> Hello folks, > > I have just joined this forum, so please be gentle. I > have surfed around a few discussions and am generally > impressed with the strength of opinion shown, not to > mention the knowledge many have about certain areas > of political life. Ahhh, the internet! Where will it > all lead us to in the coming decades? Truly amazing. > > In terms of something to discuss under this theme, > viz, "Israel & Palestine – old roads, new > maps", I am wondering if anyone has previously > discussed the Israeli electoral system? Below is a > "cut & paste" of a section of my first posting the > other day in the "What about faith?" section (Under > the rather enigmatic subject heading "age's") > > Can we enter into gentle dialog about this issue? > Perhaps someone would care to inform me about the > Palestinian electoral system, of which I know > absolutely nothing. > > SNIPPET (from "age's") > I sincerely believe much of the trouble in the Middle > East would be alleviated if Israel had a different > electoral system. It is presently a fully > proportional representation system for the whole > country, which has a parliament (Knesset) of 120 > members. Therefore a candidate only needs to attract > an extremely small percentage of votes to secure a > seat in the legislature. Thus for a party to gain a > majority in the legislature and form a government, it > is forced to construct strange alliances within the > legislature with all sorts of minor parties and > individuals - usually weird far-right, ultra > nationalist & religious or far-left political > parties. For instance, the Likud party won a > "landslide" victory at the last elections - and > picked up only 30 seats of a 120 seat Knesset. This > means it has to form alliances with at least another > 31 members of the Knesset in order to gain a majority > on the floor of the legislature. Essentially any > reformer has their hands tied because of this and an > inordinate amount of power is given to minorities. > > It is one of my greatest lamentations that Israel > adopted this most useless and dysfunctional electoral > system!!! > END SNIPPET > > In peace, > David Tehr > Perth, Western Australia I agree with you that Israel's electoral threshold is too low, but in terms of what ails the Middle East, this is about the smallest problem, if it is a problem at all outside of Israeli internal politics. It is certainly not correct, in my view, to call it "useless". Even if you raised the threshold two or threefold, you'd likely still have the same problems, and at this point, you'd probably risk not having any Arabs in the Knesset, save a consolidation of all Arab parties. What you speak of is a problem endemic to parliamentary government. Whatever deal is negotiated, it will not work unless both Labor and Likud are on board with it.

Well, thank you for this. I am a moderate liberal -- my bother insists that I'm not an ultra liberal! -- who believes in social democracy. I am also a Jew who does not believe that Israel can do no wrong. Recently, a close friend stormed out of a coffee house swearing she would never speak to me again because I remarked that Israel could build a wall up to the sky if it wished to do so, as long as it was built along the Green Line. The settlements are illegal. Period. However, you have hit the nail on the head, at least you have in my opinion. I have little faith in Sharon and I will not lose sleep if he in indicted . . . but, as you say, his hands are tied. (Whether or not her prefers them to be tied is another issue.) "Landslide" 30 seat, my foot! My brother wants to know how the Israeli constitution is worded. In other words, what would it take to amend the current voting rules. (Not that I'm holding my breath, after Florida!) Do you know how this might work? And your question about Palestinian legislation is interesting. Judylaine Fine Toronto