Reflecting on Israel's recent elections, please answer the following questions:
(1) How many seats did the parties that you represented in our mock Israeli elections secure in the new Knesset? How does that compare to what your parties received in the 2009 Israeli Elections?
(2) If you were an Israeli citizen eligible to vote, which party would you have voted for and why?
(3) How many parties made it into the Knesset and how many did not?
(4) What feature of Israel's political system do you like best? Why?
(5) What feature of Israel's political system do you like least? Why?
The Labor Party received 15 seats in the new Knesset of 2013. This is actually an improvement from the 2009 elections, where they only received 13 seats.
ReplyDeleteThe United Torah Judaism Party received 7 seats in the new Knesset of 2013. In the 2009 they received only 5 seats, so this was an improvement.
If I could vote in the elections I probably would have voted for Nafatali Bennet because I thought he had the best ideas and the best "arguments" for the problems. Also, he seemed very personable in his video and I think that's nice; that he is a person that the people of Israel can connect to.
12 parties made it into the Knesset this year. There were 34 parties in all, meaning less than half actually made it in to the Knesset.
I like the fact that there are more than two parties in the Israeli political system because that way everyone can show their views and ideas and express what they want for the country. However, I don't like the fact that all you have to do to start a party is to get a bunch of signatures. That can be very dangerous and people can make parties that are actually against Israel.
In the 2009 elections, Likud won 27 seats and Yisrael Beiteinu won 15, a combined 42 seats. This election, Likud-Beitenu won 31 seats. Shas won 11 seats in the 2009 elections as well as 11 seats in the 2013 elections.
ReplyDeleteIf I were an Israeli citizen I think I probably would have voted for Benjamin Netanyahu. I feel like he is strong willed and believes what he plans on doing is best for Israel. I think that Netanyahu’s experience in the Israeli government is incredibly valuable. He definitely knows what he is doing. I also think he is very personable, and I recently saw that Benjamin Netanyahu played with his family in the snow which made me strangely happy. http://thejfile.com/israeli-leaders-peres-and-netanyahu-enjoy-snow/
34 parties ran in these elections, but only 12 of these parties made it into the Knesset.
My favorite part of the Israeli political system is the fact that you vote on a party, and not one candidate. The focus is much less on the leader of the party than the party itself, which can eliminate the possibility of biases against a specific leader. Also, I think that having more than just two separate parties is very helpful. It gives Israelis more options and the chance to get very specific on their views and ideas.
I do think, however, that there is one downside to the Israeli political system. It is not very difficult to form your own party, which makes it possible for harmful, or silly parties to be established.
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ReplyDeleteThis year's elections proved to be quite successful for the Bayit Hayehudi party. Acquiring 12 seats in the Knesset, this was a remarkable improvement from the 2009 elections, where the party only won 3 seats. Since the Hatnua party is still new to the political world, as it was founded on November 27, 2012, it was not represented in the 2009 elections. However, in this year's elections, the party obtained six seats in the Knesset.
ReplyDeleteIf I was eligible to vote, I would most probably have voted for the Likud-Beitenu party, represented by Benjamin Netanyahu. I believe in their ideas and views on the state. Although he is often criticized for his decisions, I feel that he has a true love and connection to the State of Israel, and always has its best interests in mind. His oratorial abilities are stellar, and his words are powerful and inspiring.
One of the most admirable traits of Netanyahu is his courage. His ability to stand in front of the many countries who do not even support Israel's right to exist and fight for the country he believes has every right to exist and continue to prevail is absolutely incredible and represents his devotion to our beloved state.
34 parties contended for seats in the Knesset, but only twelve will be represented, as a result of the elections.
I personally feel that Israel's manner in forming a government is really commendable. It is sometimes difficult to feel as if you have a voice, that your opinion matters and is taken into consideration. In the election process in Israel, every vote counts, every voice is heard. The differences in the views on our beloved homeland are not ridiculed and discarded, but rather are accepted and given a chance to become a reality. Voters know they are making a difference, and this is truly a wonderful feeling.
However, the forming of the government can be tricky. Due to the diverse opinions, views, and numbers of the many political parties, it is not always easy to form a coalition, and some parties may leave the coalition. Although this may occur, as long as there are 61 members in the coalition, it is entitled to remain in power.