If a Jewish presence in Hebron is wrong and an occupation then it is also wrong and an occupation in Tel Aviv. However if you believe that Jews have a right to live in this and then that right is not limited by the UN or the Hamas charter. I don't claim the right to expel anyone from their home whether it be in the '48 armistice lines or in the post '67 borders, but I deny the false distinction of 'occupied'. The Arabs and their friends see right through your semantics and call the whole of Israel occupied Palestine. And they include Gaza,Ramalla, Jenin in that too, even though the 'occupiers' there are Fatah and Hamas.

quat "Equality would be full and democracy " no one big no, democracy means Equall opertunity not Equality, that is in comunizm and not democracy, zionisim never went as far as identify itself in a governing form, 100 years ago there were also zionism in different form, the true meaning of zionizm changes with time according to reality with main principle the love of Israel..

There is a big contradiction in "Jewish" and "democratic" state concept. If it's democratic - and one day, G-d forbid, arabs will become the majority (thru high birthrate) - they will elect their majority into Knesset and will rename Israel to "Pali" or whatever other name they will choose; they will abolish the Law of Return for the Jews and will apply it for arabs. That is democracy. Total contradiction to Judaism / Jewish State. Read what Rabbi Kahane Z"L said about it back in the 80's.. Same applies for the Declaration of Independence. You can't have both....

Good to feel that there is still hope.

True Democracy also means Equal Rights to all its citizens. Equal rights should therefore also be given to Arab Israelis and to those Jews [ not having Judaism as faith ] who would like to get married in a Civil ceremony. Eventhough Israel is predominantly a Jewish State, it does not have the right to impose Jewish religious rules on Christian Jews, Atheists or Jews with other religions.

Nobody is preventing Arabs from self-determination. Arabs don't want self-determination, they don't want a country, they just want to destroy Israel. You are living in denial.

Equal duities and personal responsibility, you can have it all. it will be racism if only part of the population will have duties while the others don't.

The notion that every people has a right to "self-determination," was one of President Woodrow Wilson's "Fourteen Points," along with the League of Nations and other hair-brained Utopian schemes. That is why we call these sort of ideals like spreading democracy in the Muslim-Arab world, "Wilsonian." Wilson's Secretary of State, Robert Lansing asked, "When the President talks of 'self-determination' what unit has he in mind? Does he mean a race, a territorial area, or a community. It was a calamity Lansing thought, that Wilson had ever hit on the phrase. "It will raise hopes which can never be realized. I fear it will cost thousands of lives. In the end, it is bound to be discredited, to be called the dream of an idealist who failed to realize the danger until it was too late to check those who attempt to put the principle into force." Did Wilson intend that any people who called themselves a nation should have their own state? "That is the American princple," said Wilson. Yet he had no sympathy for Irish nationalists and their struggle to free themselves from British rule. During the Peace Conference, Wilson insisted that the Irish question was a domestic matter for the British. When a delegation of nationalist Irish asked him for support, he felt, he told his adviser, like telling them to go to hell! (Margaret Macmillan, "Paris 1919")

Democracy comes from the greek for majority rule. There is nothing in the definition having to do with "equal rights" or "equal opportunity".

Maybe you read and totally misunderstood my post. Happens... Arabs have NO right to be a majority in the Jewish land. They should not have any political rights (i.e. Tibi, Zahalka, Bishara..and all other treif members of their society). They should be offered one way ticket out of the land with the partial compensation for their property (the rest of the compensation will come from the arab countries which forced it's Jewish population out in 1947 and on...) That will settle the issue of exchange of the populations. They can dwell happily among their own for generations to come. That's it...

yisrael must not be under the law of men who are all sinners,democracy is a lie,yisrael must be under the law of G´d because you are the light of the world and the law is the torah.

The Western and Israeli Elite will always side with the underdog (This is the enlightened nature) When Israel was an unproven, small country making its way in the world, we were the underdogs. Now, that we are in a position of strength, it is the Palestinians who are at the disadvantage and therefore, the underdogs. Regardless of this ridiculous notion, Jews - secular or otherwise- have been persecuted through out history and this alone grants us the right to self determination.

Even though there is no universally accepted definition of 'democracy', there are 2 principles that any definition of democracy includes. The first principle is that all members of the society (citizens) have equal access to power and the second that all members (citizens) enjoy universally recognized freedoms and liberties. It's a fact that Arab Israelis have neither. As for marriages are concerned, the current Government has realized that it must change the current rules as it will not be acceptable anymore not to have a civil marriage process.

So-called "intellectuals" reject the reality that there is no contradiction whatsoever if a democracy is also a Jewish nation-state. When Palestine is created alongside Israel, the Palestinian people will be able to determine the nature of their own state (which will have Arab culture and traditions). The idea of the nation-state is far from dead, and the Jews have every right that other nations do to a recognized homeland.

The Muslims in Israel do not have to abide by religious laws that put their own religiosity in jeopardy in any way that does not impact a Jews life as well. Likewise, look at France....they don't work on Sunday just like the business laws in Israel call for an extra fine if the business is open on Saturday.

The arab population growth is inevitable whatever you'd spell. Thus, or Jewish or "democratic". I suppose the article is just a juggling with words - through the fear. Alas!

Israeli Arab Muslim kids go to school on Saturday and not Friday. Banks in those areas are open on Saturday and not Fridays. The same for Israeli Christian Arabs. Sunday is THEIR day of rest. BTW, the different Arab sectors also have their own school ciriculums!! They have their businesses open whenever THEY want to. Only religious marriages are recognized in Israel...and so Muslims are married in their fashion, Christians in theirs..etc.. This obvious connection between 'church and state' (American term for the mixing of religion and governement) is problematic. In Jewish towns, the local town councils decide if businesses can be open on Saturday. A more complicated and democratic and TOLERANT society does not exist on the face of this planet. Most people, even Israelis don't realize this. But as an Ex-American (growing up during the self empowering 60's) and not blinded by ideology or politics, this is what I see.

THEY DO HAVE RIGHTS LIKE OTHER CITIZENS, AND LESS OBLIGATIONS THEN THE JEWS. THE JEWS ARE ANGRY WITH THEM BECAUSE THEY DONT SERVE IN THE ARMY AND MOST DONT PAY COUNCIL TAX (PROPERTY TAX) AND WATER BILLS IN THEIR COUNCILS AND CITIES. AS FOR EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES TO BE ELECTED, JEWISH LEFTISTS PARTIES INCLUDE ARAB MEMBERS, SO ARABS OF ISRAEL VOTE FOR THEM. THERE ARE ALSO ARAB PARTIES, BUT EVERYONE KNOWS THEY WOULD SOONER SEE ISRAEL DESTROYED, EVEN THE ARAB CITIZENS SEE THAT.

It's whether democracy satisfies the needs of our Jewish state. Paqid Yirmeyahu The Netzarim, Ra'anana, Israel Israeli Torah Jew (Orthodox Teimani Baladi Dardai) Advancing Logic as Halakhic Authority Welcoming Jews & non-Jews www.netzarim.co.il

The "gold standard" of a democracy under the rule of law is the US. That gold standard is that the government must insure "equal protection of the laws" for every citizen. Yes... citizen! Anyone familiar with the litigation history of equal protection in the US knows that the arguments put forth here that democracy is fulfilled when Israel's government grants privileges to Jews over non-Jews knows this to be a simple untruth. The idea of government applying law equally to all is of constitutional dimension - Israel has no constitution. And nowhere do the Basic Laws require its government to give equal "rule of law" regard to Jews and non-Jews.

B"H There is a little pamphlet called the Bible's in the middle. This author completely forgot it and he forgot it too that the declaration of independence does not include the word "democracy", and that it does include the term: "the book". He asks "How did we get there within six decades?". The simple answer is by ignoring and working against Torah in Israel. Is it sad? Yes, very.

Mr. L., you fail the core test of knowing the basic facts: Israel's declaration of indepedence asures full civil rights to all, regardless of race, gender, religion, and national identity. It also secures group rights and the right to a separate culture. Legally an Arab minority in Israel is like a national minority in other national states.

The League of Nations entrusted Britain to help set up a Jewish homeland in Palestione. Britain gave 77% of Palestine to create what is now the Kingdom of Jordan, leaving 23% for Israel. 'Israel' was meant to include the West Bank and Gaza. Churchill and Weitzman both understood this and it was only much later that the PLO decided that some ancient Palestinian nation had once existed as part of their campaign to slowly strangle the Jewish state.