It seems that every free and democratic vote that results in a victory for conservatives marks the "death of democracy." If you Google "death of democracy in America," you get 54,800,000 results. No social media "influencer" can match that. Among the first 10 results is Al Jazeera's prediction of doom: "Unless that simple, yet hard realization is embraced by folks now, America's dark days will only become dimmer."
Meanwhile, a Google search for "death of democracy in Israel" is more reassuring, returning only 29,500,000 results. At the top of the list? Yes, Al Jazeera: "Many left-wing Israelis are concerned that anti-democratic legislation is pushing Israel towards fascism." It's fortunate that Qatar's state-owned mouthpiece is there to carry the torch of civilization. Of course, in Qatar, alcohol consumption is punishable by 40 whippings. Proselytizing? Ten years in prison. No Pride Parades, naturally. And then there is stoning.
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Yes, Israel's democracy differs from the American system. But Israel is not America and that may not be so bad. In fact, not only Israel's but most European democracies differ from the American system. For example, the British monarch is the supreme governor of the Church of England. The Archbishop of Canterbury is designated by the reigning monarch on the advice of the prime minister. Measures passed by the General Synod of the Church of England, the church's legislative body, must be approved by Parliament. Does that entanglement of religion and state, so different from America's strict separation, make England a theocracy?
Like the UK, Israel enjoys a robust Western democratic structure while maintaining a historic bond with the religious identity that underlies its existence. There is a Chief Rabbinate, a Ministry of Religion and other symbols of a Jewish country. However, Israel's core commitment to democracy has never has been challenged, with even Labor Party secularists like David Ben-Gurion honoring the country's unique cultural and religious heritage.
Israel has held five national elections in slightly more than three years, proving that democracy is thriving. Moreover, Israel's elections are conducted differently from those in America. Only a few groups are permitted to vote by mail: Diplomats posted abroad, soldiers stationed away from home, sailors, women in shelters, prisoners and patients confined to hospitals and nursing homes. Election day is only one day, not a month or a fortnight. There is no ballot harvesting and no drop boxes. Voting is by paper ballot and results are tallied manually.
