Ayelet Harel

This article deals with the quality of Israel’s democracy from the perspective of what it views as the fundamentally hybrid nature of the Israeli regime. From its inception, Israel has been committed to two seemingly conflicting sets of values, one universal (reflected in democratic institutions, practices and ideals) and the other particularistic (reflected in national institutions benefitting a segment of the Israeli population). This article examines the most recent trends in Israel’s constitutional order, including its political culture and especially its legal developments, and their potential impact on the quality of the democratic order in the country. It points out the threats for the existing, imperfect balance between the traditional albeit contradicting commitments of the Israeli society, state and regime, which might push the country toward a hegemonic order.