Description

When Israel was officially established as a democratic Jewish state, the resolve to protect and develop Jewish identity and democracy created numerous tensions, particularly as a result of the protracted conflict between Israel and the Arab world. Between Consent and Dissent analyzes the impact of these tensions on the Israeli-Jewish public's commitment to democratic values, its processes, and a peaceful relationship with their neighboring countries. Ephraim Yuchtman-Yaar and Yochanan Peres skillfully demonstrate how the institutional and cultural strengths and weaknesses of Israeli democracy are manifested in the vast social and political sectors within the Jewish community--secular and religious, left and right wing, and pro-capitalists and pro-socialist Jews. Backed by meticulously researched empirical data, Yuchtman-Yaar and Peres conclude that, despite its vulnerability, Israel's democracy is here to stay.