Israel's Democracy Under Siege: A Dual Identity of Rights and Oppression
Israel is often heralded as the only democracy in the Middle East, a beacon of liberal political and civil rights amidst a landscape dominated by authoritarian regimes. However, this characterization has come under increasing scrutiny, particularly in light of actions by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's far-right government and the dire conditions faced in the occupied territories of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
International rankings provide some context, with Freedom House awarding Israel a freedom score of 73 out of 100, illustrating that within its recognized borders, it operates as a free country. Nevertheless, this score does not extend to the occupied Palestinian territories, where rights and freedoms are dramatically absent.
Founded in 1948 as a state intended to be a refuge for Jews, Israel’s founders envisioned a nation that would provide equal rights to its non-Jewish citizens. Yet, as historian Arturo Marzano notes, this promise has never been wholly fulfilled. For decades, Palestinian citizens of Israel were relegated to a status that restricted their rights and freedoms under martial law.
Additionally, to maintain its Jewish identity, Israel has adopted compromises regarding the secularism of the state, leading to a system where religious authorities govern matters such as marriage—a setup inherited from Ottoman rule. This has resulted in inequalities, especially for couples of differing religions, who must often seek marital recognition abroad.
In 2018, the government further entrenched the Jewish character of the state through legislation that prioritized Jewish self-determination and diminished the status of the Arabic language, leading to accusations of systemic discrimination against non-Jewish citizens.
With ongoing conflicts, Israel operates under martial law that weakens its democratic fabric. Netanyahu's prolonged tenure has seen a series of actions that many experts believe have undermined democratic institutions. His government's attempts to shift power from the judiciary to the executive, particularly through a proposed judiciary reform, ignited massive protests and raised alarm over autocratic tendencies within the regime. Critics claim that these measures have leveraged public positions, silenced dissent, and curtailed freedoms under the guise of national security.
The situation within the occupied Palestinian territories of the West Bank reveals a stark contrast to the freedoms enjoyed by Israeli citizens. More than 3 million Palestinians live under a separate legal system that denies them the rights afforded to their Israeli settler counterparts. This has led some to characterize the Israeli regime as akin to apartheid, with an entrenched system of segregated rights.
The West Bank, under Israeli military control, demonstrates a daily reality where movement, civil rights, and legal recourse are met with restrictions for Palestinians, while Israeli settlers accrue full rights as Israeli citizens. The international community grapples with how to classify Israel's situation, with some advocating for a collective assessment of Israel’s democracy, given the indistinct line between its recognized borders and its occupied territories.
The Gaza Strip presents a different dilemma. Although Israel unilaterally withdrew its troops in 2005, control over borders and essential supplies renders it still responsible for the humanitarian situation in the region. This control has led to significant challenges for the civilian population, especially following the outbreak of war after the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023.
The conflict has seen an escalation of violence and suppression of dissent, with the Netanyahu government using the war as a pretext to impose further restrictions on individual freedoms. Actions against academics and demonstrators critical of military responses highlight a worrisome trend towards authoritarianism not only for Palestinian citizens but also for Israeli citizens.
As Israel grapples with its dual identity as a Jewish state and a democratic entity, parliamentary voices like Ahmad Tibi have noted that the country functions as a democracy for Jews while offering limited rights to Arabs. This duality has widened under Netanyahu's administration, making it increasingly difficult to maintain the facade of a complete democracy. With inequities deepening and the possibility of irreversible apartheid conditions in the West Bank, the ideal of a dual identity of democracy and Jewishness faces critical challenges as the state of Israel evolves amid ongoing conflict and internal strife.
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