A ray of hope in troubled times
In the midst of the war, there is a democratic ray of hope in Israel in the form of the first municipal citizens' assemblies (following a successful pilot project in Kiryat Tiv'on in 2022). Recently, citizens' assemblies were held in the Arab village of Jatt and in Eilat, before mini-publcis also reached the Druze village of Beit Jan and the towns of Raanana and Kfar Saba, as well as the Bnei Shimon regional authority.
Jonathan Moskovic, who recently joined the DemocracyNext action institute, met citizens‘ assembly activists from the Israeli organisation “Democracy 3.0” at a G1000 citizens’ assembly conference in Eupen, Belgium, a few years ago. Since then, he has been in contact with them and has supported them in their citizens' assembly project, which began in 2024.
Arab and Jewish communities
At each municipal citizens' assembly in Israel, 70 citizens are selected at random to reflect the diversity of the population, explains Moskovic. The participants come together in six sessions to formulate recommendations for action. The current citizens' assemblies are taking place in both Arab and Jewish villages and towns.
The aim is to establish citizens' assemblies throughout Israel. Therefore, future mini-publics will include people from mixed cities such as Jerusalem, Acre, Haifa and Jaffa. These citizens' assemblies will be conducted in both Arabic and Hebrew to ensure inclusivity and to cater for all religions and cultures.
Vision of an Israeli-Palestinian Citizens' Assembly
According to citizens‘ assembly expert Moskovic, this initiative is just the beginning of what could eventually develop into a future Israeli-Palestinian Citizens' Assembly or perhaps even regional mini-publics in the Middle East. Their aim should be to tackle sensitive issues - similar to the Irish citizens' assemblies on abortion and same-sex marriage or, more recently, the debate on assisted dying in France.
‘This movement towards participatory democracy underscores that even amid adversity, the voices of citizens can come together to propose solutions and pave the way for a better future,’ writes Moskovic. ‘Let’s hold on to this hope and continue striving for a society where everyone can contribute to meaningful change and lasting peace.’
This article first appeared on Jonathan Moskovic's website.