Human rights

This article examines those issues relating to human rights in Israel that the writer regards as unique features of the Israeli situation. The writer argues that one cannot divorce issues of human rights in Israel proper from human rights issues in the Occupied Territories (OT). He then proceeds to outline the legal regime for protection of human rights both in Israel and the OT. This is followed by a discussion of the implications of Israel's definition as a Jewish and democratic state in two spheres–the status of non-Jews (Arabs and foreign workers) in the state, and questions of state and religion. The final sections deal with the state of emergency that has existed since independence and specific human rights issues in the OT.