Auditing Israeli Democracy – 2007 Cohesion in a Divided Society

Auditing Israeli Democracy – 2007 Cohesion in a Divided Society Asher Arian, Nir Atmor, Yael Hadar The Israel Democracy Institute is an independent, non-partisan body on the seam of academia and politics. The Institute plans policy and devises reforms for government and public administration agencies, and for the institutions of democracy. In its plans and endeavors, the Institute strives to support the institutions of Israel’s developing democracy and consolidate its values. The Institute’s research work is followed up by practical recommendations, seeking to improve governance in Israel and foster a long-term vision for a stable democratic regime adapted to the structure, the values, and the norms of Israeli society. The Institute aspires to further public discourse in Israel on the issues placed on the national agenda, to promote structural, political, and economic reforms, to serve as a consulting body to decision-makers and the broad public, to provide information and present comparative research. Researchers at the Israel Democracy Institute are leading academics directing projects in various areas of society and governance in Israel. The Institute’s publications department produces, markets, and distributes the results of their work in several series of books (“The Democracy Library”), policy studies, the Caesarea Forum, periodicals, and conferences proceedings. The Guttman Center was established in its present form in 1998, when the Guttman Institute for Applied Social Research became part of the Israel Democracy Institute. Professor Louis Guttman founded the original Institute in 1949 as a pioneering center for the study of public opinion and the advancement of social science methodology. The goal of the Guttman Center is to enrich public discourse on issues of public policy through the information retrieved from the Center’s databases and through public opinion surveys conducted by the Center. Auditing Israeli Democracy 2007 Cohesion in a Divided Society Asher Arian, Nir Atmor, Yael Hadar Translator: Batya Stein Language Editors (Hebrew): Izhak Tishler, Anat Bernstein Series and Cover Design: Ron Haran Layout: Art Plus, Jerusalem Printed in Jerusalem by Art Plus ISBN 965-519-35-8 No portion of this book may be reproduced, copied, photographed, recorded, translated, stored in a data base, broadcasted, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, optic, mechanical, or otherwise. Commercial use in any form of the material contained in this book without express written permission from the publisher is strictly forbidden. © The Israel Democracy Institute. Printed in Israel 2007 Asher Arian is a Senior Fellow at the Israel Democracy Institute and a professor of political science at the University of Haifa, and at the City University of New York. Nir Atmor and Yael Hadar are research assistants at the Israel Democracy Institute. The Israel Democracy Institute’s Books and Policy Papers may be ordered from: Tel: 02-5300800, 1-800-20-2222; Fax: 03-5488640 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.idi.org.il The Israel Democracy Institute, P.O. Box 4482, Jerusalem, 91044 All Indices of Democracy are now online and available for free download at www.idi.org.il Table of Contents List of Figures and Tables 7 Acknowledgements 9 Summary 11 Part One: The Democracy Index 2007 A. Description of the Research and its Goals 15 B. The Democracy Indicators 19 1. A Summary Outline 19 2. Israel 2007 as Reflected in the Indicators 19 3. Selected Findings 24 C. The Democracy Survey 35 1. A Summary Outline 35 2. Public Perception of Democracy’s Implementation in Israel 2007 35 3. Democratic Attitudes in the Israeli Public in 2007 37 4. Selected Findings 39 5. Democracy: Support and Satisfaction 46 Part Two: Cohesion in a Divided Society A. Background: Cohesion in Israel 53 B. Social Trust in Israel 57 C. Relationships between Groups in Israel 2007 61 1. The Jewish-Arab split 61 2. The Social-Economic split 68 3. The Religious-Secular split 73 4. The New Immigrants-Old-Timers split 77 5. The Ethnic split 79 D. Social Cohesion in Israel 83 1. Perceptions of Readiness for Compromise 83 2. Self-Identity and Self-Definition 87 3. Contribution to Society: The IDF and Defense 90 4. Sense of Being Part of the Country 93 Epilogue 99 Appendices 1. Summary of the Democracy Indices 2003-2007 101 2. The Democracy Index February 2007 Compared to the Democracy 101 Indices 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006 104 3. Distributions in the Democracy Survey, February 2007 111 4. Calendar of Events, January 2006 – May 2007 119 7 List of Figures and Tables Figure 1 The Structure of the Index 15 Figure 2 Israel’s Ranking in the Democracies’ Sample according to 23 Criteria 20 Figure 3 Political Corruption: An International Comparison 26 Figure 4 Integrity in Two Measures of Political Corruption, 1996-2006 27 Figure 5 Voice and Accountability: An International Comparison 28 Figure 6 Voice and Accountability, 1996-2005 28 Figure 7 Economic Freedom: An International Comparison 30 Figure 8 Economic Freedom, 1995-2007 31 Figure 9 Law and Order: An International Comparison 32 Figure 10 Rule of Law: An International Comparison 32 Figure 11 Rule of Law, 1996-2005 33 Figure 12 Political Stability: An International Comparison 34 Figure 13 Political Stability, 1996-2005 34 Figure 14 Perception of Democracy’s Implementation: Israeli Public 2003 and 2007 38 Figure 15 Democratic Attitudes: Israeli Public 2003 and 2007 40 Figure 16 Assessing Democracy’s Implementation in the Institutional Aspect 41 within Groups in the Israeli Public: Jewish Old-Timers, Immigrants from the CIS, and Arabs 42 Figure 17 Accountability, 1969-2007 Figure 18 Sense of Political Influence, 1973-2007 43 Figure 19 Sense of Political Influence: An International Comparison 43 Figure 20 Trust in Key Institutions, 2003-2007 44 Figure 21 Trust in Key Institutions, 2003-2007 45 Figure 22 Protecting Democracy, 2003-2007 46 Figure 23 Support for Strong Leaders, 1969-2007 47 Figure 24 Personal Feeling Considering the Current Situation, 1973-2007 49 Figure 25 Satisfaction with the Situation of Israel, 1997-2007 50 Figure 26 Satisfaction with Israeli Democracy, 1987-2007 50 Figure 27 Personal Social Trust, 1980-2007 58 Figure 28 Personal Social Trust: An International Comparison 59 Figure 29 Social Trust, 1981-2007 59 Figure 30 Social Trust: Groups in Israeli Society 60 Figure 31 Relationships between Groups, 2007 62 Figure 32 Arab-Jews Relationship Pattern according to Nationality, 2000-2007 64 8 Auditing Israeli Democracy – 2007 Figure 33 Political Equality for the Arab Minority, 1993-2007 65 Figure 34 Equal Rights for the Arab Minority, 1985-2007 67 Figure 35 Opposition to the Encouragement of Arab Emigration, 1987-2007 68 Figure 36 Inequality – GINI Coefficient: An International Comparison 70 Figure 37 Inequality – Rich-Poor Relationships: An International Comparison 71 Figure 38 Rich-Poor Relationships, 2003-2007 72 Figure 39 Capitalist vs. Socialist Economy, 1962-2007 73 Figure 40 Observance of Jewish Tradition, 1981-2007 75 Figure 41 Living according to Jewish Religious Tradition, 1981-2007 75 Figure 42 Relationships between Religious and Non-Religious Jews, 1972-2007 76 Figure 43 Relationship between New Immigrants and Old-Timers, 1975-2007 79 Figure 44 Relationship between Ashkenazim and Mizrahim, 1972-2007 81 Figure 45 Relationship between Ashkenazim and Mizrahim according to Country of Origin 81 Figure 46 Readiness to Compromise 84 Figure 47 Readiness to Compromise According to Self-Definition and Nationality 85 Figure 48 Readiness to Compromise According to Self-Definition on the Right-Left Continuum 85 Figure 49 Readiness to Compromise according to the Level of Religious Observance 86 Figure 50 Identity: Self-Definition 87 Figure 51 Identity: Self-Definition according to Self-Ascription of Religious Orientation (first choice only) 88 Figure 52 Identity: Self-Definition according to Self-Ascription of Religious Orientation (second choice only) 89 Figure 53 Identity: Self-Definition – Israeli Arabs 89 Figure 54 Army Service: An International Comparison 91 Figure 55 Characteristics of Youths: An Evaluation 92 Figure 56 Proud to be Israeli, 2003-2007 93 Figure 57 Proud to be Israeli according to Self-Definition of Religiosity 94 Figure 58 Connection to Israel, 1981-2007 95 Figure 59 Connection to the Jewish People, 1991-2007 96 Figure 60 Remaining in Israel, 1986-2007 97 Figure 61 Reasons for Doubting Life in Israel, 1986-2007 98 Table 1 Israel 2007 As Reflected in the Indicators: Changes since the 2006 Index 23 9 Acknowledgements Thanks to Dr. Yagil Levy for his perceptive and valuable advice, and to Michael Philippov for his efforts and his contribution to the study. To Dr. Raphael Ventura, to Eli Sapir, and to Ayala Hendin for their assistance in data collection. To Carmit Gai for her assistance in editing this publication. To the Institute’s publication staff for their meticulous and devoted work in the preparation of this book. The 2007 Israeli Democracy Index is dedicated to Captain Zur Zarhi from Nahalal, a beloved friend who went to war, and did not come back. Zur fell in the Second Lebanon War on August 13, 2006. He was 27 years old. 11 Summary Social cohesion has always been a themselves as an inseparable part of the prominent characteristic of Israeli society. In State of Israel and its problems and are ready ordinary times, and particularly in times of to fight for the country should the need arise. trouble, values of mutuality, solidarity, and Most respondents are interested in politics cohesiveness have stood out. In recent years, and talk with their friends and family about however, and particularly in the months that political issues. Beside their pride about the followed the Second Lebanon War, feelings country and their concern with it, most of of weariness, affront, and disgust with them are in a good or very good mood, and political processes in general and with the think they will be able to adapt to the current political system in particular have become situation.

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