as opposed to being a state where Jews happen to live, is a load of brouhaha then. Hopefully our politicians will begin to court the majority of hones decent Israelis who work hard and raise their families, rather than a bunch of parasites who do not serve and do not work, but are unfortunately more likely to vote to keep their revenue streams coming in.

if state and religion are not separated. This is why tensions in Europe are much less.

While I am for separation of religion and state on principal grounds, your assumption on the reduction of tension in Europe is misinformed: Denmark, Iceland, and Norway have all 'state churches', yet tensions are probably lower than in former Yugoslavia, which had not. France has quite some 'tension' between Non-muslims and Muslims, yet is the most secular country by constitution in Europe. By the way, when Europe is showing a combination of indifference, impotence, and hypocrisy towards real war crimes (rather than imagined ones), it is not the best of time to pride oneself with the Euro way of life!

While I am for separation of religion and state on principal grounds, your assumption on the reduction of tension in Europe is misinformed: Denmark, Iceland, and Norway have all 'state churches', yet tensions are probably lower than in former Yugoslavia, which had not. France has quite some 'tension' between Non-muslims and Muslims, yet is the most secular country by constitution in Europe. By the way, when Europe is showing a combination of indifference, impotence, and hypocrisy towards real war crimes (rather than imagined ones), it is not the best of time to pride oneself with the Euro way of life!

Really ? Open your eyes ...................

It's time for the politicians to remember that and enforce a basic law we have which is freedom of religion and FROM religion. A person who wishes to support his family even on sabbath should be able to do so without some guy with a beard in Bne Brak declaring he can't. Now that the haredim aren't even in the government politicians don't even have the excuse of not listening to the public due to the threat of a small party disbanding the coalition. You can start by giving Israelis the right to marry to whoever they want in what way they want.

Those who think shamaiim is on their side certainly don't know that all people were created equal. Israeli majority wants them separated, always wanted them separated, always will want them separated. This dream MUST come through with the separation of state from religion. MUST. MUST.

economic necessity as well as a spiritual virtue. We were made in the image of H-Shem & therefore we must act & serve Him & human kind in that image. If Israel has no respect for the Shabat, then Israelis (Jews) will be working on the Shabat & doing so diminishes ones life span & ones enjoyment of life. In addition to a Torah virtue, keeping the Shabat forces Jews who want to be wealthy to create product, services or skills that appeal to other nations & can be sold to them at high prices. Israel is already doing this very successfully (Baruch H-Shem) & many others who are not are doing this are better off financially than if there were fewer Israeli innovators. Yes, there may be some services that must remain open to the public on Shabat, but they must do so under government licensed approval. Separation of church & state is a USA modernism, as christians were never really Torah keepers. Jews are ! If you Jews are so stupid as to take Judaism out of State authority, you will have no Jewish State & you can uphold your alliegence to modernism in any of the other secular states in the world & Israel will fail. Torah was kept by Israeli Jews all throughout history, up to & including Kibbutz creation.

Let's do it already. One secular state. One Torah state. Done.

I think you must not be living in Holland where De Wilder got a substantial number of votes because of problems with people from other faiths and culture. Those people do not have the same ideas about women's and others rights and are a growing part of the population living in Holland so the tensions are bound to grow no matter what

will not listen to your advice and work toward uniting the Jewish people

Worthless survey with custom results

and also in the immediate years after 1948 we were in need of leaders who did things without asking too many questions of the electorate, quasi dictatorial leaders like Ben Gurion and all the doers of the Hagana, Jewish Agency and Federation. Today we are in need of leaders who do, as we, the electorate wish. It is time that a national referendum is held to determine exactly which kind of country we wish to live in, what kind of administration we want and how exactly we wish to conduct our lives. Separation of state and religion, constitution, proportional representation and presidential system should all be on the agenda of the referendum. Israel is incapable of conducting herself in a normal fashion as things stand at the moment. Time is pressing.

Israel has the tensions within one religious group (secular vs. religious); that's not the case in Europe. Christians don't quarrel about how to run public life as Jews do in Israel.

and you have confirmed it in numerous whackjob comments. Maybe that explains why you are in California and not in Israel.

YES, ISRAEL is a jewish state. IN THE SENSE THAT IT IS A REFUGE FOR JEWS TO SETTLE IN IF PERSECUTED WHEREVER THEY MAY BE. this is why it was formed and born. now, go away idiot.

Seperate religion from state you no longer have a Jewish state and so if you don't have that then what reason does Israel have to exist? Do that why fight against right of return for palestinians, why even go for a two state solution when we can have a single state free from religion? All the things we are agains we would have if we separated religion and state, Does the world need a Jewish state, should there be a Jewish state, these are all issues that must be considered if you want separation.

There are many issues that need to be resolved. No doubt about that. However, what is not mentioned is that Israel has no constitution. Therefore, the separation of religion and state, which is definitely a problem will persist.

Let's get one thing straight, Berk. The bloody wars of the last century in Europe, which surpassed all previous wars in history combined in terms of casualties and level of destruction, were fought between secular mass ideologies. National Socialism/ Fascism, International Socialism/Communism. The peace that has reigned since the end of WW2 was guaranteed by the Allied victors, and not by the EU.

other than an annual vacation, and so you are in no position to criticize. On your own admission, you are from Britain, living in London permanently, and come to Tel Aviv once a year for a 2-week holiday. It has already been established that your views correspond to a tiny extreme minority leftist fringe element of Israeli Jewish society, with no bearing whatsoever on the mainstream. Most people with a brain understand clearly what Netanyahu means when he, and all other Israeli Prime Minsters before him, says "Israel is a Jewish state". He is talking about a state of the Jewish people, and not a state governed according to strict Halachic Jewish religious law. If you are of the opinion that Jews do not constitue a people and a nation, but only a religious group, then that is your problem and deficiency.

I can't believe you are in the "Usa." "Shabat is an economic necessity. We were made in the image of H-Shem ..." ??? Listen, the dark side of the moon suits you well along with dummies like you, so go home.

If the majority of Israelis want to live in a modern democratic Israel, then in a proper democracy politicians elected to serve and paid for by the public should represent their views. Otherwise we might as well call ourselves iran and have done with it.

Obviously you don't understand the article The majority of Israelis do not want it to be known as the Jewish State, the majority of Israelis want Israel to be known as a state where jews live, with equal rights for all regardless of what religion or even whether they have any religion. That is what is meant by a secular state, one where religion is separated from the government,

Petach Tiqvah, the mother of the Jewish agricultural settlements in Eretz Israel, was founded in 1878 by religious Jews. That's 4 years before the secular Rishon Lezion.

removing settlements and miliitary bases based on provisional borders for a pal state is madness and b ibi is wilting under pressure again. likud has to topple bibi and not allow him to give in to his weaknesses which are huge. Bbibi is repeating sharon's mistakes and rabin's mistakes and barak's mistakes. US assurances are worthless.

Obviously you don't understand the article The majority of Israelis do not want it to be known as the Jewish State, the majority of Israelis want Israel to be known as a state where jews live, with equal rights for all regardless of what religion or even whether they have any religion. That is what is meant by a secular state, one where religion is separated from the government,

I hold an Israeli passport That makes me an Israeli dual national, I am eligible to vote in the elections in Israel, my views are as valid as anyone else's Doesn't matter one jot how long I stay in Israel, and as a Jew that is my right. Or do you envisage a Jewish state for some Jews, the one's you like?

If you think that the State of Israel will survive with just the ultra orthodox then good luck to you. There is a reason for the drop in support, they are the ones who have moved to the United States and Europe in search of a better life