Constitution

Looking back at George Washington’s 1790 letter, the root of American religious freedom

George Washington to the Jews of Newport, Rhode Island, and the presentation of him by artist Arthur Szyk.

|ByDAVID GEFFEN
Declaration of Independence of the United States. New Canaan, 1950. Featuring George Washington.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas addresses the general Conference of Fatah Youth in Ramallah, with a backdrop including a portrait of Abbas and Yasser Arafat, November 27, 2025; illustrative.

PA drafts constitution, omits Jewish ties to Jerusalem, calls for Sharia legal system

The draft constitution also called for the "right of return" for refugees, caring for families of "martyrs, prisoners, and exiles," and reaffirming the PLO's position as representing Palestinians.

|ByJAMES GENN
US VICE President JD Vance is seen at the Turning Point USA conference last week. His statements that the US will always be a Christian nation is nauseating in its inconsistency and undermining of the founding fathers’ intentions, the writer says.

America's separation of church and state maintains its strong bond to Israel - opinion

Mainstream media coverage of the recent Turning Point USA’s annual conference was concerning for the American Jewish community, Israelis, and pro-Israel Americans of all religions.

|ByALIZA PILICHOWSKI
THE KNESSET during a meeting on December 24, 2025.

Israelis still believe in the country, but not its institutions, IDI survey reveals

Only about a quarter of Jewish respondents described Israeli democracy as “good” or “excellent,” continuing a downward trend in recent years, with ratings among Arab respondents even lower.

|ByJOANIE MARGULIES

A divided Israel needs a Lincoln moment to heal - opinion

Having lived in Israel on and off for a number of years, I’ve come to love the country like family. Things I appreciate. Things I don’t. And boy, does this moment feel like a test!

JULY 28, 2023ByMARK BANSCHICK
Abraham Lincoln

Netanyahu's chance to lead Israel to a constitution and save his legacy - opinion

With a few decisions, Netanyahu can go from the prime minister who brought down Israel’s democracy to the one who saved it.

JULY 27, 2023ByYAAKOV KATZ
THE TENT CITY set up in Jerusalem’s Sacher Park this week by opponents to the government’s judicial overhaul plans.

Judicial reform hits another inflection point with the reasonableness bill

LEGAL AFFAIRS: Sunday is still many hours and minutes away, and Elbashan said that reaching a compromise is still a possibility.

JULY 21, 2023ByMICHAEL STARR
MK SIMCHA ROTHMAN, head of the Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee, takes a selfie with MK Ofir Katz after a committee meeting on the reasonableness bill this week

Law committee votes on reasonableness bill changes after marathon debate

The reasonableness standard bill would limit the application of judicial review of government administrative decisions.

JULY 18, 2023ByMICHAEL STARR
Israeli lawmakers such as MK Simcha Rothman (L) and opposition leader MK Yair Lapid (R) are seen at a meeting of the Knesset Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee amid debates surrounding the reasonableness standard and mass protests against judicial reform, in Jerusalem, on July 11, 2023.

Can equality be enshrined in an Israeli constitution now? - opinion

In Israel, the majority has already shown time and again that undercutting equality can wreak havoc – equality is essential for our common future.

JUNE 23, 2023ByYEDIDIA STERN
ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER Benjamin Netanyahu meets with coalition leader MK Ophir Katz and Shas’s Arye Deri in the Knesset.

Beware of rushing into a US-style constitution - opinion

David Ben-Gurion warned against this from the outset – which is one of the main reasons why Israel never received a formal written constitution.

JUNE 14, 2023ByMICHAEL ARNHEIM
SUPREME COURT Justice Uzi Fogelman takes his seat for a High Court hearing in Jerusalem. The writer asks: How can a court declare a law unconstitutional when there is no constitution?

Can Israel's political strife be solved by a 'thin' constitution? - opinion

The sheer audacity of the judicial reform, and the aggressive way it was marketed, punched a hole in the fabric of Israeli national life, and through it, poured the boiling lava of identity discord.

JUNE 12, 2023ByYEDIDIA STERN
A DEMONSTRATION against the government’s planned judicial overhaul takes place across from the President’s Residence in Jerusalem, last month. The large black banner at the bottom reads: ‘Lesson in democracy.’

Letters to the Editor June 7, 2023: Dystopian image

Readers of The Jerusalem Post have their say.

JUNE 7, 2023ByLETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letters

Israel needs a constitution, but we cannot rely on Knesset to provide one - opinion

Most citizens lack accountable and responsive representatives. Tens of thousands of citizens take to the streets weekly, yet the effect to date is only temporary.

JUNE 4, 2023ByDAVID RAAB
The assembly hall of the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, on March 13, 2023

Israel, UK: 2 countries without written constitutions and shared lessons

The Media Line speaks to constitutional experts to explore lessons for Israel from the United Kingdom, which has operated for more than a millennium without a written constitution.

MAY 22, 2023ByCRYSTAL JONES/THE MEDIA LINE
Israel's Declaration of Independence