A theocracy with elections

While I agree with [former Chief Justice of Israel’s Supreme Court Aharon] Barak’s assertion that “Civil marriage laws must be regulated in Israel. The control cannot be left in the hands of the religious alone”, I disagree that “we can conclude this with an agreement with the religious sector”.

The religious sector has had a stranglehold on this particular aspect of people’s lives since the early 50s.  Given this and their current triumphalist outlook, there’s no reason to assume they would be amenable to “conclude this with an agreement”.

In a true democracy, freedom of choice in this – the most personal aspect of our lives – should be a given, not something subject to an agreement with a culture holding the opposite view.  In this regard, Israel continues to position itself as a theocracy with elections rather than a democracy.

I totally agree with Barak that “Israel is in need of a constitution”, but only provided that the constitution is written from the ground up to defend democratic values, and not to entrench the status quo.