Israel
2026
- GOVERNMENT
- parliamentary democracy
- CONSTITUTION
- there is no written constitution, but a set of laws approved by Parliament regulates constitutional rights and institutional activities. Since May 2003, the Constitutional Committee has been working on drafting a proper constitutional text
- LEGAL SYSTEM
- based on common law and, for individual rights, on Jewish, Christian, and Muslim codes
- LEGISLATIVE SYSTEM
- unicameral, Parliament (Knesset)
- JUDICIAL SYSTEM
- Supreme Court (judges appointed by the Judicial Selection Committee. Mandatory retirement at 70 years)
RELIGIONS
76% Jews, 16% Muslims, Christians
From the country
- MARCH 11, 2002IsraelDEATH PENALTY
A suspected Palestinian suicide bomber was "executed...
A suspected Palestinian suicide bomber was "executed in cold blood after his arrest", witnesses said
- FEBRUARY 18, 2002IsraelDEATH PENALTY
A commission of Israel's national bar association condemned...
A commission of Israel's national bar association condemned Israel's policy of extra-judicial killings [of Palestinians]
- FEBRUARY 11, 2002IsraelDEATH PENALTY
The Palestinian Media Centre web site said Israeli...
The Palestinian Media Centre web site said Israeli occupation forces executed 13-year-old Samir Abu Mayala from Al-Thuri neighbourhood of occupied East Jerusalem after shooting him in the shoulder
- JANUARY 7, 2002IsraelDEATH PENALTY
European Union Council President and Spanish foreign...
European Union Council President and Spanish foreign minister Josep Pique announced his plans for a tour the following week of Middle Eastern countries in an effort to broker peace in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
- JANUARY 1, 2002IsraelDEATH PENALTY
The country has been abolitionist for ordinary crimes...
The country has been abolitionist for ordinary crimes since 1954
- DECEMBER 11, 2001IsraelDEATH PENALTY
December 11, 20001: Palestinian National Authority...
December 11, 20001: Palestinian National Authority (PNA) officials criticized a European Union statement for equalizing the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories with the Palestinians' legal resistance of the occupation
- DECEMBER 9, 2001IsraelDEATH PENALTY
In a contribution to the Washington Post, Emanuel Gross,...
In a contribution to the Washington Post, Emanuel Gross, a professor of law at Haifa University since 1992, who served in the Israel Defence Forces for 25 years, first as a soldier and later as a judge at military tribunals, said capital punishment was no
- DECEMBER 5, 2001IsraelDEATH PENALTY
The European Union's 15 member states were among 114...
The European Union's 15 member states were among 114 countries that agreed an unprecedented declaration reaffirming the illegality of Jewish settlements in the occupied territories and calling on Israel to respect international humanitarian law
- NOVEMBER 19, 2001IsraelDEATH PENALTY
Fighting was reported in the Palestinian territory...
Fighting was reported in the Palestinian territory of Gaza after three Israeli tanks entered the town of Beit Janun in an apparent operation to arrest Palestinian activists, Palestinian police said
- NOVEMBER 13, 2001IsraelDEATH PENALTY
Amnesty International's new report 'Broken lives: a...
Amnesty International's new report 'Broken lives: a year of intifada', measured events of one year of the intifada against the universal human rights standards which should govern the actions of those in authority
- NOVEMBER 6, 2001IsraelDEATH PENALTY
Three Palestinians and an Israeli soldier were killed...
Three Palestinians and an Israeli soldier were killed in a gun battle that the Israeli army said was an ambush by gunmen but which Palestinian officials called a "pure execution" of Palestinian wounded
- SEPTEMBER 25, 2001IsraelDEATH PENALTY
Israeli human rights group B'Tselem said that the army...
Israeli human rights group B'Tselem said that the army had committed unprecedented human rights violations, including execution without trial, during the current Palestinian uprising