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Israel is one of the most open democratic countries in the world. Israel is virtually the only democracy in the Middle East. There are multi-party elections, an independent judiciary, a free press, and protection for minority rights. Non-Jews in Israel, including Arabs, enjoy the right to vote. This is the right that many Middle-Eastern people do not have. Many Middle-Eastern countries do not have elections or have rigged elections. Israel is one of the few countries in the Middle East where Arab women are allowed to vote. Arabs hold 8 seats in the 120-seat Isreali Knesset. Elections are only one aspect of democracy. Another is an indeopendent judiciary. There are numerous instances in which Arabs in Isrrael have won court cases. The Israeli Supreme Court ruled that the government cannot allocate land based on religion or ethnicity, and may not prevent Arab citizens from living wherever they choose (2002). The Supreme Court has also ruled on the path of the West Bank Security Fence (2007). All Women in Israel enjoy long established equal rights. While a Jewish state, there is a level of religious pluralism unlike anywhere else in the Middle East. Israel has a population of of 6.7 million, of which about 1.3 million (20 percent) are not Jewish. There are about 1.1 million Muslims, 0.1 million Christians, and 0.1 million Druze. Christians, Jews, Muslims, Druze, and Bahai are free to pracice their religion. Or are also free not to practice a religion. Arabic is an official language in Israel. Israel has one of the best educatinal systems in the world and the best in the Middle-East. There are over 300,000 Arab children attending Israeli schools. When Israel was founded there was one Arab highschool in all of Palestine. Now thhere are hundreds of Aran primay and secondary scchools. Arab children in Israel receive te finest education offered any where in the Middle East. There is also a toleration of homosexuals in Israel unlike any where else in the Middle East. The Gay Pride Parade in Jerusalem is te only one tolerated in the Middle East. There is only one legal difference between Jewish and Arab citizens and that concerns the military. Israel does not require Arabs to serve in the military. This stems from the concern about their loyalty. But it also means that Arab Isrealis are not forced to fight against the Arabs in the hostile states surrounding Israel. Some Arabs have volunteered to serve in the military. Bedouins have volunteered for paratroop forces. Military service is compulsory for the Druze and Circassian Christian communities.
Israel is one of the most open democratic countries in the world. It is virtually the only democracy in the Middle East. There are multi-party elections, an independent judiciary, a free press and protection for minority rights. Non-Jews in Israel, including Arabs, Arabs enjoy the right to vote. This is the right that many Middle-Eastern people do not have. Many Middle-Eastern countries do nt have electins or have rigged elections. Israel is one of the few countries in the Middle East where Arab women are allowed to vote. Arabs hold 8 seats in the 120-seat Isreali Knesset.
Elections are only one aspect of democracy. Another is an independent judiciary. There are numerous instances in which Arabs in Isrrael have won court cases. The Israeli Supreme Court ruled that the government cannot allocate land based on religion or ethnicity, and may not prevent Arab citizens from living wherever they choose (2002). The Supreme Court has also ruled on the path of the West Bank Security Fence (2007).
All Women in Israel enjoy long established equal rights.
While a Jewish state, there is a level of religious pluralism unlike anywhere else in the Middle East. Israel has a population of of 6.7 million, of which about 1.3 million (20 percent) are not Jewish. There are about 1.1 million Muslims, 0.1 million Christians, and 0.1 million Druze. Christians, Jews, Muslims, Druze, and Bahai are free to pracice their religion. Or are also free not to practice a religion. The Isreali Christian population has grown from only 32,000 at independence to 130,000 in 2000. About 80 percent of Isreali Christians are Arabs. At the same time most Arab Christians have emigrated from the West Bank and Gaza. Most appear to have decided that Living in Israel offers more opportunity and security than living under the rule of the Palestinian Authority. And this occured before Hamas seized control of Gaza. .
Arabic is an official language in Israel.
Israel has one of the best educatinal systems in the world and the best in the Middle-East. There are over 300,000 Arab children attending Israeli schools. When Israel was founded there was one Arab highschool in all of Palestine. Now thhere are hundreds of Aran primay and secondary scchools. Arab children in Israel receive te finest education offered any where in the Middle East.
There is also a toleration of homosexuals in Israel unlike anu where else in the Middle East. The Gay Pride Parade in Jerusalem is te only one tolerated in the Middle East.
There is only one legal difference between Jewish and Arab citizens and that concerns the military. Israel does not require Arabs to serve in the military. This stems from the concern about their loyalty. But it also means that Arab Usrealis are not forced to fight against the Arabs in the hostile states surrounding Israel. Some Arabs have volunteered to in the military. Bedouins have volunteered for paratroop forces. Military service is compulsory for the Druze and Circassian Christian communities.
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