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The Misrepresentation of Israel's Democracy

(Commentary) Matthew Continetti - Reasonable people and friends of Israel may disagree about the necessity and utility of the new nation-state law. Such disagreement, however, ought to be based on facts. The Los Angeles Times described the nation-state law as "granting an advantageous status to Jewish-only communities." But that is false: The bill contained no such language. The New York Times noted the law "omits any mention of democracy or the principle of equality." But that is because other Basic Laws already have codified the democratic and egalitarian character of Israel, including two laws dealing specifically with human rights. The nation-state law contains no additional rights for Jews; nor does it promulgate fewer rights for Arabs. A front-page article in the Times was headlined "Israel Picks Identity Over Democracy." This was a funny way to characterize a law that had been first introduced in 2011 by the centrist Kadima Party and won majority support, following parliamentary procedure, of a democratically elected legislative body. These often-hysterical reactions to the nation-state law use the legislation merely as a jumping-off point for larger complaints about Israel's Jewish character. The truth is that democracy is thriving in Israel. Last I checked, Israel is the one country in the Middle East where you can attend an LGBT Pride parade. The proportion of women serving in the Knesset is higher than in the U.S. Congress or average EU parliament. Minority citizens are guaranteed the same rights as Jewish ones. And it is precisely these achievements that are sustained by Israel's Jewish character and traditions. The writer is editor in chief of the Washington Free Beacon.
2018-08-20 00:00:00
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