Israel as a Jewish and Democratic State
(Hart
Studies in Comparative Public Law)
by Mazen Masri (Author)
What does Israel's
definition as a 'Jewish and democratic' state mean? How does it affect
constitutional law and the people living in Israel? This book provides a unique
and detailed examination of the consequences of the 'Jewish and democratic'
definition. It seeks to explore how the definition affects the internal
ordering of the state, the operation of the law, and the ways it is used to
justify, protect, and regenerate certain features of Israeli constitutional
law. This book offers a novel perspective on the Jewish and democratic
definition rooted in constitutional theory and informed by a socio-legal
approach. Relying on a wide range of secondary sources, as well as a
significant number of court cases and statutes, the book argues that the
definition is deeply embedded in the constitutional structure in different
ways, and operates, as a matter of law, in a manner that concentrates political
power in the hands of the Jewish citizens and excludes the Arab citizens in
Israel from the process of exercising political power. This timely book will be
essential reading for those who want to understand Israel's character, its
relationship with the constitutional order, and its impact on society. Revised
Dissertation.(Series: Hart Studies in
Comparative Public Law, Vol. 13) [Subject: Constitutional & Administrative
Law, Public Constitutional Law, Middle East Studies, Jewish Studies]