Israeli institutions at the Crossroads (PDF)

This is a fascinating collection of essays about Israeli society and its institutions. It is written by practitioners who have experience and knowledge, who are equipped with the insight and knowledge, and who bore responsibility while serving the public in the various institutions. Among the authors are former State President Yitzhak Navon, former cabinet minister Gad Yaakobi, former Deputy Speaker of the Knesset Naomi Chazan, former Attorney General Elyakim Rubinstein, Former Supreme Court President Meir Shamgar, and the State Comptroller Eliezer Goldberg. Indeed, some of the best authors in their respective fields take part in this project. The book aims to tackle timely concerns, analyzing the relationships between democracy and bureaucracy, the military-political complex, the issue of separation of powers in democracy and more specifically the role of the Supreme Court, and the need for a written, solid constitution. It also sheds light on the roles of other influential institutions: the government, the Presidency, the Knesset, the Legal Advisor to the Government, and the State Comptroller. In addition, the book discusses citizenship education in Israel as well as the press council and its role in a democratic society. The book will be useful to researchers on Israeli democracy, students, teachers, historians, sociologists, political scientists and legal scholars who wish to better understand this fascinating society and its institutions.