CASE STUDY IN PROSPERITY, SOCIAL DIVISION AND POLITICAL CONFLICT: ISRAEL Compiled by Max Fanwick

INTEREST IN ISRAEL• The ‘Western Style Democracy’ in the middle East

• Visits to Israel

• Family in Israel

http://www.jewishlifeseries.com/israel/israel.jpg

ISRAEL IN THE FREEDOM TABLE

Criteria United States Israel

Political Rights 1 1

Civil Liberties 1 2

Freedom Rating Free Free

2013 GPI Score* 2.13 2.73

2013 GPI Rank* 99 150

• Both Electoral Democracies

http://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2013/jun/11/global-peace-index-2013

CAUSES OF POLITICAL CONFLICT

INTERNAL ISRAELI AFFAIRS

• What is Israel?

• What should the laws be based on?

• Should there be a nation at all?

ISRAELI PALESTINIAN CONFLICT

• Who was their first?

• Should the Palestinians have their own nation?

• Do they have the ability for self determination?

ECONOMIC PROSPERITY

http://thomasinisrael.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/csr8241.gif

• 2009 Growth at 1.2 (US at -2.9%)*

• Self Sufficient Economy

• First Sign of Natural Resources

*http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG

DIVISIONS WITHIN THE NATION

• Religious Right• Extreme Orthodox

• Moderates• Modern Orthodox• Conservative

• Secularists • Reformed

Religious Right

•A Jewish Nation•Halacha as Law

Moderates

•A Nation of Jews•Judeo Based Law

Secularists

DRIVING FORCES IN CONFLICT

• Parliamentary Republic

• Self Sufficiency Promoting Need to Co-Exist

• Laws Based on Common Law, Civil Codex & Jewish Law

• Separate Religious Courts for some Issues

Religious and Ethnic