Parliamentary democracy fail

One of the virtues of parliamentary democracy – perhaps its most important virtue – is accountability.

Accountability exists when those elected to make or execute the laws of the country can be voted out office when the laws fail to serve the common good, or when those responsible for the administration of the laws are remiss in their duties.

In other words, accountability exists when the ruling party of the government can be toppled by a parliamentary vote of no confidence and be replaced by an alternative party.

If this defines a parliamentary democracy, it is virtually unknown in Israel!

The Knesset, observing 61 years of existence. Photo: Itzik Edri, CC BY 2.5 Generic License

Indeed, during modern Israel’s seven decades, no Labor- or Likud-led government has ever been toppled and replaced by an alternative party by a parliamentary vote of no confidence!

This assertion stands despite the “stinking” maneuver of 1998, when Shimon Peres (Labor) and Aryeh Deri (Shas) deserted the National Unity Government headed by Yitzchak Shamir (Likud), but failed to form (as Peres and Deri had plotted) a Labor government!

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Consistent with this grotesque display of parliamentary democracy, it cries to heaven that regardless of which political party has been at the helm since the 1993 Oslo or Israel-PLO Agreement — and in complete indifference to the 15,000 Jewish casualties resulting from that insidious, on-going agreement — no party or party leader in this reputed democracy has been held accountable for Oslo’s bloody failure.

Israel not really a parliamentary democracy

Conclusion: To call Israel a parliamentary democracy is to make a mockery of this form of government and of Oslo’s tragic consequences of which there is no end in sight.  Moreover, no foreseeable Israeli Prime Minister would dare expose the truth about Oslo and Israeli democracy, notwithstanding Israel’s periodic multiparty elections – the veneer of democracy that conceals the mockery.◙

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