Home     About the Project     Main Topics     Committee Debates     Resources     Contact Us   Committee Debates   Search: The Courts  |  The Knesset  |  The Knesset II  |  The Executive branch  |  Legislation  |  Religion and State  |  Israel as the Jewish State  |  Israel Lands Authority  |  Lands and Settlement  |  President of the State  |  The Army  |  State Comptroller  |  Jerusalem  |   Minority Rights   |  Political Rights  |  Social and Economic Rights  |  Rights of Due Process  |  Due Process  |  Right to Life  |  Meetings in Canada and US The Jewish State and the Rights of Minorities   On June 20 and November 29, the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee met to discuss protection of minority rights in the proposed constitution.   The main issues discussed at these meetings were: Israel’s “Jewish and democratic” character Participation and inclusion of Arabs in the constitutional process Minority (particularly Arab) rights in the constitution Introduction Expand Presidential Address Expand Issue 1: Israel’s “Jewish and democratic” character Jew and Arabs in the Jewish Democracy; Defining the state in the Constitution; Jewish vs. Democratic; Historical Definition of the State vs. Minority Rights Expand Issue 2: Participation and inclusion of Arabs Expand Issue 3: Minority Rights in the Constitution Expand Tensions between Jewish and Arab rights in the constitution Individual and collective rights; minority rights; rights vs. desires; arab education; enforcement of constitutional principles; Arab rights and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Expand Arab misgivings about an Israeli constitution Fear of a constitution which disadvantages the already disenfranchised MK Jamal Zachalka (National Democratic Assembly) stated that almost all Arab parties want a democratic constitution, but that he prefers the status quo to a constitution that... Expand Democratic Tyranny and Benevolent Theocracy. MK Avraham Ravitz (Yahdut Hatorah) made two central claims: 1. In all democracies, minorities are often disenfranchised by the majority’s rule. Jewish law, on the other hand, protects minorities better. 2. Ravitz compared the effects of Israeli democracy on Arabs and Haredim. Expand The Purpose of a Constitution: Equality, Collective Rights, Integration, Guidelines -- A Beginning. Professor Gavison explained that the constitution is not meant to, and would not succeed in, answering the questions discussed at the meeting. The constitution is meant to serve people with widely divergent views... Expand Copyright © 2004 The Knesset and The Jewish Agency for Israel. All rights reserved.