The Pulse of Israel: A Democracy Without A Constitution

This module is divided into three sections:

• Basic Laws

  • Israel’s Basic Laws define the responsibilities of numerous state institutions and government officials, outline the civil rights of citizens, and encapsulate the ethos of the country. But do they comprise a constitution?

• Knesset and Government

  • The Knesset is Israel’s parliament, and its government is made up of a select number of Members of Knesset who oversee various state departments. How are these two bodies related and what do they do?

• The Supreme Court

  • The Supreme Court plays a unique role in Israeli democracy. Does the Court hold outsized, undemocratic powers? Or is it Israel’s chief guardian of civil liberties, minority groups, and democracy itself?