neither does Britain, or methinks New Zealand, you don't need one to be a democracy.
Israel doesn't allow people who would now be immigrants to return to towns that their ancestors onced lived in; well, that's immigration control, not restriction on democracy.
Israel restricts those who risk it not being a Jewish state - not true at all, there are parties such as the Communist Party who oppose the concept of a "Jewish State", and in this context Israel being the Jewish State is like France being the French State; so defending that concept would make some sense.
Israeli Arabs have the vote in a PR system and are represented as such, nowhere does he back up his claims or cite sources. He just says "Israel isn't a democracy because it isn't" then lists reasons like the one above about Right of Return which seems to be "Israel isn't a democracy because it doesn't let non-residents vote".
Also, before we go into "Apartheid state" and no democracy in the West Bank, the WB is not part of Israel under Israeli law. The Arabs in East Jerusalem (which is part of Israel under Israeli law) have all the same rights as anyone else.
Israel is a democracy, sorry to ruin your comfortable illusion.
(, Wed 14 Jan 2009, 23:09, Reply)
You do not understand the concept of a Democratic state
(, Wed 14 Jan 2009, 23:14, Reply)
would you win? Probably not. But you could still try.
Now go try it in Saudi...*
*What I'm saying with this is that Israel may not be perfect, but it's better than the next best competitor. Disproportionate treatment of Palestinians? What about Black September, eh?
(, Wed 14 Jan 2009, 23:20, Reply)
And why mention Saudi? They are not the ones who bulldozed into Palestinian land.... dislodging people who had lived there for generations.... claiming God gave them the right to the land and they are not the ones bombing civilians in Gaza.
Anyway.... I'm bored now and leave you to your imaginings
(, Wed 14 Jan 2009, 23:36, Reply)
imaginings? you could run for head of state in israel. the israeli minister of sport is an arab. you know fuck all about this and yet you talk as if you know everything
(, Fri 16 Jan 2009, 15:33, Reply)