1. The State of Israel: Ethnocracy or Democracy?

2. Discussion Points What were the internal and external challenges facing Israel in its early years and how did it deal with them? Can Israel be both a democracy and a Jewish state? Get into groups according to which reading you were assigned last week (1, 2, 3) Spend five to ten minutes identifying four key points in relation to one of the questions below Prepare to present your points to the group

3. Israeli Society Ashkenazi and Mizrachi Jews Druze Arabs Palestinian Israelis Bedouin Arabs Non-Jewish immigrant labour Palestinians in OPT

4. According to US Secretary of State John Kerry… “If talks fail, for Israel, the demographic dynamic will make it impossible to preserve its future as a democratic Jewish state” World Economic Forum, Davos, January 2014

5. Negev Bedouin In 2002 and again in 2003 and 2004, the Israeli government sprayed 12,000 dunams of crops with poisonous chemicals, destroying fields cultivated for generations by the Bedouin Arabs in the Negev region near Beer-Sheva. “We must stop their illegal invasion into state land by all means possible; the Bedouins have no regard for our laws; in the process we are losing the last resources of state lands; one of my main missions is to return power to the Land Authority in dealing with the non-Jewish threat to our lands. At the same time, we must settle the land by building new communal settlements and family farms. If we don’t do this, we shall lose the Negev forever.” Avigdor Lieberman,then minister responsible for land management (Maariv, 14 and 15 April 2002)

6. The Negev Bedouin are an indigenous, ethnic minority who have lived on the land for generations. They are full citizens of the state of Israel. Avigdor Lieberman was born in the former Soviet Union and moved to Israel at the age of 20. He is currently Israel’s Foreign Minister.

7. Next week… Negotiation Simulation! Introducing the Negotiations Handbook Organising the teams Allocating roles in the teams Delineating initial research tasks

8. Required Reading:

9. Office hours this week: Amory Room 502 11 am – 1pm Or email me tal208@exeter.ac.uktal208@exeter.ac.uk