Democracy in Decline in Israel
By: Samuele Arioli
Nov 28, 2024
For the first time in 50 years, Israel* is downgraded from the liberal democracy category. This week´s graph shows the decline of three indicators related to the judiciary and civil liberties in Israel over the past 10 years (2013-2023) that contribute to the overall decline. For each indicator, a score closer to zero signals a worsening situation.
Government attacks on the judiciary are becoming more frequent. In 2019, amid corruption charges, Prime Minister Netanyahu accused key figures in the judiciary of conspiring with police forces in a joint “attempted coup”. In 2023, the Knesset passed a bill that severely curtailed the Supreme Court´s powers to overrule government decisions and invalidate laws passed by parliament. Mass protests quickly gained momentum to denounce this plan of judicial overhaul against the most important Israeli court.
Moreover, international observers point at the widespread discriminatory practices that Israeli authorities employ towards minorities, resulting in arbitrary law enforcement. Administrative detentions, degrading treatment of prisoners, and incidents of torture have worsened significantly in 2023, in the context of the war against Hamas. This is reflected in the recent decline in the indicators of transparent laws with predictable enforcement and freedom from torture.
Famously celebrated as the only democracy in the Middle East, the current situation raises serious concerns about the survival of Israel´s democracy amid its deteriorating human rights record.
*This graph does not reflect conditions in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, which are coded as separate country units.
