Sociology and Anthropology Vol. 6(5), pp. 447 - 458
DOI: 10.13189/sa.2018.060501
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Representation and De-legitimation in Semi-democratic Regimes: The Case of the Arab Citizens in Israel

Salim Brake ^*
School of Political Sciences, University of Haifa, Israel

ABSTRACT

In this article, I offer a brief examination of the political model in Israel and review Arab representation in the Knesset on the basis of the model I propose for describing Israel's political system—that of the semi-democratic regime. I do not believe that the models proposed by other scholars are applicable to the Israel case. My assumption is that the parliamentary representation of Arabs in Israel is blocked and ineffective; hence, Israel cannot be seen as a full democracy. I will review the evolution of Arab parliamentary representation in Israel, its function, and its outcomes as a test case for the claim of the manipulation of representation and exclusion from the political sphere. I cannot discuss all the aspects of the Israeli regime that lead to this proposed model, but will focus on the patterns and trends in Arab Knesset membership, until recently, as a blatant example of a semi-democracy. I will assert that the Arabs' exclusion from the centers of political power means that Israel cannot be a democratic and egalitarian regime, but only an ersatz democracy, whose goal is to paint Israel as a democracy for external consumption, but nothing more.

KEYWORDS
Semi-Democracy, Representation, Ethnic Minorities, De-legitimation, Arabs in Israel, Palestinians

Cite This Paper in IEEE or APA Citation Styles
(a). IEEE Format:
[1] Salim Brake , "Representation and De-legitimation in Semi-democratic Regimes: The Case of the Arab Citizens in Israel," Sociology and Anthropology, Vol. 6, No. 5, pp. 447 - 458, 2018. DOI: 10.13189/sa.2018.060501.

(b). APA Format:
Salim Brake (2018). Representation and De-legitimation in Semi-democratic Regimes: The Case of the Arab Citizens in Israel. Sociology and Anthropology, 6(5), 447 - 458. DOI: 10.13189/sa.2018.060501.