Book BSP 20A Eng.Indb

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Book BSP 20A Eng.Indb UNIVERSITY OF BIAŁYSTOK FACULTY OF LAW BIAŁOSTOCKIE STUDIA PRAWNICZE BIAŁYSTOK 2016 VOLUME 20/A Ministry of Science and Higher Education Republic of Poland Creation of the English-language versions of the articles published in the „Białostockie Studia Prawnicze” [Białystok Legal Studies] funded under the contract no. 548/P-DUN/2016 and 548/1/P-DUN/2016 from resources of the Minister of Science and Higher Education dedicated to the popularisation of science. Stworzenie anglojęzycznych wersji wydawanych publikacji w „Białostockich Studiach Prawniczych” fi nansowane w ramach umowy 548/P-DUN/2016 i 548/1/P-DUN/2016 ze środków Ministra Nauki i Szkolnictwa Wyższego przeznaczonych na działalność upowszechniającą naukę. BIAŁOSTOCKIE STUDIA PRAWNICZE VOLUME 20/A Editor-in-Chief of the Publisher Wydawnictwo Temida 2: Cezary Kosikowski Chair of the Advisory Board of the Publisher Wydawnictwo Temida 2: Emil W. Pływaczewski Advisory Board: Representatives of the University of Białystok: Stanisław Bożyk, Leonard Etel, Ewa M. Guzik-Makaruk, Adam Jamróz, Dariusz Kijowski, Cezary Kosikowski, Cezary Kulesza, Agnieszka Malarewicz-Jakubów, Maciej Perkowski, Stanisław Prutis, Eugeniusz Ruśkowski, Walerian Sanetra, Joanna Sieńczyło-Chlabicz, Ryszard Skarzyński, Halina Święczkowska, Jaroslav Volkonovski, Mieczysława Zdanowicz. Representatives of other Polish Universities: Marian Filar (Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Edward Gniewek (University of Wrocław), Lech Paprzycki (Kozminski University in Warsaw), Stanisław Waltoś (Jagiellonian University in Kraków). Representatives of Foreign Universities and Institutions: Lilia Abramczyk (Janek Kupała State University in Grodno, Belarus),Vladimir Babčak (University of Kosice, Slovakia), Renata Almeida da Costa (University of La Salle, Brazil), Chris Eskridge (University of Nebraska, the USA), Jose Luis Iriarte (University of Nebraska, the USA) Marina Karasjewa (University of Voronezh, Russia), Alexei S. Kartsov (Federal Constitutional Court in St. Petersburg, Russia), Bernhard Kitous (University of Rennes, France), Jolanta Kren Kostkiewicz (University of Bern), Martin Krygier (Th e University of New South Wales, Australia), Anthony Minnaar (University of South Africa, South Africa), Antonello Miranda (University of Palermo, Italy), Petr Mrkyvka (University of Masaryk, Czech Republic), Marcel Alexander Niggli (University of Freiburg, Switzerland) Andrej A. Novikov (State University of St Petersburg, Russia), Sławomir Redo (University of Vienna, Austria), Jerzy Sarnecki (University of Stockholm, Sweden), Rick Sarre (University of South Australia, Australia), Kevin Saunders (Michigan State University, the USA), Bernd Schünemann (University of Munich, Germany), Sebastiano Tafaro (University of Bari, Italy), Wiktor Trinczuk (Kyiv National Economic University, Ukraine), Elena Chernikova (Russian Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, Russia), Bogusia Puchalska (Central Lancashire University in Preston, the UK). Editors: Editor-in-Chief: Teresa Mróz Editorial Secretary: Anna Budnik © Copyright by Wydział Prawa Uniwersytetu w Białymstoku, Temida 2, Białystok 2016 No part of this work may be reproduced and distributed in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical), including photocopying – without the written permission of the Publisher. Th e original version of the journal is a print one. ISSN 1689–7404 Language Editors: Ewa Brajczewska (Polish), Richard Tykocki-Crow (English) Statistical Editor: Ewa Glińska Volume Th eme Editor: Elżbieta Kużelewska Volume Secretary: Dariusz Kużelewski Graphic and Typographic Development: Anna Magnuszewska, Jerzy Banasiuk Cover Design: Bogusława Guenther Publisher: Faculty of Law, University of Białystok; Temida 2 All volumes can be purchased from Wydawnictwo Temida 2, address ul. A. Mickiewicza 1, 15-213 Białystok, e-mail: [email protected], tel. 85 745 71 68 4 Contents Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 9 ELECTION LAW AND ALTERNATIVE VOTING METHODS Magdalena Musiał-Karg Alternative Voting Methods Th rough the Example of Postal Voting and E-Voting in Switzerland ...........................................................................................13 Anna Pacześniak Compulsory Votnig as the Solution to Low Electoral Turnout – the Treatment Worse than the Disease? .....................................................................25 Elżbieta Kużelewska Compulsory Voting in Belgium. A Few Remarks on Mandatory Voting ......................37 Stanisław Bożyk Th e Direct Election of the Prime Minister in Israel’s Constitutional System (1992-2001) ................................................................................53 Adam Szymański Changes in Presidential Election Law in Turkey – Progress in the Democratisation Process? .....................................................................................69 Adam R. Bartnicki Elections to the State Duma in the Russian Federation 1993-2011 ..............................85 Katarzyna Szymczyk Th e Electoral System, Active Electoral Rights and the Role of the Electorate in the Islamic Republic of Iran .......................................99 Anna Doliwa-Klepacka Th e President of the European Council – from Rotation to Election ..........................109 5 Contents Cezary Kulesza Systems of Selection and Appointment of Judges and the Issue of Judicial Independence: American, English and German Experiences ....................121 Izabela Kraśnicka Th e Systems of Selecting State Judges in the USA ........................................................133 Dariusz Kużelewski Th e Election of Lay Judges and the Principle of Participation by Citizenry in the Administration of Criminal Justice ...............................................143 Ewa M. Guzik-Makaruk, Ewelina Wojewoda Off ences Against Elections and Referenda – Selected Legal, Criminal and Criminological Aspects ..........................................................................153 Agnieszka Piekutowska Voting Rights for Immigrants. Refl ections on the Background of EU Citizenship ......171 Iwona Wrońska Procedure of Appointing Members of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture And Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment ............................181 Aneta Giedrewicz-Niewińska Industrial Democracy and Involvement of Employees in the Societas Europaea .......195 Bartłomiej Michalak Conclusions and Recommendations (Not Only) De Lege Ferenda Aft er the Crisis in the Polish Local Elections of 2014 ..................................................211 Anna Budnik, Marta J. Czubkowska Th e Role of the Electoral Commissioner in the Division of Municipalities Into Constituencies ...........................................................................231 Marcin Rachwał Evolution of Election Law in the Senate of the Th ird Republic of Poland ...................249 Andrzej Jackiewicz Postal Voting and Voting by Proxy as an Alternative Voting Methods in the Light of the Electoral Code in Poland ................................................................261 Kamila M. Bezubik, Artur Olechno Could the Election Deposit Become an Electoral Qualifi cation? Remarks on the Example of the Election of Head of State ..........................................273 6 Contents Paula Wiśniewska Th e Mechanism of Quota in the Light of Electoral Code Regulations Introduced in 2011 ....................................................................................283 Beata Roguska, Jarosław Zbieranek Opinions of the Poles about Postulated Changes in Electoral Law .............................293 REVIEWS Review of the book: Amanda Bittner and Royce Koop (eds.), Parties, Elections And Th e Future Of Canadian Politics University of British Columbia Press, Vancouver 2013 (Stanisław Bożyk) .................................................... 309 Review of the book: Bogdan Mucha, Finansowanie Kampanii Wyborczych Do Legislatur Stanowych W Systemie Federalnym Stanów Zjednoczonych [Financing of Electoral Campaigns to State Legislatures in the Federal System of USA] Wydawnictwo Adam Marszałek, Toruń 2010 (Krzysztof Prokop) ............................. 315 Review of the book: Anna Pacześniak, Europeizacja Polskich Partii Politycznych [Europeanization Of Polish Political Parties] Wydawnictwo Naukowe Scholar, Warszawa 2014 (Wojciech Gagatek) ............................................................................323 7 Introduction Th e reader is presented with the 20th anniversary compendium of the “Białostockie Studia Prawnicze” [Białystok Legal Studies]. As we face dynamic change, the editorial team, constantly striving to improve the contents and appearance of the publication, has decided to change the graphic design of the cover, which we sincerely hope will be well received by our readership. Journal No. 20 consists of two parts – Election Law and Alternative Forms of Voting (Part A) and the position of the executive in the [political] system in the modern world (Part B). Election law is nowadays one of the key elements of a well and fully functioning democratic system. Universality and equality of election law guarantee participation in the election system by all those entitled to vote. According to the sovereignty principle, the nation exercises its power indirectly – that is through elected representatives as Members of Parliament, or directly, through a referendum process or a ‘people’s initiative’. In the vast majority
Recommended publications
  • Statlig Minoritetspolitikk I Israel
    Statlig minoritetspolitikk i Israel Et studie av staten Israels politikk overfor den palestinske minoriteten i landet. Gada Ezat Azam Masteroppgave, Institutt for Statsvitenskap UNIVERSITETET I OSLO Våren 2007 (32 290 ord) 2 Forord Det er en rekke personer som fortjener en stor takk for den hjelp og støtte de har gitt meg under arbeidet med masteroppgaven. Først og fremst vil jeg takke mine to veiledere, Anne Julie Semb ved Institutt for statsvitenskap og Dag Henrik Tuastad ved Institutt for kulturstudier og orientalske språk, for solid veiledning, og stor tålmodighet når det gjelder å følge opp arbeidet mitt. Jeg vil også takke As’ad Ghanem ved Universitetet i Haifa, Abeer Baker i menneskerettighetsorganisasjonen Adalah og Jaffar Farah i organisasjonen Mossawa for å ha gitt meg store mengder materiale om Palestinere i Israel. Dessuten vil jeg takke min palestinske venninne Nadia Haj Yasein og hennes familie i Jerusalem for å ha latt meg bo hos dem under store deler av feltarbeidet i desember 2006. Tusen takk for gjestfriheten. Videre vil jeg takke min mann Tariq for gode diskusjoner, nyttige innspill og tålmodigheten han har vist gjennom hele prosessen. Jeg vil også takke mine venninner Ida Martinuessen, Kjersti Olsen og Anniken Westtorp, som har bidratt med kommentarer og korrekturlesning. Til sist, men ikke minst vil jeg takke mine foreldre, mine søsken og min familie i Palestina for oppmuntring og støtte hele veien. Oslo, mai 2007 Gada Ezat Azam 3 Innhold FORORD...............................................................................................................................................2
    [Show full text]
  • Palestinian Citizens of Israel: Agenda for Change Hashem Mawlawi
    Palestinian Citizens of Israel: Agenda for Change Hashem Mawlawi Thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master‘s degree in Conflict Studies School of Conflict Studies Faculty of Human Sciences Saint Paul University © Hashem Mawlawi, Ottawa, Canada, 2019 PALESTINIAN CITIZENS OF ISRAEL: AGENDA FOR CHANGE ii Abstract The State of Israel was established amid historic trauma experienced by both Jewish and Palestinian Arab people. These traumas included the repeated invasion of Palestine by various empires/countries, and the Jewish experience of anti-Semitism and the Holocaust. This culminated in the 1948 creation of the State of Israel. The newfound State has experienced turmoil since its inception as both identities clashed. The majority-minority power imbalance resulted in inequalities and discrimination against the Palestinian Citizens of Israel (PCI). Discussion of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict tends to assume that the issues of the PCIs are the same as the issues of the Palestinians in the Occupied Territories. I believe that the needs of the PCIs are different. Therefore, I have conducted a qualitative case study into possible ways the relationship between the PCIs and the State of Israel shall be improved. To this end, I provide a brief review of the history of the conflict. I explore themes of inequalities and models for change. I analyze the implications of the theories for PCIs and Israelis in the political, social, and economic dimensions. From all these dimensions, I identify opportunities for change. In proposing an ―Agenda for Change,‖ it is my sincere hope that addressing the context of the Israeli-Palestinian relationship may lead to a change in attitude and behaviour that will avoid perpetuating the conflict and its human costs on both sides.
    [Show full text]
  • The Israeli Digital Rights Movement's Campaign for Privacy Efrat Daskal Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
    INTERNET POLICY REVIEW Journal on internet regulation Volume 6 | Issue 3 The Israeli Digital Rights Movement's campaign for privacy Efrat Daskal Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel Published on 19 Sep 2017 | DOI: 10.14763/2017.3.711 Abstract: This study explores the persuasion techniques used by the Israeli Digital Rights Movement in its campaign against Israel’s biometric database. The research was based on analysing the movement's official publications and announcements and the journalistic discourse that surrounded their campaign within the political, judicial, and public arenas in 2009-2017. The results demonstrate how the organisation navigated three persuasion frames to achieve its goals: the unnecessity of a biometric database in democracy; the database’s ineffectiveness; and governmental incompetence in securing it. I conclude by discussing how analysing civil society privacy campaigns can shed light over different regimes of privacy governance. Keywords: Privacy, Government surveillance, Biometric Article information Received: 03 Apr 2017 Reviewed: 03 Jul 2017 Published: 19 Sep 2017 Licence: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Germany Competing interests: The author has declared that no competing interests exist that have influenced the text. URL: http://policyreview.info/articles/analysis/israeli-digital-rights-movements-campaign-privacy Citation: Daskal, E. (2017). The Israeli Digital Rights Movement's campaign for privacy. Internet Policy Review, 6(3). https://doi.org/10.14763/2017.3.711 Acknowledgements: I would like to thank the participants of the Early Stage Researchers Colloquium (ESRC) of the Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society (HIIG) from 2014 and especially Ulrike Hoeppner and Jörg Pohle for their insightful ideas and advice.
    [Show full text]
  • Revised Draft Report on Democracy, Limitation Of
    Strasbourg, 30 November 2012 CDL(2012)050rev* Study No. 646 / 2011 Or. Engl. EUROPEAN COMMISSION FOR DEMOCRACY THROUGH LAW (VENICE COMMISSION) REVISED DRAFT REPORT ON DEMOCRACY, LIMITATION OF MANDATES AND INCOMPATIBILITY OF POLITICAL FUNCTIONS on the basis of comments by Ms Gordana SILJANOVSKA-DAVKOVA (Member, “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”) Ms Tanja KARAKAMISHEVA-JOVANOVSKA (Former Substitute Member, “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”) *This document has been classified restricted on the date of issue. Unless the Venice Commission decides otherwise, it will be declassified a year after its issue according to the rules set up in Resolution CM/Res(2001)6 on access to Council of Europe documents. This document will not be distributed at the meeting. Please bring this copy. www.venice.coe.int CDL(2012)050rev - 2 - Table of contents I. Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 3 II. Democracy and Representation: general notions .................................................................. 3 III. Theoretical reference to the limitation of the mandate and the right to re-election of the holders of political functions .................................................................................................. 6 IV. Limitation of the mandate: from history to contemporary norm and practice .......................... 8 V. Constitutional and legal aspects of the limitation of mandates and of the right to re-election of
    [Show full text]
  • Hans Kelsen's Contributions to the Changing Notion of International Criminal Responsibility
    City University of New York (CUNY) CUNY Academic Works All Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects 5-2019 Between Politics and Morality: Hans Kelsen's Contributions to the Changing Notion of International Criminal Responsibility Jason Kropsky The Graduate Center, City University of New York How does access to this work benefit ou?y Let us know! More information about this work at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/3249 Discover additional works at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu This work is made publicly available by the City University of New York (CUNY). Contact: [email protected] BETWEEN POLITICS AND MORALITY: HANS KELSEN’S CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CHANGING NOTION OF INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY by JASON REUVEN KROPSKY A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty in Political Science in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, The City University of New York 2019 © 2019 JASON REUVEN KROPSKY All Rights Reserved ii Between Politics and Morality: Hans Kelsen’s Contributions to the Changing Notion of International Criminal Responsibility by Jason Reuven Kropsky This manuscript has been read and accepted for the Graduate Faculty in Political Science in satisfaction of the dissertation requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Date John Wallach Chair of Examining Committee Date Alyson Cole Executive Officer Supervisory Committee: John Wallach Bruce Cronin Peter Romaniuk THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK iii ABSTRACT Between Politics and Morality: Hans Kelsen’s Contributions to the Changing Notion of International Criminal Responsibility by Jason Reuven Kropsky Advisor: John Wallach The pure theory of law analyzes the legal normative basis of jurisprudence.
    [Show full text]
  • The Israeli Override Clause and the Future of Israeli Democracy
    The Israeli Override Clause and the Future of Israeli Democracy verfassungsblog.de/the-israeli-override-clause-and-the-future-of-israeli-democracy/ Alon Harel Di 15 Mai 2018 Di 15 Mai 2018 The recent proposals to enact an override clause to the Israeli Basic Law: Human Dignity and Liberty has triggered a fierce public debate in Israeli legal and political circles. Under this proposal, the Knesset could reenact a statute that was declared void by the courts. As is characteristic of such debates, the proponents and opponents of the override clause claim to defend democracy, strengthen the protection of rights and defend restore the proper balance between different branches of government. The purpose of this post is to explain the background of this debate and evaluate the pros and cons of the override clause in the Israeli context. Unfortunately for the reader, the author is not a neutral observer of this debate. He clearly and unambiguously sides with the opponents of this clause and yet, I hope to present a fair and a balanced description of the controversy. The first section provides a background for the debate. The second section describes the history of the debate and the political context in which it is conducted and the third section examines the pros and cons of the override clause. The Basic Laws of Israel and its Constitutional Foundations Israel has no written constitution. Despite numerous efforts to enact a written constitution, no such constitution has been enacted. Yet during its history several 'basic laws' have been enacted. Most of the basic laws are designed to specify the institutional structure of the state and the powers of the different branches of government.
    [Show full text]
  • The State of Israel's Constitution; a Comparison of Civilized Nations
    Pace International Law Review Volume 25 Issue 1 Spring 2013 Article 3 April 2013 The State of Israel's Constitution; A Comparison of Civilized Nations Mark Goldfeder Georgia State University College of Law Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.pace.edu/pilr Recommended Citation Mark Goldfeder, The State of Israel's Constitution; A Comparison of Civilized Nations, 25 Pace Int'l L. Rev. 65 (2013) Available at: https://digitalcommons.pace.edu/pilr/vol25/iss1/3 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the School of Law at DigitalCommons@Pace. It has been accepted for inclusion in Pace International Law Review by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@Pace. For more information, please contact [email protected]. GOLDFEDERMCR (DO NOT DELETE) 5/7/2013 5:43 PM THE STATE OF ISRAEL’S CONSTITUTION; A COMPARISON OF CIVILIZED NATIONS Mark Goldfeder ABSTRACT The art of constitution-making is never one-dimensional. In regard to the United States’ model, it has recently been ar- gued that “[d]espite the enormous literature on the critical pe- riod, including the foreign affairs imperatives behind the movement for reform, it is not fully understood that the animus behind the reform effort that culminated in the new Constitu- tion was a desire to ensure that the United States would be in a position to meet its international commitments and thereby earn international recognition.”1 While there are obvious dif- ferences, and while this concept is perhaps of even greater im- portance and more poignantly felt for a nation that has so long been plagued with issues of de facto and de jure recognition, many of the same factors that would make it incomplete to view the purpose of the American Constitution as a strictly in- ternal document hold true for our strongest ally in the Middle East.
    [Show full text]
  • US/Israeli Comparative Law Summer 2009 Naomi Gale, (Schusterman Visiting Professor) University of Colorado, Boulder
    Law US/Israeli comparative Law Summer 2009 Naomi Gale, (Schusterman Visiting Professor) University of Colorado, Boulder Maymester: 5/13 – 6/2 Monday-Friday: 9:00am – 12:15pm Wolf Law Building: Room 306 Office Hours: Tues 1:00pm-3pm Course Description This course compares the various facades of the Israeli and American Legal Systems. Both systems derived from the British Common Law System, however each developed its own uniqueness in accordance with societal and legal forces, each distinctive to its own society with its unique history. For example, the legal system of Israel today belongs to the family of mixed jurisdictions combining tenets of the Common Law and the Civil Law, with Israel’s unique history and characteristics, and the revolutionary changes in the legal system since the independence of the state. We will discuss the centrality of the Judiciary and compare the Supreme Courts and the High Courts of Justice in both countries, particularly their conduct in the arena of the protection human rights and civil rights, particularly of minorities, under the American Constitution and under the Israeli Basic Laws. We will also study the structures of the general court systems in both, while paying special attention to specialized courts. Amongst those, a special attention will be given to the study of the religious court in Israel, its centrality in the life of Israelis and in the shaping of the laws of personal status, such as the absence of civil marriage and divorce and the position of women in Israeli society. Major areas the course covers are: Constitutional Law: we will draw comparison between the American Constitution and the Basic Laws of Israel, which are of a higher normative status, and are a key component of Israel's constitutional law.
    [Show full text]
  • Religious Law and Religious Freedom in Saudi Arabia and Israel: a Comparative Study Richard N
    Hastings International and Comparative Law Review Volume 12 Article 5 Number 1 Fall 1988 1-1-1988 Religious Law and Religious Freedom in Saudi Arabia and Israel: A Comparative Study Richard N. Merenbach Follow this and additional works at: https://repository.uchastings.edu/ hastings_international_comparative_law_review Part of the Comparative and Foreign Law Commons, and the International Law Commons Recommended Citation Richard N. Merenbach, Religious Law and Religious Freedom in Saudi Arabia and Israel: A Comparative Study, 12 Hastings Int'l & Comp. L. Rev. 235 (1988). Available at: https://repository.uchastings.edu/hastings_international_comparative_law_review/vol12/iss1/5 This Note is brought to you for free and open access by the Law Journals at UC Hastings Scholarship Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Hastings International and Comparative Law Review by an authorized editor of UC Hastings Scholarship Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Religious Law and Religious Freedom in Saudi Arabia and Israel: A Comparative Study By RiCHARD N. MERENBACH Member of the Class of 1989 I. INTRODUCTION Ancient religious law continues to influence the laws of many na- tions, especially Israel and Saudi Arabia where the laws are often explic- itly taken from religious legal systems.1 Israel and Saudi Arabia continue to use ancient laws and precepts that are of dubious value in the twentieth century.2 Aside from the purely personal issue of the religious justification for the use of religious law, use of religious law creates many problems for the governments of Saudi Arabia and Israel. Further, the use of religious law infringes on the basic civil liberties of freedom "of" and "from" religion: Are the people of Saudi Arabia and Israel being denied the inalienable right of freedom from religion?3 As a result of Saudi Arabia and Israel's use of religious law, the two states experience many of the same difficulties and some of the same ben- efits.
    [Show full text]
  • The Palestinian Arab Minority in Israel March 2011
    The Inequality Report The Palestinian Arab Minority in Israel March 2011 The Inequality Report: The Palestinian Arab Minority in Israel ADALAH – THE LEGAL CENTER FOR ARAB MINORITY RIGHTS IN ISRAEL 94 Yaffa Street, PO Box 8921, Haifa 31090, Israel Tel: +972 4 950 1610 – Fax: +972 4 950 3140 Adalah Email: [email protected] The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel Website: www.adalah.org Principle author Katie Hesketh Additional authors Suhad Bishara, Advocate Rina Rosenberg, Esq. Sawsan Zaher, Advocate Design UnderGround Studio ISBN: 978-965-90512-3-6 Three videos accompany this report: Targeted Citizen; Targeted Citizen – Unrecognized Villages Case; and Targeted Citizen – Israel Railways Case. These videos are available on the website of Adalah and Adalah’s YouTube page. The videos were written and directed by Rachel Leah Jones. This report and the three videos together comprise “The Inequality Series”. Adalah wishes to thank Christian Aid for its financial support to this project. The contents of the videos and this document are the sole responsibility of Adalah – The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the official position of Christian Aid. March 2011 Adalah also appreciates the generous contributions of the following foundations Inequality Report: and institutions to our work: The Ford-Israel Fund; OxfamNOVIB; The Open Society Institute Development Foundation; The New Israel Fund; The European Union; The Palestinian Arab Minority in Israel Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (EED); The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs December 2010 - Switzerland; The Naomi and Nehemiah Cohen Foundation; Broederlijk Delen; The Sigrid Rausing Trust; and The NGO Development Center.
    [Show full text]
  • Zionism & Israel As the Nation-State of the Jewish People
    Zionism & Israel as the Nation-State of the Jewish People CUTTING THROUGH THE CONFUSION BY GOING BACK TO BASICS A Resource by The Israel Forever Foundation Within the State of Israel, the rights and freedoms of minority citizens are protected by law and identical to those granted the Jewish majority. Measures are taken so to enable minorities to protect their unique identity. For example, minorities are free to observe their day of rest according to their religion and receive vacation from work to observe their holidays. They can choose whether or not they wish their personal matters (family affairs such as marriage, divorce, child custody etc) be judged by the civilian courts or the religious court system (for Jews the Rabbinical court, for Muslims the Sharia court). FOR CONSIDERATION: Is Israel a democratic secular state or a Jewish state? Israel is a democracy where all citizens (of age) can elect and be elected, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity or religion. Israel protects freedom of press and expression and in it's parliament one can find members who justify terrorism as means of resistance to Israeli occupation on the one hand, and members who support an annexation of Judea and Samaria to create a Jewish state from the Jordan river to the sea on the other. The spectrum of political movements that are not considered illegal is very broad, and you can find socialists, libertarians, messianic ultra-nationalist settlers groups, Palestinian nationalists and even some moderates. Discrimination in the workplace on ethnic, religious, gender, sexual orientation grounds is illegal. Israel is Jewish as it considers itself the homeland of the Jewish people, much like Germany is the homeland of the Germans and Latvia is the homeland of the Latvian people.
    [Show full text]
  • A Jewish and Democratic State’: Present Navigation in the Map of Interpretations
    ‘A Jewish and Democratic State’: Present Navigation in the Map of Interpretations ASA KASHER Abstract: This article discusses the Israeli constitutional phrase ‘A Jewish and Democratic State‘. It presents the map of different interpretations of the phrase and proposes a method of navigating among them. Then, one interpretation of the phrase is defended in contrast with all the other ones, which are rejected. This is the interpretation according to which there is no inconsistency in the depiction of a state as being both a nation-state and a democracy. The defense rests on a philosophical analysis of the notion of ‘a Jewish State’ and a Rawlsian conception of democracy. The term ‘a Jewish and democratic state’ that appears in the constitutional language of Israel is commonly understood as a combination of the two independent terms, namely ‘a Jewish state’ and ‘a democratic state’. The most fundamental question regarding both the theoretical meaning and the practical significance of this combination is whether a state can be simultaneously ‘a Jewish state’ and ‘a democratic state’. Since interpretations have been numerous and opinions divided, it would be helpful to sketch a map of possible interpretations of this combination of terms; not only to make it easier for citizens to navigate this map and formulate an opinion on the issue but, mainly, to mark the ‘High Road’ on this map and then evaluate the present deep nature of the State of Israel and its civil society as well as emergent dangers and prospects. The paper will outline a conception of the state being a Jewish one and a conception of the state being a democratic one, which are compatible with each other.
    [Show full text]