Why Israel's missing constitution matters

+ were lockdowns worthwhile? US Edition - Today's top story: It wasn't just politics that led to Netanyahu's ouster – it was fear of his demagoguery [View in browser]( US Edition | 17 June 2021 [The Conversation]( Academic rigor, journalistic flair Politics and change in Israel was the focus of much of our coverage this past week. We dug beneath the headlines to tell you the deeper story of the ouster of longtime Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, known as “Bibi.” UCLA scholar Dov Waxman wrote that [Netanyahu lost his position]( not just because he was disliked and distrusted by potential coalition members, but because they saw his increasingly autocratic moves in the last few years as posing a threat to the rule of law and democracy. About that new government that took office this past week: Morad Elsana, a legal scholar at American University, wrote that “[this is the first time]( the Zionist political parties forming the government are including an Arab party.” Elsana wrote how the leader of that party, Mansour Abbas, “is convinced that his party’s governing responsibilities will change the face of Israeli politics in all matters related to the Arab minority and will show positive results for the rights and status of Arab citizens in Israel.” Scholar Kristen Alff spent 12 years reading all of the land documents from the largest real estate company in the Eastern Mediterranean in German, Hebrew, Arabic and Ottoman Turkish. Against the background of the dispute over land in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem that sparked the recent violence between Israel and Palestinians, [Alff wrote for us about]( “the true history of land ownership in the regions – which is complicated, disputed and rarely decided in favor of Palestinians.” Naomi Schalit Senior Editor, Politics + Society Benjamin Netanyahu sits in the Knesset before parliament voted June 13, 2021, in Jerusalem to approve the new government that doesn’t include him, Amir Levy/Getty Images [It wasn’t just politics that led to Netanyahu’s ouster – it was fear of his demagoguery]( Dov Waxman, University of California, Los Angeles Benjamin Netanyahu wasn't ousted just for typical political reasons, such as other politicians' ambitions or grievances. He was thrown out because he was seen as a threat to democracy. Mansour Abbas, Israeli Arab politician and leader of the Ra'am Party, in a meeting at the Israeli president’s residence in Jerusalem on April 5, 2021. Abir Sultan/Pool/ AFP/Getty Images [Historic change: Arab political parties are now legitimate partners in Israel’s politics and government]( Morad Elsana, American University An unwritten rule in Israeli politics kept Arab political parties out of ruling government coalitions -- until the latest election. Eviction remains a threat for Palestinian residents of Sheikh Jarrah. AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo [Property disputes in Israel come with a complicated back story – and tend to end with Palestinian dispossession]( Kristen Alff, North Carolina State University The plight of residents in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of east Jerusalem highlights a history of Palestinians' claims to land being ignored, argues a scholar of the Ottoman Empire. - [How Israel’s missing constitution deepens divisions between Jews and with Arabs]( Brendan Szendro, Binghamton University, State University of New York Governed by a changeable body of 'basic laws,' Israel never settled basic questions like the rights of religious minorities. These destabilizing issues will continue to fester under a new government. - [Netanyahu may be ousted but his hard-line foreign policies remain]( David Mednicoff, University of Massachusetts Amherst After 12 years in power, former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's influence will last long beyond his time in office. - [Racial bias makes white Americans more likely to support wars in nonwhite foreign countries – new study]( Vladimir Enrique Medenica, University of Delaware; David Ebner, University of Delaware Analysis of US survey data finds that white people who hold racist views are more likely than others to favor military action over diplomacy in China and Iran, and to endorse the global war on terror. - [Why nobody will ever agree on whether COVID lockdowns were worth it]( James D. Long, University of Washington; Mark A. Smith, University of Washington; Victor Menaldo, University of Washington Different people and groups have differing, and often opposing, goals that they value differently. That makes public discussion, compromise and agreement difficult. You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation](. Not interested anymore? [Unsubscribe](. 303 Wyman Street, Suite 300 Waltham, MA 02451