Israeli Experts Debate Constitutional Crisis and Democratic Solutions at Major Conference

Israel faces an ongoing constitutional crisis that remains a central public concern, with growing debate over the best approach to resolve it. At the "Decision Time: Democracy and Society" conference on September 2, three leading Israeli legal scholars will discuss the core constitutional issues fueling the public dispute. Professor Amichai Cohen of the Israeli Democracy Institute emphasized that an effective constitutional arrangement requires public trust through a fair, transparent process aimed at broad consensus. Professor Tamar Hostovsky-Brandeis highlighted that the democratic crisis extends beyond institutional damage to include erosion of democratic principles and the rule of law, calling for their reinforcement in any democratic recovery. Professor Ariel Bendor of Bar-Ilan University described Israel’s political system as unstable and stressed the urgent need to establish constitutional rules to stabilize governance, even if a full constitution is currently unattainable due to social and political divisions.

The conference will also address other pressing national issues such as ultra-Orthodox conscription, economic integration of the Haredi community, and restoring public security. Notable participants include Defense Minister Israel Katz, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot, Yisrael Beiteinu leader Avigdor Lieberman, and other political and security figures. The event, hosted by the Israeli Democracy Institute and Yedioth Ahronoth, will be moderated by Sharon Kaydon and broadcast live on Ynet’s website and app, with extensive coverage in print and online.