ern environment in which it is situated. The legitimacy of Israeli society and the identification by the majority Jewish population with the state and its institutions rest on several foundations: Zionist Jewish nationalism, the existence of an outside threat to Israeli security, Judaism, collectivism, and democracy. (Peretz, Doron, 1997, 27)
The Israeli political system is characterized by certain West European democratic arrangements: elected government, multiparty competition, a high level of voter participation in local and national elections, an independent judiciary that is the country's foremost guardian of civil liberties, a vigorous and free press, and the supremacy of civilian rule.
Like Israel, the American political system is characterized by elected government, multiparty competition, voter participation in elections - though at a lower level than almost any other politically-democratic system in any other country - an independent judiciary, a free press (though perhaps not so vigorous as that of Israel), and the supremacy of civilian rule. The most important differences between the two systems is the separation of powers that exists in the American system, in which the President can veto acts of Congress, the Supreme Court can declare actions of the President and Acts of Congresss unconstitutional, and only the Congress can initiate action to appropriate through taxation and then approve spending plans for public money. (Gerberg, 1991, 44)
In the late 1980s, increasing disagreement over some fundamental questions, for instance, the state's territorial boundaries and the role of religion in the state, led to a breakdown in the pre 1967 national consensus over such issues in Israel. Such disagreement has resulted in intense ideological polarization as reflected in electoral and parliamentary stalemates between the two major political parties Likud and the Israel Labor Party and their allies. (Peretz, Doron, 1...