Put an end to monopoly (Israel Opinion, Ynetnews)
- Before the modern period most of the ideas and practical approaches of what we know today as “streams of Judaism” co-existed side by side in the reality of the Jewish communities. Indeed, in the Mishna, the foundational text of Judaism as we know it, these streams are found side by side embedded in the variant opinions preserved as legitimate.
In modern times, these ideas, for many different reasons, developed into discrete movements. The reality is that Jewish religion today includes all of these movements. Thus, in order for a State to claim that it is Jewish it must not, ever, establish one of the streams over any other. To that extent, the State must distinguish between its right to impose by force laws on citizens, and remove itself from imposing laws which violate any religious conviction of a legitimate Jewish stream.
True, Judaism is a political religion, but the Mishna makes it clear that the founders of Judaism expected a politics which would protect, preserve and even encourage various interpretations of how to be Jewish. The Mishna includes mechanisms for rule in a situation of multiple opinions and practices. If Israel is to be able to claim that it is a “Jewish State” it must return to that original mentality and conception.In practice that would mean disestablishing the “religious establishment”, that is the Chief Rabbinate and its court system, and in its place create a “Religious authority” that would fairly and justly support and grant authority and State legitimacy to all streams of Judaism. Yes, there are issues on the boundaries, but there would be almost unanimous agreement on those boundaries. Indeed, the existence of established movements with members, institutions, history etc. would be a major factor in deciding who is included and who is not.
Comment / Can Israel have its OECD cake and eat it too? (Haaretz - Israel News)
- Is this model sustainable? Can Israel afford itself to pick and choose its participation for the long run and advance its interests in multilateral economic institutions only? I am afraid the answer is negative. The line between global politics and business is becoming very ambiguous. Multilateral economic forums are constantly being influenced by non-economic factors and political agenda. Our experience with the World Trade Organization showed us that the expansion of its membership and its growing agenda, including politically sensitive areas such as environmental and health policies, have politicized this economic institution. China, for example, has been using it to advance its anti-Taiwan foreign policy.
- Israel will have to choose its place in the world. Is it going to be an integral part of the future globalized world or continue to use cherry-picked international forums as long as we can control for the traditional bias? OECD membership may help Israel improve both its credit in international financial markets and the ability of Israeli companies to access liquidity, but it will make it very difficult for many Israeli diplomats and policy makers to explain why Europe should leave Israel alone in its fight for democracy and peace in the Middle East. The European interventionist sentiment is designed, among other places, in Paris, just couple of miles from the OECD headquarters.
OECD membership is a good thing for the Israeli economy. The OECD will officially accept one of the most advanced economies in the world to its table. It will boost Israel?s fight for its legitimacy in the world of ideas. Yet, when the inauguration ceremonies are over, OECD diplomats and technocrats may use Israel?s membership to promote their own political agenda in the region. Israel should be prepared for this moment. At that point, postponing the peace process for too long may not be an option.
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