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Let the people decide
By Yehezkel Dror

Israel aspires to be the primary state of the Jewish People and to strengthen its existence through better involvement with the Diaspora. This brings several mandatory conclusions. First off, the Jewish people should help make decisions for the State of Israel that bear crucial significance for their future.

As a hypothetical - though not unrealistic - example, consider a permanent agreement with the Palestinians that calls for withdrawal from most of the West Bank and the removal of Jewish settlements there, and dividing Jerusalem based on the Barak and Clinton proposal, with some form of joint rule over the Temple Mount.

As opposed to other matters, such as security issues and refugees, which are mainly "Israeli," giving up parts of the Promised Land, Jerusalem and full rule over the Temple Mount is likely to hold far-reaching significance for the future of the Jewish people. Therefore, the entire Jewish people should be involved in that decision.
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Four counterarguments are: 1. Israel represents the Jewish people and is authorized to act on its behalf; 2. Every Jew who wants to influence these decisions can immigrate to Israel; 3. The decision is a complex one that requires knowledge Diaspora Jewry lacks; 4. The agreement has important geopolitical implications, and therefore the decision should be entrusted to those near the front, meaning the citizens of Israel.

The first three arguments are baseless, while the fourth carries some weight, but not enough. The first and second arguments are based on the assumption that Jews living in Israel are entitled to a privileged role in making decisions on the future of the Jewish people. This is comparable to a claim that only Orthodox Jews are entitled to decide on the future of the Holy City. This position contradicts the basic values of democracy, and should be rejected.

The third argument not only postulates the non-democratic criterion of "knowledge" as a basis for the right to influence, but is factually wrong. The vast majority of Israeli citizens also lack an in-depth understanding of the problems inherent in an agreement with the Palestinians, and have no real advantage in terms of value judgments.

The fourth argument that anyone who does not bear the direct consequences of a decision should not make the choice contradicts basic community participatory rights. This would be similar to postulating that when the future of higher education is at stake, only college students, high-schoolers and university professors are entitled to vote. However, the argument does have a partial justification, as it involves matters of life and death.

This leads us to revise our conclusion: The entire Jewish people should participate in making decisions for the State of Israel that bear critical significance for their future. However, on matters concerning the security of the State of Israel, Israeli citizens should receive more weight.

A radically different conclusion is reached if Israel is regarded as not more than a state of all its citizens. I reject this because it negates the main tenets of Judaism and Zionism. Furthermore, I believe the vast majority of Jewish Israelis, and therefore the vast majority of citizens, rejects this stance. Clearly, the minority opinion is entitled to try to become the majority. However, I consider this prospect unlikely.

One can go even further and argue that the Jewish people is not a public-political entity, and therefore the principles of participation in decision-making do not apply. I reject this view. From a political, sociological and historical perspective, the Jewish people largely resembles an entity where the principle of participatory decision making applies. Any other view negates the very foundations of Zionism.

If the core conclusions are accepted, the practical, critical question is how to realize them. A kind of "Jewish People Referendum" is impossible in the foreseeable future, in the absence of an agreed-on definition of who is Jewish and a suitable quasi-government structure.

Furthermore, constitutional and political problems in Diaspora countries are likely to prevent any kind of referendum on a formally Israeli decision. These conclusions can be advanced and realized in five steps.

First, by setting up a small, permanent group of senior Jewish leaders in the Diaspora that may advise the prime minister and cabinet; second, by expanding this group into a kind of "Jewish People Council" that reflects the views of most Jewish groups, including the State of Israel (but is not based on political parties). Third, including elected representatives in this council where feasible. Fourth, conducting public-opinion studies among Diaspora Jewry to determine opinions on major issues.

And, fifth, institutionalizing the Jewish People Council as an independent body with constitutional status in Israel that can offer advisory opinions to the government and the Knesset and halt decisions for a fixed period of time, along with a set legislative majority.

But first, it is essential that the Israeli governing bodies and the decision makers in the Diaspora accept the principle of graduated participation of the entire Jewish people in state decisions that affect the people's future. This is an urgent imperative because Israel may be approaching such choices.

Yehezkel Dror is founding president of the Jewish People Policy Planning Institute (established by the Jewish Agency for Israel), an Israel Prize recipient and a political science professor emeritus at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
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  1.   Transform the diaspora into a fifth column? Great Idea! 10:55  |  Natallie Durson 09/10/07
  2.   CXhristians and Moslems World Wide Should have a democratic Opini 11:21  |  Bandar Michaels 09/10/07
  3.   SINCE 1922 NOBODY HAS BEEN MORE THAN ATRUSTEE 11:56  |  paul harris 09/10/07
  4.   Dreaming again 12:19  |  Chris Linthwaite 09/10/07
  5.   MYOB Arab apologists 12:27  |  Jasmine Murphy 09/10/07
  6.   Who is a Jew? 12:31  |  Amoz 09/10/07
  7.   Chris Linthwaite #4 12:44  |  S 09/10/07
  8.   Guaranteed to create anti-semitism 13:03  |  Truths 09/10/07
  9.   Natalie Durson 13:03  |  ron 09/10/07
  10.   Chris Linthwaite? 13:08  |  Shirley 09/10/07
  11.   Jasmine Murphy`s analogy 13:08  |  Truths 09/10/07
  12.   Good joke 13:16  |  Hanne 09/10/07
  13.   #10 Shirley 13:16  |  Chris Linthwaite 09/10/07
  14.   truthless 13:24  |  Jasmine Murphy 09/10/07
  15.   The basics of democracy??? 13:42  |  Ruth 09/10/07
  16.   All Must Act Decently 13:52  |  True Moral 09/10/07
  17.   GREAT IDEA!!! THE DIASPORA JEWS CAN 14:12  |  Robert 09/10/07
  18.   #15-Ruth 14:15  |  Robert 09/10/07
  19.   To Chris 14:16  |  Gene 09/10/07
  20.   WELL INTENTIONED BUT MISGUIDED 14:17  |  soggy liberal 09/10/07
  21.   yeah - right 14:33  |  ka 09/10/07
  22.   Easier Said Than Done. 14:43  |  Tony Anthony 09/10/07
  23.   #19 Gene 14:56  |  Chris Linthwaite 09/10/07
  24.   NO WAY 15:14  |  Nicole 09/10/07
  25.   Bad Idea 15:15  |  R Shmuel 09/10/07
  26.   #1natallie should read the irish constitution 15:26  |  victor hardman 09/10/07
  27.   Well..... 15:29  |  Danite 09/10/07
  28.   #3 Paul Harris aka Victor Hardhead. 15:41  |  Labhras 09/10/07
  29.   Misunderstands nature of Diaspora 16:00  |  Geoff 09/10/07
  30.   Isreal is a democracy 16:05  |  Omerbj 09/10/07
  31.   To Chris 16:20  |  Gene 09/10/07
  32.   Absolutely No Way 16:34  |  Yosemite 09/10/07
  33.   #31 Gene 16:57  |  Chris Linthwaite 09/10/07
  34.   Where are the grassroots 17:08  |  Muriel 09/10/07
  35.   The Input of Diaspora Jews 17:10  |  Stephen 09/10/07
  36.   #28 the irish jester confuses himself 17:15  |  victor hardman 09/10/07
  37.   The entire Israelis wants Jerusalem divided 17:22  |  Tamir Palestine 09/10/07
  38.   A promised land but we Palestinians are the owners 17:24  |  Tamir Palestine 09/10/07
  39.   #28 labrat 17:26  |  Sol 09/10/07
  40.   And what about the concept of CITIZENSHIP??? One argument 17:35  |  Danny 09/10/07
  41.   Another argument concerning citizenship issues 17:38  |  Danny 09/10/07
  42.   #1 Victor Hardman aka Paul Harris 17:44  |  Labhras 09/10/07
  43.   No more machers (to # 27 Danite) 17:45  |  DAvid 09/10/07
  44.   LABARSE ALSO KNOWN AS CLICKFOOL 17:59  |  paul harris 09/10/07
  45.   let the people decide 18:04  |  Esteban 09/10/07
  46.   re:amoz-who is a jew?---prove it with your dna--great idea! 18:06  |  yahn goodey 09/10/07
  47.   #33 Chris 18:08  |  Sol 09/10/07
  48.   Jewish Commintern? 18:11  |  Jim 09/10/07
  49.   NO PLO STATE 19:10  |  BOB KING 09/10/07
  50.   click/labrat/boycott 19:32  |  Any name at all 09/10/07
  51.   david 19:45  |  danite 09/10/07
  52.   paul/victor/any name at all/any etc 20:14  |  Labhras 09/10/07
  53.   #33 Sol 21:07  |  Chris Linthwaite 09/10/07
  54.   Let the people decide 22:16  |  an immigrant 09/10/07
  55.   The Armchair Zionist 22:33  |  Daniel 09/10/07
  56.   murder 22:33  |  s 09/10/07
  57.   Great Article 22:37  |  Miriam lowinger 09/10/07
  58.   #53 Chris Linthwaite 22:58  |  Sol 09/10/07
  59.   to Chris Linthwaite re: #53 23:14  |  Jackson 09/10/07
  60.   All Jews not just far-right neocon Jews 23:20  |  Donald 09/10/07
  61.   Israelis should make all decisions about Israel`s future - 23:37  |  B`Galil 09/10/07
  62.   Re 33 Blame the Jews. What else is new. 01:04  |  Alan the real one 10/10/07
  63.   b`Galil 01:32  |  sweis Melbourne 10/10/07
  64.   tamir 01:34  |  sweis Melbourne 10/10/07
  65.   from the diaspora-I have no right to decide 02:00  |  david 10/10/07
  66.   #53 Sol in Canada.Takes from Us taxpayer. 02:06  |  Labhras 10/10/07
  67.   Jews in Control? 02:41  |  Mark Hamil 10/10/07
  68.   Absolute Nonsense 03:22  |  Moshe 10/10/07
  69.   ONLY THE OPINION OF MOSHIACH KING OF ISRAEL COUNTS & WILL SUCCEED 04:36  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 10/10/07
  70.   WITHOUT JERUSALEM, NO PEACE 06:37  |  indrajaya 10/10/07
  71.   # Say Paul, I asked you 6 months ago 07:05  |  ballistic 10/10/07
  72.   Chris You are dreaming with your wide open eyes 08:19  |  Aby 10/10/07
  73.   The Prerogative of the Harlot 08:24  |  Rowan Berkeley 10/10/07
  74.   Chris Dream Antisemit guy dream on 08:25  |  Aby 10/10/07
  75.   The People of Israel Should decide ..... 09:23  |  Dolly 10/10/07
  76.   Israelis abroad and Jews in diaspora need no vote in Israel 09:35  |  Aaron 10/10/07
  77.   chris Lightweight 11:15  |  sweis Melbourne 10/10/07
  78.   Let the people decide? 20:19  |  P. J. Casey 10/10/07
  79.   tamir palestine 04:22  |  maria 11/10/07
  80.   who are the palestinians? 04:40  |  maria 11/10/07
  81.   Decisions 11:11  |  Rivka Levy