A new comparative study, issued Wednesday, challenged the assertion that Israel's democracy is eroding, saying that in terms of balancing between granting state rights and imposing civil obligations, Israel is in line with the world's leading democracies and sometimes even takes a more liberal approach.
The study, conducted by the Institute for Zionist Strategies, a Jerusalem-based policy and research think tank, focused on three issues that have been attacked as undemocratic: the demand for a pledge of loyalty as a condition for citizenship; asking minorities to perform military or national service; and restricting prisoners' right to vote.
The study compared Israel and 15 of the world's leading democracies – as ranked by the prestigious Freedom House Index – including the Scandinavian countries, Canada, Austria and others – and found that Israel demands fewer obligations of its citizens than the rights it grants them.
In terms of a pledge of loyalty as a prerequisite for citizenship, the study found that only five of the 15 democracies reviewed require no such pledge at all, while the other 10 did.
Israel does not demand those seeking citizenship under the Law of Return to pledge loyalty to the state, but does demand it from individuals who apply for citizenship through other avenues.
As for the minorities performing military or national service, the study found that seven other democracies that enact conscription offer minorities exemption from service, but six of them condition said exemption on the performance of national service, which is usually longer than the mandatory military service.
Among the seven, none were found to offer minorities a blanket exemption from military service on ethnic or national grounds, as Israel does for its Arab minority; and unlike Israel, all seven impose sanctions on individuals refusing to enlist unless they have been recognized as conscientious objectors.
When it comes to restricting prisoners' right to vote, the study found that like Israel, seven of the 15 democracies reviewed do not place any such limitation on inmates.
"The study shows that Israel stands in line with the freest countries in the world in the balance it strikes between rights and obligations," said IZS research coordinator Noa Lazimi.
