ution: no formal constitution; some of the functions of a
constitution are filled by the Declaration of Establishment (1948),
the basic laws of the parliament (Knesset), and the Israeli
citizenship law

Legal system: mixture of English common law, British Mandate
regulations, and, in personal matters, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim
legal systems; in December 1985, Israel informed the UN Secretariat
that it would no longer accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Ezer WEIZMAN (since 13 May 1993) election
last held 24 March 1993 (next to be held NA March 1999); results -
Ezer WEIZMAN elected by Knesset
head of government: Prime Minister Yitzhak RABIN (since NA July 1992)
cabinet: Cabinet; selected from and approved by the Knesset

Legislative branch: unicameral
parliament (Knesset): elections last held NA June 1992 (next to be
held by NA 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (120
total) Labor 44, Likud 32, MERETZ 12, Tzomet 8, National Religious
Party 6, SHAS 6, United Torah Jewry 4, Democratic Front for Peace and
Equality (Hadash) 3, Moledet 3, Arab Democratic Party 2; note - in
1994 four legislators broke party ranks, resulting in the following
new distribution of seats - Labor Party 44, Likud bloc 32, MERETZ 12,
National Religious Party 6, SHAS 6, Tzomet 5, United Torah Jewry 4,
Democratic Front for Peace and Equality (Hadash) 3, Moledet 2, Arab
Democratic Party 2, independents 4 (1 in coalition, 3 voting with
opposition)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders:
members of the government: Labor Party, Prime Minister Yitzhak RABIN;
MERETZ, Minister of Communications Shulamit ALONI; independent, Gonen
SEGEV
not in coalition, but voting with the government: Democratic Front for
Peace and Equality (Hadash), Hashim MAHAMID; Arab Democratic Party,
Abd al Wahab DARAWSHAH
opposition parties: Likud Party, Binyamin NETANYAHU; Tzomet, Rafael
EITAN; National Religious Party, Zevulun HAMMER; United Torah Jewry,
Avraham SHAPIRA; Moledet, Rehavam ZEEVI; Peace Guard (independent),
Shaul GUTMAN; SHAS, Arieh DERI
note: Israel currently has a coalition government comprising 2 parties
and an independent that hold 57 seats of the Knesset's 120 seats

Other political or pressure groups: Gush Emunim, Israeli nationalists
advocating Jewish settlement on the West Bank and Gaza