Religion and Politics in the Developing World: Explosive Interactions by Rolin Mainuddin

Author:Rolin Mainuddin [Mainuddin, Rolin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Social Science, General, Sociology
ISBN: 9781351750523
Google: XepGDwAAQBAJ
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2018-01-12T03:33:32+00:00

Conclusion

Ehud Barak’s decision not to give the education and interior ministries to the religious parties underscored his determination to create a new balance in the government between religious and secular interests. The policy guidelines of the new government papered over the fundamental differences between the secular and religious sectors that dominated much of the election campaign. They called for the need to design an ‘appropriate’ solution for the relationship between religion and the state through dialogue, grounded in consensus and mutual tolerance (http://www.israel-mfa.gov.il, 7 July 1999). Also, they affirmed the validity of the Supreme Court rulings on the matter of military deferments for yeshiva students and call for the passage of Knesset legislation in accordance with those rulings.9 The religious parties, by accepting secular control of the education and interior ministries and recognizing that Aryeh Deri could not remain as the party leader, appear to have accommodated to the new political dynamics in the wake of the May 1999 elections. Special allocations to the ultra-Orthodox sector would not end completely, but their political leverage was circumscribed. And if they needed to be reminded of this, Shinui’s Tommy Lapid—who remained true to his campaign pledge not to sit in a government alongside SHAS—promised to remain focused on stopping the ultra-Orthodox encroachment on Israeli society. He pledged to introduce in the Knesset at least 30 bills aimed at limiting Orthodox control, including allowing civil marriage and divorce, regulating government monies to ultra-Orthodox institutions, and ending draft deferments for yeshiva students.

Ultimately, the 1999 elections did not result in a clear mandate for the government and the parliament to deal with the question of religious politics in the Jewish state. It established some new parameters and added new elements to the question, but did not identify clear answers to the central questions of who is a Jew and what is a Jewish state. While the dust has yet to settle from the 2001 elections, there is yet no indication that the above two issues are likely to find definitive answers during the term of the incoming administration.

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