Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice

Articles written by Ariel Picard


Sorted by date  Results 1 - 2 of 2

  • The wisdom behind Israel's crazy multi-party system

    Ariel Picard|Jan 18, 2019

    JERUSALEM (JTA)—Israeli politics looks like a big mess right now. In the past few weeks, three new parties have been launched and one party has kicked out a former partner. More changes are likely, too. It probably will get messier still if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is indicted before national elections are held on April 9. The latest polls show 12 to 14 parties entering the new Knesset, many with the bare minimum of four seats. (The Knesset has 120 seats.) That would be up from 10 in t...

  • Israel's Nationality Law will humiliate the Jews of the Diaspora

    Ariel Picard|Jul 27, 2018

    JERUSALEM (JTA)—There are many problems with the Nationality Law nearing passage as the Knesset wraps up its summer session on Sunday, not the least of which is that there is no reason for it. No Israelis challenge the Jewishness of the state, thus the law is unnecessary. Unfortunately, something unnecessary can also be harmful. The language of the bill, which is officially called “Basic Law: Israel as the Nation-State of the Jewish People,” gives constitution-like force to the notion that Israel is a state for the Jews, from its flag and n...