page_title: Jewish and democratic state
section_title: Jewish State
hierarchical_section_title: Jewish and democratic state / Background / Jewish State
caption_attribution_description: Israeli Declaration of Independence
context_page_description: "Jewish and democratic state" is the Israeli legal definition of the nature and character of the State of Israel. The "Jewish" nature was first defined within the Declaration of Independence of 1948. The "Democratic" character was first officially added in the amendment to the Basic Law: the Knesset that was passed in 1985.
  Numerous scholars and political observers have debated the definition, particularly whether the terms are contradictory or complementary. According to Yossi Klein Halevi, "Israel is based on two non-negotiable identities. The homeland of all Jews, whether or not they are citizens of Israel, and it's the state of all its citizens, whether or not they are Jews."
context_section_description: The Israeli Declaration of Independence identifies Israel as a "Jewish State," in the sense that Jews as an ethnicity can exercise their right for self determination. It doesn't give a Judaism any special status over other religions nor does it deny minority rights.
caption: Israeli Declaration of Independence
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