Israel’s Knesset: Democracy in the Middle East

Israel is often criticized in international debates, yet one of the most important facts about the country is frequently ignored. Israel is a functioning parliamentary democracy with a vibrant political system, free elections, an independent judiciary, and a diverse political landscape. At the center of this democratic system stands the Israeli Knesset, the national parliament of the State of Israel.

The Knesset is the legislative branch of the Israeli government. It has 120 members, a number inspired by the ancient Great Assembly that governed Jewish life more than two thousand years ago. Members of the Knesset are elected through national elections that take place at least every four years. These elections are free, competitive, and open to all Israeli citizens over the age of eighteen, regardless of religion, ethnicity, or gender.

Israel uses a system of proportional representation. This means that citizens vote for political parties rather than individual candidates in geographic districts. Each party presents a ranked list of candidates before the election. After the votes are counted, seats in the Knesset are distributed proportionally based on the percentage of votes each party receives nationwide. A minimum electoral threshold must be passed for a party to enter parliament. Currently this threshold is 3.25 percent of the national vote.

Because of this system, Israel has a multiparty political landscape. It is common to see ten or more parties represented in the........

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