Dilemmas of Israeli Democracy

During October 2nd and 3rd 2013, The Center for Israeli Studies, together with the Embassy of Israel to Romania, has organized the international conference “Dilemmas of Israeli Democracy”. The participants at the conference are highly regarded members of the academic community in leading universities in Israel, Romania, the United Kingdom and the United States. Their presentations have approached fundamental issues for Israeli democracy such as the ideological developments in Israeli politics, public responsibility in Israel, the dynamics of the political institutions, the definition and defense of borders and the security of Israel, the Israeli-Palestinian relations in the aftermath of the Arab Spring and the conceptualization of Israeli citizenship.

The opening session has taken place with the participation of Prof. Alina Bârgăoanu, Rector of the SNSPA, Assoc. Prof. Liliana Popescu, Prorector of the SNSPA, Assoc. Prof. Cristian Pârvulescu, Dean of the Faculty of Political Science, within the SNSPA, Prof. Liviu Rotman, Director of the Center for Israeli Studies, within the SNSPA and also representatives of the diplomatic corps of Israel and Romania.

The first session of the conference, entitled "Ideological and institutional developments in Israeli politics", included two presentations: Joseph Olmert (University of South Carolina) – "Likud from Jabotinsky to Lieberman" and Dan Korn (Beit Berl College) – "The Power and Constraints of the Israeli Prime Minister".

The second session of the day – "Security Issues in Israel and the Region", included two presentations: David Tal (University of Sussex) – "National Security and the Security of the Nation: Israel's Third World Style National Security Conception" and Mark Goldfeder (Emory University) – "Defining and Defending Borders: Just and Legal Wars in Jewish Thought".

The only session of the second day (October 3rd) - "Democratic concepts and political practice in Israel" – also included two presentations: Ori Arbel-Ganz (Beit Berl College) - "Public Responsibility in Israel: less ado about everything" and Adina Babeș (SNSPA), with "Citizenship conceptualization and understanding in the Israeli state and society".