Governing Israel

Governing Israel PDF Author: Ira Sharkansky
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1351516841
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 279

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Book Description
Israeli politics and policymaking reflect themes long imbedded in Jewish culture. The concepts of Chosen People and Promised Land, and their meaning in Christian as well as Jewish religious traditions, assure that Israel is perpetually in the international spotlight. They also impose a sense of distinctiveness on the Israeli population. Some Israelis trumpet their country's accomplishments with unrestrained superlatives. Social critics accuse Israel of having the worst of the world's conditions. In this they reflect another trait that seems to have been inherited from the ancients: the prophetic tradition of extreme self-criticism. In reality, much of what occurs in Israel is similar to what occurs in countries that share its characteristics: democracy, western culture, and an advanced level of economic development. Such an idea may seem bizarre alongside headlines about suicide bombings and the country's aggressive defensive posture. This misses what is normal about Israel. In Israel policymakers weigh benefits and costs of various options, and generally choose something moderate, just as they do elsewhere. But this reality does not dim the rhetoric of politics, where hyperbole frequently seems more evident than rational discourse. Sharkansky discusses three central issues in Israeli public affairs: religion, national security, and social policy. He describes how policymakers relate to these issue and themes. Major problems may not be solved, but they are managed in a way that is tolerable. It is in this trait that Israel resembles other western democracies. In sum, biblical themes affect Israel's political rhetoric more than they affect the way officials actually work out their problems. Pragmatic coping with worldly realities generally overcomes emotional expressions that convey ingredients of spirituality.

Governing Israel

Governing Israel PDF Author: Ira Sharkansky
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1351516841
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 279

Get Book Here

Book Description
Israeli politics and policymaking reflect themes long imbedded in Jewish culture. The concepts of Chosen People and Promised Land, and their meaning in Christian as well as Jewish religious traditions, assure that Israel is perpetually in the international spotlight. They also impose a sense of distinctiveness on the Israeli population. Some Israelis trumpet their country's accomplishments with unrestrained superlatives. Social critics accuse Israel of having the worst of the world's conditions. In this they reflect another trait that seems to have been inherited from the ancients: the prophetic tradition of extreme self-criticism. In reality, much of what occurs in Israel is similar to what occurs in countries that share its characteristics: democracy, western culture, and an advanced level of economic development. Such an idea may seem bizarre alongside headlines about suicide bombings and the country's aggressive defensive posture. This misses what is normal about Israel. In Israel policymakers weigh benefits and costs of various options, and generally choose something moderate, just as they do elsewhere. But this reality does not dim the rhetoric of politics, where hyperbole frequently seems more evident than rational discourse. Sharkansky discusses three central issues in Israeli public affairs: religion, national security, and social policy. He describes how policymakers relate to these issue and themes. Major problems may not be solved, but they are managed in a way that is tolerable. It is in this trait that Israel resembles other western democracies. In sum, biblical themes affect Israel's political rhetoric more than they affect the way officials actually work out their problems. Pragmatic coping with worldly realities generally overcomes emotional expressions that convey ingredients of spirituality.

Politics and Government in Israel

Politics and Government in Israel PDF Author: Gregory S. Mahler
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN: 0742568288
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 403

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Book Description
This even-handed and thorough text explores Israeli government and politics. First tracing the history and development of the state, Mahler then examines the social, religious, economic, and cultural contexts within which Israeli politics takes place. The book explains the operation of political institutions and behavior in Israeli domestic politics, as well as Israel's foreign policy setting and apparatus, the Palestinian conflict and the question of Jerusalem, and the Middle East peace process overall. This clear and concise text provides an invaluable starting point for all readers needing a cogent introduction to Israel today.

Politics in Israel

Politics in Israel PDF Author: Brent E. Sasley
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
ISBN: 9780199335060
Category : Israel
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
The Only Contemporary and Comprehensive Text that Offers Students a Framework for Understanding Israel's Past and Present Politics.

The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy

The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy PDF Author: John J. Mearsheimer
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
ISBN: 1429932821
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 651

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Book Description
Originally published in 2007, The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy, by John Mearsheimer of the University of Chicago and Stephen M. Walt of Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government, provoked both howls of outrage and cheers of gratitude for challenging what had been a taboo issue in America: the impact of the Israel lobby on U.S. foreign policy. A work of major importance, it remains as relevant today as it was in the immediate aftermath of the Israel-Lebanon war of 2006. Mearsheimer and Walt describe in clear and bold terms the remarkable level of material and diplomatic support that the United States provides to Israel and argues that this support cannot be fully explained on either strategic or moral grounds. This exceptional relationship is due largely to the political influence of a loose coalition of individuals and organizations that actively work to shape U.S. foreign policy in a pro-Israel direction. They provocatively contend that the lobby has a far-reaching impact on America's posture throughout the Middle East―in Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, and toward the Israeli-Palestinian conflict―and the policies it has encouraged are in neither America's national interest nor Israel's long-term interest. The lobby's influence also affects America's relationship with important allies and increases dangers that all states face from global jihadist terror. The publication of The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy led to a sea change in how the U.S-Israel relationship was discussed, and continues to be one of the most talked-about books in foreign policy.

The Government And Politics Of Israel

The Government And Politics Of Israel PDF Author: Don Peretz
Publisher: Westview Press
ISBN:
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 288

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Book Description
Overviews the dynamics of Israeli politics, focusing on the latest changes in electoral procedures and political parties as well as the origins of the government and the evolution of its institutions. Details the workings and policies of government, and discusses the status of women, political ideologies, interest groups, and the Gulf War. This third edition is revised to reflect changes in the country since 1983, including the withdrawal from Lebanon and the recent Declaration of Principles. Paper edition (unseen), $23.00. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Governing Jerusalem

Governing Jerusalem PDF Author: Ira Sharkansky
Publisher: Wayne State University Press
ISBN: 9780814325926
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 262

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Book Description
Rather than focus on what might happen, the book explains the city's governance by viewing, the period since 1967 against events and emotions much older. Two chapters survey the city's history from biblical times to the present. Subsequent chapters describe the institutions of Israeli government that are relevant to the city; the social, economic, and political setting in which governance occurs; and the style and substance of policymaking. The final chapter evaluates the quality of contemporary governance, explains issues that are prominent on agendas of one or another interested party, and offers alternative scenarios of what might occur.

The Handbook of Israel's Political System

The Handbook of Israel's Political System PDF Author: Itzhak Galnoor
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1108547052
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 1447

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Book Description
There is growing interest in Israel's political system from all parts of the world. This Handbook provides a unique comprehensive presentation of political life in Israel from the formative pre-state period to the present. The themes covered include: political heritage and the unresolved issues that have been left to fester; the institutional framework (the Knesset, government, judiciary, presidency, the state comptroller and commissions of inquiry); citizens' political participation (elections, political parties, civil society and the media); the four issues that have bedevilled Israeli democracy since its establishment (security, state and religion, the status of Israel's Arab citizens and economic inequities with concomitant social gaps); and the contours of the political culture and its impact on Israel's democracy. The authors skilfully integrate detailed basic data with an analysis of structures and processes, making the Handbook accessible to both experts and those with a general interest in Israel.

The Government And Politics Of Israel

The Government And Politics Of Israel PDF Author: Donald Peretz
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 0429974124
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 513

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Book Description
This book offers a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of the dynamics of Israeli politics. It aims to familiarize those interested in Israel's government with that country's origins; the way its political institutions, practices, and traditions have evolved; and the way the government works.

Law and Government in Israel

Law and Government in Israel PDF Author: Gideon Doron
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 131796568X
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 178

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Book Description
While most current studies on law and politics in Israel focus on the legal aspects of public policymaking within the courts, this book explores the relationship between law and government from a positive perspective. That is to say that the question asked is: how the political relationships between the three branches of government affect public policy and hence social outcomes. The eleven contributors to this volume concentrate on Israel from theoretical, comparative and critical approaches, and hence the analysis presented could as well be applied to other polities. This book was published as a special issue of Israel Affairs.

Public Management in Israel

Public Management in Israel PDF Author: Itzhak Galnoor
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1136923853
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 312

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Book Description
As government management in Israel is gradually replaced by private sector management, it is becoming apparent that the collective-oriented mission of government cannot be fulfilled by the private sector or by the non-profit organizations of civil society. This book provides an analysis of the machinery of government in Israel, highlighting the inadequacy of the private sector as an alternative and how public management will need to cope with the new challenges and pressures of the 21st century. Providing hitherto unpublished data and analysis in English for the first time, this book gives a comprehensive analysis of the issue of public and private-sector management. The author examines the tasks of the civil service; the legal foundation of the public management machinery; and the profile of civil servants, and looks at the unwieldy budget process; the prevalence (and absence) of regulation; and external and internal mechanisms of oversight. This analysis is balanced by a detailed exposition of Israel's political-administrative culture with its excessive centralization, secrecy, turf protection, and legacy of improvisation, and their effect on policymaking and administration. This comprehensive and detailed examination of public management in Israel will be of great interest both to students and scholars of business and management, government and politics, and to policymakers in the region.