TODAY – Reminder of the value of Democracy

Today is a public holiday in Israel for local municipal elections, pushed back from the end of 2023. Some of the issues may seem a little trivial, especially with a son currently back at the frontline, but it is a worthwhile reminder that Israel is a liberal democracy.

I am not naive – Israel has its genuine flaws and there is a lot of room for improvement but it is worth taking note of where Israel ranks vis-a-vis the countries that are calling it out as genocidal.

The ranking below is from the Economist Intelligence Unit 2023 annual ranking and you can examine the data at the link below https://lnkd.in/dTErq9Dg.

Israel ranks no 30, one behind the US (29) and one ahead of Portugal (31). Israel scores 7.8/10, whereas the average of the rest of the Middle East is 2.4/10. It is worth taking note of the relative scores of the countries leading the Anti Israel charge in the chart below.

Israel is being cast as an evil colonizer and for example just yesterday China (rank 148) defended Hamas’s right to armed resistance.

It is worth remembering that Israel and has enshrined the democratic rights of all its citizens of all religions and as its Declaration of Independence says: “it will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex; it will guarantee freedom of religion, conscience, language, education and culture; it will safeguard the Holy Places of all religions; and it will be faithful to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations.”

I am not naive and there is much to be fixed but I remain proud of Israel and defend its achievements and right to exist, and feel exhausted at the disproportionate depth of the hatred it faces.

I continue to pray for the safety of my son, his colleagues, the captives and all innocents on all sides impacted by this terrible tragedy which was not something Israel wanted in any way, shape or form.