Jerusalem – Between the Defensive Barrier and a Settlement or an "Historical Basin" and an "Outlying Neighbourhood" Senat# 329 - 22/11/2007 Author: IIESR The new borders of Jerusalem, established after the Six Day War, were meant to further the Israeli capital''s political and defensive prospects given any settlement with Jordan more than to emphasize its new or historical municipal boundaries, established prior to the city's imposed division in 1948. Defensible territory, enhancement of Jewish demographic superiority by attaching open spaces for the construction of new Jewish neighbourhoods, a municipal airport, a Jewish cemetery, the economic isolation of Jerusalem from the West Bank and land ownership were the main considerations that motivated Israel's government to approve, only 17 days after the war, the proposal forwarded by the Special Commission to extend Jerusalem's jurisdiction by 70,000 dunams (1 dunam=1,000 sq.m.) in the direction of the West Bank. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF

In Preparation for the Annapolis Peace Conference Senat# 328 - 22/11/2007 Author: IIESR The current state of affairs indicates that the Annapolis peace conference will be held in a number of weeks. A detailed schedule has yet to be confirmed, nor has an agenda or list of invitees despite the sincere desire and sense of urgency expressed by the main actors, Ehud Olmert and Mahmoud Abbas as well as their broker, Condoleeza Rice, who enjoys total support from President Bush. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF

The Gaza Strip and the West Bank –Two Sides of the Same Political Coin Senat# 322 - 8/2/2007 Author: IIESR It is to the long-term interest of Israel''s and the PLO to include Hamas in the governmental entity representing the Palestinian people because, inter alia, this entity will be responsible for signing the Permanent Agreement that determines the conditions under which the refugees' right of return will be effectively renounced. In the short term, it will therefore be to Israel's benefit to work with Hamas for the purpose of introducing stability and calm in Gaza. Only such dialogue will be able to guarantee the time required for the rehabilitation of the PLO by means of a string of measures, at the centre of which lies renewed negotiations. By facilitating the transformation of the PLO into an effective alternative to Hamas, these measures will further implementation of a permanent agreement. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF

Democratization of the Arab World: A Shattered Vision Senat# 294 - 25/12/2006 Author: IIESR Three years after publication of the ambitious program for a new, more democratic Middle East, it seems appropriate to re-examine the successes as well as failures of the program by reviewing the developments in Iraq, the country meant to spearhead the process. Democratization in Iraq should be examined along three distinct but interrelated dimensions: vision, implementation and outcomes. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF

The High Court of Justice on Israel''s Citizenship Law: Will the Prohibition against Family Reunification be Sustained? Senat# 290 - 20/12/2006 Author: IIESR A person''s right to family life is a human right recognized in international as well as comparative law, anchored as it is in the legal systems of countries such as Ireland, Germany, France and the United States. A crucial question regarding this right is whether a sovereign state is duty-bound to thwart the reunification of families when only one of the spouses is a citizen of the receiving country. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF

The Battle Over the Health Basket Senat# 288 - 20/12/2006 Author: IIESR On occasion, a group of patients suffering from a serious disease is able to recruit public support, and media coverage for its battle, pity and sympathy for the addition of a new medication to the drug basket. The last confrontation involved sufferers of colon cancer, who conducted a 16-day hunger strike while demanding that the drugs Avastin and Erbitux be added to do the basket. Their successful battle forced the government to add NIS 350 million to the drug basket in 2006 beyond the sums already allocated to update the basket (NIS 360 million). Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF

The Administrative and Political Crisis in the Palestinian Authority Senat# 286 - 7/5/2006 Author: IIESR In the wake of recent parliamentary elections and the rise of Hamas, the political situation in the Palestinian Authority (PA) has continued its deterioration to the point where fears of anarchy, a humanitarian crisis and even civil war are intensifying. These snowballing trends, which are instigating tumult on the PA’s streets, are likely to incite additional threats, including threats to Israel. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF

Israel’s Convergence Program Senat# 285 - 7/5/2006 Author: IIESR Introductio The Convergence Program has been put forth as the core of Ehud Olmert’s term of office as Israel’s Prime Minister. He publicly stated this agenda during his victory speech, delivered at the conclusion of the 17th Knesset elections: “During the coming years, we will aspire to fix the permanent borders of the State of Israel as a Jewish and democratic State enjoying a Jewish majority.” Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF

Special Report: Nuclear Proliferation in the Middle East Senat# 283 - 4/3/2006 Author: IIESR Iran represents the main axis for exploration of nuclear proliferation in the contemporary Middle East. The eyes of the majority of the world, but especially nations located in the Middle East, are tensely focused on Iran in anticipation of how the crisis will be resolved and whether the international community’s efforts to halt Iran will succeed. If Iran becomes a nuclear state (or arrives at the stage where its decision to become nuclear will reside exclusively within its own domain), such an event will represent a highly significant modification of the status quo in the Middle East, with far-reaching consequences for Israel and the entire region. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, President of Iran A New President with Even More Aggressive Policies Senat# 277 - 21/12/2005 Author: IIESR Iranian politics continue to draw the considerable attention of its citizens and the international community due to its policies, which have weighty implications for the West as well as for Israel’s security. Almost 27 years after ascendance of the Islamic régime, it appears that the Islamic Revolution has yet to conclude, with the Iranian people still seeking some method to realize the yearnings that fuelled its fires. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF

Turkey and the European Union: Announcement of the Membership Talks Senat# 273 - 21/12/2005 Author: IIESR On October 3, 2005, the European Union declared its intent to begin membership talks with Turkey. The European declaration, which received Ankara’s blessings, stated that the purpose of the talks was to explore Turkey’s full integration in the EU although it was explicitly noted that such membership could not be guaranteed at so early a stage. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF

Security Implications of Disengagement from the Gaza Strip and Northern Samaria Senat# 271 - 11/6/2005 Author: IIESR In this edition of Senat, we analyse the immediate direct and indirect implications for security of the Israeli government''s disengagement plan. A land division is currently responsible for the defence of the settlements and all military operations in the Gaza Strip, with an additional auxiliary land brigade stationed in Northern Samaria Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF

The Israeli Economy: Current Conditions, Short- and Long-Term Forecasts Senat# 268 - 11/6/2005 Author: IIESR Current Conditions The Composite Index released by the Bank of Israel in May 2005 indicated a decline of 0.1%. This is the fourth consecutive decline in the index, a trend that contradicts the improvements observed during the parallel period in 2004. This decline reflects a reduction in the rate of economic activity as of early 2005. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF

Israel''s Electoral System: Characteristics, Drawbacks and Proposals for Reform Senat# 261 - 31/7/2005 Author: IIESR Electoral systems - the mechanisms by which the citizen’s voice is translated into representation in governing institutions - significantly affect the character of political systems and governance in democratic countries. Were we to argue that electoral systems simply reflect the distribution of political power, we would be compelled to observe that over time, these systems help sustain that same distribution of the power. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF

The Wisconsin Plan: Factors to Consider Senat# 253 - 17/7/2005 Author: IIESR Background – Unemployment and Israel’s labour market Unemployment in Israel''s civilian labour market has been steadily rising since 1996. Total unemployment reached 10.3% in 2004. Among all those employed, the civilian labour market absorbed 54.9% of the labour force in the third quarter of 2004. In addition, the number of families (or heads of households of working age) eligible for income support benefits-whether based on low wages, unemployment, ineligibility for unemployment benefits, single parent households (particularly single mothers) and so forth-has likewise been constantly rising. In 2003, 154,890 families received income support, a number that has increased five-fold since 1990. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF

Major Trends in Israel’s Economic and Budget Policy,2002-2005 Senat# 241 - 15/11/2004 Author: IIESR Overview Israel’s government has ratified several economic programs since 2002: the Emergency Economic Program, the Economic Recovery Program and reform budgets in 2003, 2004 and 2005. Although two separate governments and two different Ministers of Finance were involved in the formation of these programs, their similarities outweigh their differences. The guiding principles behind these budgets is identical: reduction of the state budget in order to lower the deficit, cutbacks in transfer payments to minimize the dependence of specific segments of Israeli society on the state’s human services system, promotion of market competition and downsizing the public-sector. Choose a file format:      MS Word

Violence Among Israeli Youth, 1994-2002: Selected Findings of the HBSC Report Conducted Under the Auspices of the World Health Organization Senat# 240 - 21/1/2004 Author: IIESR The promotion of the health, safety and well being of children and adolescents represents one of the most important challenges of Western society. The phenomenon of violence is one of the main factors undermining children’s well being throughout the world. This Senat report transmits findings on the involvement of Israeli youth in daily acts of violence. The data were collected as part of the HBSC cross-national study conducted under the auspices of the World Health Organization in 36 European countries during the 2002 school year. The research is repeated every four years; data were collected in Israel for the years 1994, 1998 and 2002. The results of four measures of participation in violence and victimization among youth are presented here. These measures are: involvement in bullying, victimization from bullying, involvement in fighting and weapon carrying. Choose a file format:            RTF

The Islamic World: Streams and Positions Senat# 230 - 17/6/2004 Author: IIESR The Islamic faith, with its almost 1.4 billion believers, is considered to be the most rapidly spreading religion in the world as a result of natural increase as well as widespread proselytising conducted by various organizations. About 85% of Moslem believers belong to the Sunni stream, with the remaining almost 15% belong to the Shiite stream. Due to the huge dimensions of the Moslem world, we should be wary of any generalizations that present Islam as a monolithic entity. Avoidance of this pitfall demands identification of Islam’s different streams and movements, each affected by and emerging from unique cultural and historical circumstances holding in the specific region of their activity. At the same time, common trends are observable within Islam as an entity. We should note here that although the Arab world is the cradle of Islam and to a considerable degree the geographic core of its influence, Arabs represent a minority among the entire population of believers. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF

In Preparation for the Annapolis Peace Conference Senat# 228 - 22/11/2007 Author: IIESR The current state of affairs indicates that the Annapolis peace conference will be held in a number of weeks. A detailed schedule has yet to be confirmed, nor has an agenda or list of invitees despite the sincere desire and sense of urgency expressed by the main actors, Ehud Olmert and Mahmoud Abbas as well as their broker, Condoleeza Rice, who enjoys total support from President Bush. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF

How Accountable is Israel’s Government? Senat# 226 - 23/6/2004 Author: IIESR The concept accountability captures, among its many meanings, the concepts of public responsibility, disclosure and transparency. At accountability’s core is the idea that the responsibility and authority delegated to the government mandate performance according to predetermined standards for achievement of goals that promote the public interest. Accountability is usually interpreted as obligatory responsiveness to public needs and disclosure. (The source of the concept lies in the Greek word euphyna, which represents three basic ideas: rectitude, transparency, and participation). We should note that several years ago, the Academy of the Hebrew Language issued an approved translation of the concept: “responsible disclosure.” This translation is deficient as it is restricted when compared to the broad scope of meanings encapsulated in the original English term. In any case, the concept has not been embraced by Hebrew speakers; as the following indicates, this response is revealing. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF

Senat Report No. 221 on Socio-economic and Political Issues Senat# 221 - 14/6/2004 Author: IIESR Construction of the security barrier on the West Bank has won the support of the majority of the Israeli public because the barrier is perceived as the most efficient response to the terrorist attacks plaguing the population. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF

The American Approach to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Senat# 172 - 5/7/2002 Author: IIESR When the Bush Administration took office at the beginning of 2001, its instinctive approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was “hands-off.” In large measure, this was a function of President Bush’s desire to distance himself in every way possible from his predecessor, Bill Clinton. Clinton’s intense personal involvement in peacemaking and “micromanagement” of negotiations was seen as not only futile and even counterproductive, but also as debasing the prestige of the Presidency. The Bush people felt that Presidents should not be in the business of city planning and zoning, and since the circumstances for lower-level mediation were even less auspicious in 2001 than they had been during most of Clinton’s term of office, the new Administration was initially determined to stay away from this mess and focus, instead, on issues of greater strategic weight in the Persian Gulf. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF     HTML

Unilateral Separation of Israel and a Palestinian Entity: Advantages and Disadvantages Senat# 157 - 6/12/2001 Author: IIESR The current political and security reality has led political forces on the right and left to examine their political agendas and propose alternative programs. Among the proposals that have drawn significant interest is the plan for the unilateral separation of Israel from the Palestinian Authority or pre-state entity. The plan's attractiveness rests on the fact that it reflects the Israeli consensus and seemingly responds to those of Israel’s immediate problems that have emerged from the political-security impasse, which many view as insurmountable. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF     HTML

The Measurement of Poverty and income distribution as Conducted by Israel''s National Insurance Institute Senat# 135 - 31/1/2001 Author: IIESR The data recently published by Israel''s National Insurance Institute (NII) on the number of poor and the increase in the rate of poverty-stricken children do not present an authentic picture of Israeli society. The NII profile is only partial; it stresses poverty among children, a rate influenced by the measurement methodology used, but does not adequately relate to one sector of the population that is unwillingly entrapped in the cycle of poverty resulting from contraction of Israel's labour market. We are referring to the non-Jewish (primarily Arab) sector of Israeli society. In addition, the poverty index employed does not sufficiently differentiate between the working poor and those excluded from the labour market, circumstances that grant the latter greater leisure but may also enable them to reap greater benefits from this situation than do the working poor. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF     HTML

The Current Conflict between Israel and the Palestinians: The Options Available Senat# 128 - 14/11/2000 Author: IIESR The events, clashes, and exchanges of fire witnessed over the past few weeks in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem have brought Israeli-Palestinian relations to a new juncture. For the majority of the Palestinian public and leadership, the deterioration came as a total surprise. However, for those at the extreme poles of Israel’s political map, these events had been anticipated well in advance. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF     HTML

The Palestinian and Israeli Economies: The Price of Separation Senat# 127 - 14/11/2000 Author: IIESR Among the several reasons motivating the outbreak of the Intifada during the declining days of 1987, socio-economic factors occupied a prominent place. During that period, the Palestinian Authority as a formal governing entity did not yet exist. Furthermore, the Palestinian population’s economic dependence on Israel was almost absolute. With the signing of the Oslo Agreements and the establishment of the Palestinian Authority, the scope of the Palestinian economy could be delineated more accurately. The degree of damage brought on by these and other events could then be estimated. It soon became clear that the Israeli economy would likewise suffer negative impacts from such disruptions. The consequences of those events leads us to the necessary conclusion that if the planned separation between the two economies is implemented, the economic damages to both economies will snowball. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF     HTML

The Palestinian Refugees: Some Major Factors Defining the Issue Senat# 119 - 23/11/2000 Author: IIESR The Oslo Agreement stipulated that one of the issues to be negotiated by Israel and the PLO within the framework of a Permanent Status Agreement is that of the Palestinian refugees. The two sides agreed that the term "Palestinian refugee" pertains to those members of the Palestinian population that became refugees as a result of the war waged in Eretz Israel/Palestine in 1947-1949. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF     HTML

Israel Negotiations with the Palestinians: What are the Prospects for Signing a Permanent Status Agreement in Just Five Months? Senat# 114 - 16/5/2000 Author: IIESR The three meetings held between Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Chairman Yassir Arafat during the first week of March, and the renewal of the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks in Washington, barely released some of the tremendous tension that has been accumulating in the Palestinian Authority (PA) during recent months. It is reasonable to assume that in the absence of these events, the PA would have witnessed a massive outburst following the visit of Pope John Paul II. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF     HTML

Water and the Syrian-Israeli Negotiations Senat# 110 - 11/4/2000 Author: IIESR As the inauguration of the peace talks between Israel and Syria approached, during the Sheppardstown round of talks, public and political interest turned to water as a key issue in the negotiations. Israel’s and Syria’s divergent attitudes to water should be viewed against a background populated not only by security issues, border alignments, and water as important factors in the negotiations, but also, apparently, by beliefs, emotions, and even phobias that have penetrated the issue over the decades. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF     HTML

The Syrian and Israel Peace Talks: The End of the Dispute? Senat# 102 - 13/1/2000 Author: IIESR On 15 December 1999, the peace talks between Syria and Israel resumed in Washington. They had been halted by Israel in March 1996 after Damascus refused to condemn the Hamas terrorist attacks that had rocked Jerusalem and Tel Aviv in the preceding months. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF     HTML

Oslo, Hebron, Wye and Sharm-el-Sheik: Their Present and Future Influence on the Peace Process Senat# 91 - 21/10/99 Author: IIESR The Oslo Agreements (Oslo 1: The Declaration of Principles, September 1993; and Oslo 2: The Interim Agreement, September 1995) laid the foundations for the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. They also determined the procedures for maintaining relations between the sides during the interim period. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF     HTML

Israel’s National Elections Results Report No. 6 Senat# 89 - 2/11/99 Author: IIESR At the close of the 1999 elections, Ehud Barak won a landslide victory (he received 12% more votes than did Netanyahu in the current election). Nonetheless, the outcome of the Knesset elections has not parallel that victory. No party or sectoral representative has been able to translate the results into clear-cut political gains. These results buttress Barak’s position as attempts to form a government. A paradox, however, has evolved: whereas Barak is undoubtedly the nation’s leader, the candidate who received an overwhelming mandate to determine the public agenda and make the crucial decisions before the nation, his majority is useless in the face of a splintered parliament. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF     HTML

Israel’s Upcoming National Elections Report No. 5 Senat# 88 - 2/11/99 Author: IIESR If all five candidates for prime minister continue to run, no decisive result is expected at the first round of voting despite evidence of Barak’s widening lead during the last two weeks. Eight days before going to the polls (9 May), the electorate remains divided: Ehud Barak: 42%; Benjamin Netanyahu: 37%; Yitzchak Mordechai: 7%; Benny Begin and Azmi Bishara: 6% (jointly); Undecided: 8%. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF     HTML

Israel’s Upcoming National Elections Report No. 4 Senat# 87 - 28/12/99 Author: IIESR The main political issue being debated is the creation of a Palestinian state. Both factions, right and left, hold fundamentally opposing view on the subject. The Likud “totally rejects the establishment of an Arab Palestinian state on the opposite bank of the Jordan River”; it offers Palestinians “self-government but not an autonomous and independent state”. These adamant objections to a Palestinian state are expressed in the warnings concerning a one-sided declaration of its establishment, an act that would instigate the “nullification of the Oslo Agreements and the Wye Memorandum”, as well as the initiation of “grave and immediate measures”. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF     HTML

Israel’s Upcoming National Elections Report No. 3 Senat# 86 - 2/11/99 Author: IIESR In reviewing the platforms issued by the major political parties participating in the 1999 campaign, we find that in contrast to the platforms on political-defence issues, where the ideological cleavages between the political parties find clear expression, the socio-economic platforms consistently reveal considerable correspondence. This blurring of the differences between the two major parties representing the conservative, capitalist right and the socialist, egalitarian left has been evolving for some time. Nevertheless, the two platforms can be distinguished from one another at a number of points. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF     HTML

Israel's Upcoming National Elections Report No. 2 Senat# 85 - 2/11/99 Author: IIESR As we go to press, the stalemate between the two leading candidates for the office of prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu (Likud) and Ehud Barak ("One Israel") appears to be intact, with a slight shift toward of Barak. The latest polls predict the following election returns: Netanyahu: 34%, Barak: 36%, Yitzchak Mordechai: 17%, Benny Begin, MK: 3%, Azmi Bishara, MK, (the candidate of the newly formed Arab party, Ba'lad): 2%. Although the minor differences between Netanyahu and Barak may be products of sampling error, neither candidate has been able to acquire the 50% majority needed to avoid a second round of elections. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF     HTML

Israel's Upcoming National Elections Senat# 84 - 2/11/99 Author: IIESR In March 1999, two months before the national elections to be held on 17 May, no single candidate running for the office of prime minister has yet to capture the support of a clear majority of the electorate. The contest between Benjamin Netanyahu (Likud) and Ehud Barak (Labour) is very close, each with about 35% of the potential vote. The third major candidate, Yitzchak Mordechai, Netanyahu's former Minister of Defence and now the chairman of the Center Party, appears to have captured support of about 18% of the electorate, with Benny Begin (right wing) drawing about 4%. According to recent polls, 10% of the total electorate is undecided. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF     HTML

The Release of Palestinian Prisoners Senat# 80 - 1/12/98 Author: IIESR The first stage in the planned release of Palestinian prisoners, in compliance with the terms of the Wye Memorandum, left the Palestinian social and political leadership stunned. The release of 150 criminals, as well as 100 other prisoners —according to the Palestinians, the majority of these prisoners were not really held for security offences; furthermore, they included only a small number of the “Fatah fighters”, several of whom were scheduled to be released within a few months — represented a public insult. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF     HTML

The Wye River Memorandum and Its Implications for the Peace Process Senat# 73 - 1/11/98 Author: IIESR The Wye River Memorandum breathed new life into the political process conducted between Israel and the Palestinians, and reawakened hopes for the resumption of negotiations aimed at reaching a peace agreement between the two sides. Among broad segments of the Israeli public, the memorandum was perceived as a visible manifestation of the ideology of peace fostered by the late Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin. To them, the agreement represented a further step on the road toward a permanent settlement with the Palestinians, one that would bring an end to the Israeli-Arab conflict. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF     HTML

The Second “Beat” — Percentages and Security Considerations Senat# 64 - 1/6/98 Author: IIESR The Israeli government argues, and undoubtedly quite rightly, that even if political agreements were to be reached with all our neighbours, especially the Palestinian Authority, they would still not guarantee our arrival at the pacific shores that would allow us to forego military readiness and the capability to confront the threats to our security that may arise if, heaven forbid, the agreements prove to be worthless. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF     HTML

Public Attitudes Concerning Women’s Representation in Local Government Senat# 60 - 1/5/98 Author: IIESR This report presents the findings of a survey on public attitudes concerning women’s suitability for local government and the disposition to support women candidates for public office (i.e., mayors, heads of local council or local council members). The survey was conducted during the second week of April 1998, among a representative sample (512 interviewees) of Israel’s Jewish population. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF     HTML

Khatami’s Election as President of Iran: Does It Really Bear Tidings of Change? Senat# 58 - 1/3/98 Author: IIESR Khatami, who achieved an impressive victory in the May 1997 elections for president of Iran, attained another important success when the Majles, Iran’s parliament, confirmed all 22 of his candidates to ministerial posts (20 August 1997). Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF     HTML

The Israeli Public’s Attitudes toward Wage Earners from Foreign Countries: A Comparison of Survey Results, 1995 — 1997 Senat# 56 - 1/7/98 Author: IIESR As a result of the 1993 border closings, the number of wage earners from foreign countries employed in Israel increased substantially. Conservative estimates place their current number at 250,000, half of whom are illegal (i.e., lacking work permits). It is commonly believed that their presence is the direct result of short-term security problems; therefore, the phenomenon can be ignored (for instance, on the municipal level) or eliminated by means of swift deportation. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF     HTML

A New Settlement Policy for the Negev Bedouins Senat# 47 - 1/1/98 Author: IIESR For centuries prior to 1948, the year the State of Israel was established, the Bedouin nomads had been the Negev’s almost exclusive residents. The size of the community, in 1947, was approximately 90,000, whose members belonged to about 90 tribes. By 1948, the majority of the population was already occupied in agriculture. Only a small minority continued to be engaged solely as shepherds, roaming with their flocks along rather limited perimeters from their settlements. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF     HTML

The Further Redeployments — Survey Results: 70% Support the Oslo Agreements Senat# 45 - 2/11/99 Author: IIESR On 25 December 1997, a public opinion survey was conducted for the purpose of examining the public’s positions regarding Israel’s commitment to implement the three “pulses” or further redeployments. The survey, initiated by Senat, focused on two issues Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF     HTML

Further Redeployment of Israeli Forces in the West Bank Senat# 43 - 1/12/97 Author: IIESR According to the agreements signed between the Israeli government and the PLO, Israel has committed itself that powers and responsibilities relating to territory will be transferred gradually to Palestinian Jurisdiction that will cover West Bank and Gaza Strip territory, except for the issues that will be negotiated in the permanent status negotiations. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF     HTML

The State of the Palestinian Economy after Oslo Senat# 42 - 1/11/97 Author: IIESR The Oslo Agreement and its economic counterpart, the Paris Agreement, aroused hopes for economic co-operation as well as accelerated growth and economic prosperity for the Palestinians. However, in reality, the opposite has occurred. The process and its results, expressed in terms of GNP per capita, can be summarised as follows: Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF     HTML

The State Budget and Income Distribution in Israel Senat# 40 - 1/11/97 Author: IIESR Transfer payments in Israel are essentially progressive in character, although macroeconomics theory dictates that their increase is undesirable. The proportion of stipends and transfer payments within national income has grown from 8 percent at the beginning of the 1980s to almost 11 percent in 1997. If the above trend continues, we can expect it to seriously dampen the possibilities for future growth in the economy. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF     HTML

Legislation Regarding Direct Election of Israel’s Prime Minister Senat# 39 - 1/11/97 Author: IIESR The governance structure currently in effect, resulting from the passage of legislation establishing direct election of the prime minister, was formulated as a compromise between the advocates of a presidential system and those supporting a parliamentary system. The legislation therefore contains elements of both. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF     HTML

The Allon Plan and the Netanyahu’s Proposal Senat# 30 - 1/6/99 Author: IIESR During June 1997, the media reported the outlines of a proposal offered by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a basis for the permanent settlement to be reached between Israel and the Palestinians. The program, presented during a Security Cabinet meeting, was referred to by Netanyahu as the Allon Plan - Plus. According to reports, the program entailed the creation of Jewish settlement clusters that would include the Greater Jerusalem area, especially Gush Etzion and Ma’ale Adumim, the entire Jordan Valley, large concentrations of settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the area along the perimeter of the Green Line, the network of roads constructed to bypass the Arabic villages and towns, and sources of water. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF     HTML

Wage Earners from Foreign Countries: Policy and Implementation Recommendations of the Special Committee Senat# 27 - 1/5/97 Author: IIESR In response to the government decision (October 1996) to reduce the Israeli economy’s dependence on wage earners from foreign countries, a special ministerial committee was established to suggest ways to implement that decision. The primary recommendations made are presented in the following. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF     HTML

From Dreams to Reality — Economic Facts about the Palestinian Economy Senat# 25 - 1/6/97 Author: IIESR When the World Bank first began talking about “developing the Occupied Territories” and investing “in peace” during the summer of 1993, it represented an unprecedented moment for the Palestinian people, a moment the offered Palestinians the opportunity to participate in devising their own development strategy. Following lengthy negotiations between the PLO, Israel, and the World Bank, a neo-liberal model of economic regeneration emerged. The model advocated an overall strategy of economic liberalization, coupled with minimum state intervention for the purpose of promoting private sector growth. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF     HTML

After Hebron Senat# 15 - 2/11/99 Author: IIESR The withdrawal from Hebron, the transfer of civilian powers to the Palestinian Authority, and the redeployment of Israeli troops outside the city’s Arab neighborhoods do not cover the totality of Israel’s obligations regarding the redeployment of Israeli forces in the West Bank and Gaza, to be fulfilled within the framework of the Interim Agreement. The following stage, which involves three additional redeployments beyond the boundaries of the Palestinian Authority, constitutes a portion of the commitment made by Israel within the framework of the Interim Agreement of September 1995. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF     HTML

The Implications of the Religious Conversion Law Senat# 12 - 2/11/99 Author: IIESR The Order of Religious Congregation (Conversion) provides the legal framework for the regulation of religious observance and affiliation in Israel. An individual who, after undergoing conversion from one religion to another, seeks legal recognition of that conversion, can receive a certificate confirming acceptance into the congregation from its official head or an appointed agent. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF     HTML

US-Israel Relations After the November Elections Senat# 10 - 1/12/96 Author: IIESR The election of Bill Clinton to a second term as the 42nd President of the US represents an expression of faith in his economic policy and the direction in which he is steering the country. Clinton is the first Democratic president to be reelected since Franklin Roosevelt despite the trend, becoming apparent in recent years, of a general shift in voter support to the Republican Party (in other words, Republics now comprise a "natural majority"). This trend was manifested in the election of Republican majorities to both houses of Congress, as well as the continued control of 31 of the 50 governorships. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF     HTML

The Peace Process and Economic Trends in the Israeli Economy Senat# 4 - 1/11/96 Author: The Peace Process, Ratings, and Foreign Investors As of 1985, Israel has slowly been improving its status on the international credit ratings. This improvement implies that the risk associated with investing in Israel has declined. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF     HTML

43 Senat# 0 - 5/7/2002 Author: IIESR 345 Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF     HTML

הצמיחה הכלכלית לנפש לשנת 2001 תהיה 0% Senat# 0 - 15/3/2001 Author: IIESR תהליך הצמיחה המתחדשת במהלך שנת 2000 שהיה מושתת על תרומת ענף ההיי-טק התמתן. ניתן היה במידה רבה לעשות שימוש בעודפי התקציב שנוצרו בשנת 2000 על מנת לטפל בתעשיות ובענפי המשק שלא הצליחו בשנים האחרונות להתמודד עם המיתון המתמשך כגון ענף הבניה והתעשיות המסורתיות אך הדבר לא נעשה. כעת אחרי שתהליך התרומה של ההיי-טק לתוצר הואט יש מקום לבחון מחדש את המדיניות המונטרית והפיסקלית המתאימה להחזיר את המשק לצמיחה כלכלית מאוזנת תוך צמצום או התמתנות בגידול בשיעורי האבטלה. Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF     HTML

432 Senat# 0 - 5/7/2002 Author: IIESR 2345 Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF     HTML

342 Senat# 0 - 7/4/2002 Author: IIESR 2456 Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF     HTML

56 Senat# 0 - 5/6/2002 Author: IIESR 3 Choose a file format:      MS Word      RTF     HTML

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