Living without a Constitution

Covering the history of Israel since its birth, this comprehensive discussion focuses on the historical, ideological and political determinants of the civil rights issues within Israel. Important topics covered include the historical and ideological roots of Israeli democracy; the problems of a collective society during the establishment of a democratic state; the legal and political attitudes towards human rights in the Occupied Territories and the implications of these attitudes for the peace process; the dilemma of a democracy in a state of war; and problems of democracy versus national security. The author makes use of interviews with prominent national policy makers. Living Without a Constitution; Chapter 1 The Collective before the Individual: The Ideology of the Jewish Settlement in Palestine; Chapter 2 Strengthening the Government at the Expense of Civil Rights: The First Years of Statehood; Chapter 3 Religion, Politics, and Religious Coercion; Chapter 4 The High Court of Justice: Defender of Civil Rights; Chapter 5 Freedom of the Press; Chapter 6 Freedom to Demonstrate; Chapter 7 Freedom of Association; Chapter 8 Security Laws: One Step Forward and Two Steps Back; Chapter 9 Was the Failure to Enact a Basic Human Rights Law Inevitable?; Chapter 10 Conclusions and Recommendations;