My name is Dave and my paper is on the Israeli legal system. The state of Israel is a western - style democracy that has its roots from the British mandate over the Ottoman Empire after the defeat of Turkey in World War One. .
The area of land where Israel is located used to be part of the Ottoman Empire, which was ruled by Turkey. After World War One when Turkey was defeated a British mandate was established.
The British mandate created a government which gradually replaced the old law, with English principles.
All aspects of law have adopted the English ways but the only Ottoman law that was still followed was their system of family law. This allowed religious courts of the different religious communities to set the laws and standards of family practices. .
Israel is a parliamentary democracy consisting of a legislative, executive, and judicial branches. The institutions that make up these branches are the Presidency, the Knesset ( the parliament), the government ( which is made up of a cabinet of ministers), and the judiciary or court system. The Government is based upon the principles of separation of powers with checks and balance.
The President is the head of state in Israel. The Presidential terms are 5 years each and each President is limited to 2 consecutive terms. The President is elected by a simple majority within the Knesset.
Many of the Presidential duties are ceremonial and formal. These duties include: .
-opening the first session of a new Knesset.
-accepting the credentials of foreign envoys.
-signing treaties and laws adopted by the Knesset.
The Knesset or Israel's parliament is the country's legislative body. The Knesset got its name and fixed number of 120 members from the Knesset Hagedolah - which means Great Assembly "which was the representative Jewsih council convened in Jerusalem by Ezra and Nehemiah in the 5th century BC.
Elections for the Knesset are held every 4 years and after every election and new Knesset takes form.
