Israelis awoke this morning to political gridlock. Neither Livni nor Netanyahu won a large-enough percentage of the vote to govern effectively. Either, or both, will be forced into a complicated, tenuous coalition reality where they serve as a minority partner in their own government. Read the full article here »
The Canada-Israel Committee this evening extended congratulations to Israel, the Middle East’s only democracy, on the conclusion of their 18th Knesset elections. Read the full article here »
Israel is a secular, democratic republic with a parliamentary system of government. During the British Mandate (1922-1948), the Jewish community in Palestine [the Yishuv] elected a National Council and a National Administration to establish self-government institutions and prepare the ground for Jewish statehood. Read more »
Likud leader Ariel Sharon soundly defeated Labor Party leader Ehud Barak in the direct election for Prime Minister held in February 2001 by a margin of 62 to 37 percent. Read more »
The following is a brief description of the main parties (non-exhaustive list) running in the February 2009 election:
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Israel at a Glance
Physical size
20,325 sq. km. (7,900 sq. miles)
Total population of Israel
7,112,359
Jews
5,433,842
Muslims
1,137,977
Christians
149,360
Druze
113,798
Questions? Ask Us!
Israeli politics can get complicated. During the election period, the Canada-Israel Commitee is happy to answer any questions you may have. Simply e-mail your question to: cic@cicweb.ca Please note that, while we won't use your name, questions and answers may be published on this website.
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