to the millet system” is code for repealing legislation that takes into account the Jewish identity of Israeli citizens. ...Smooha’s vision is an Israel without a national or ethnic identity, albeit a state with a lot of Jews—much like Florida. There would be this significant difference: Unlike Florida, in this state a particular ethnic minority does get to be recognized as an official “national minority,” with cultural autonomy and other semi-national rights.

... He wants the Palestinians to be Palestinians and the Jews to be democratic, and essentially he calls on Israel’s Jews to discriminate against themselves. His justification is that the Jews are colonial settlers and therefore don’t really have rights. He did say that he thinks Israel’s Jews have the right to self-determination though not sovereignty. But it is hard to see how Jewish self-determination could find expression if his laundry list of policy recommendations were adopted.

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IDI Watch - IDI and researcher Anat Roth can’t let go of the Gaza disengagement; claims reporting on the disengagement belongs to IDI

The Israel Democracy Institute and one of its researchers, Anat Roth, are suing attorney Michael Sfard and Col (res.) Shaul Arieli, two well-known left-wing activists, for copyright violation. … This material included "substantial sections" of Roth's 2005 study of settler campaigns against the fence and the disengagement from the Gaza Strip, including "exclusive, unique interviews" that she conducted with settler leaders over many months.

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מעקב אחר המכון הישראלי לדמוקרטיה – מירב ארלוזורוב תוהה למה הממשלה השקיעה את זמנה בכנס מטעם המכון במקום בהעברת התקציב המדינה

מעניין מדוע הסכימו כל קובעי המדיניות הכלכלית בישראל - מראש הממשלה ומטה - להתאים את לוח הזמנים שלהם לזה שנוח למכון הישראלי לדמוקרטיה, ולא להפך. מעניין מדוע הם סברו כי חשוב יותר לבלות יומיים באילת, בדיוני הכנס, מאשר להשקיע שעות נוספות בניסיון לשכנע חברי כנסת לתמוך בסעיפים שונים בתקציב. ומעניין איזה כוח מאגי יש למכון הישראלי לדמוקרטיה על הדמוקרטיה הישראלית, עד שהיא רוקדת כולה לפי הצלילים שהוא קבע.

לפרטים נוספים ולמאמר המקורי עקוב אחר הלינק כאן

 

IDI Watch – Yedidia Stern (Bar Ilan University) takes a pot shot at the anti-Nakba laws; dismisses Arab loyalty concerns

Nevertheless, a murky wave of nationalistic fervor against Arab citizens is gaining steam. The voices hoping to use the Knesset's powers to legislate bizarre, racist laws - laws aimed at extinguishing a threat that does not exist - are gaining strength. If these bills are passed, they will harm the State of Israel's moral and international legitimacy.

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The Israeli Left just awarded to itself the Israel Prize once again

A panel of people appointed by Labor Party Minister of Education Yuli Tamir, all of whom had personal ties to the Israel Democracy Institute and had received money from it, decided to award this year's Israel Prize to - (drumroll) - the Israel Democracy Institute (IDI). The IDI is a leftist political SWAT team, promoting the Left's agenda.

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