SHARIAsource

Country Background

Israel is located in the Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea. It is bounded by Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Jordan, and Palestine. The capital of Israel is Tel Aviv. The official languages are Hebrew and, for the Arab minority, Arabic. The country's population in 2017 was approximately 8.3 million (including East Jerusalem). The official religion of Israel is Judaism. Israel is a predominantly Jewish country, with about 75% of the population Jewish. Islam is the largest minority religion in Israel, and Muslims make up about 18% of the country's population.

Constitution & Legal Structure

Israel is referred to as a democratic republic. The system of government is based on principles of separation and checks and balances and has three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. Israel does not have a formal constitution, and instead, its Declaration of Establishment (1948), the Basic Laws, and the Law of Return (which has been amended over time) serve as its primary basis of law and legal structure. The legal structure of Israel is a mixed system of English common law, British Mandate regulations, and Jewish religious laws. For Muslim citizens, Islamic law applies in cases of personal status (inheritance, marriage/divorce, etc.). 

Constitutional Status of Islamic Law

Islamic law has no constitutional status in Israel.

Jurisdiction(s) of Islamic Law

Islamic law has no official jurisdiction of operation in Israel. However, for the Muslim minority in Israel, sharīʿa applies in cases of personal status. 

Dominant School of Islamic Law

Israel has no official school of Islamic law. The majority of Muslims in Israel are Sunnī (adhering to the Ḥanafī school). 

Sources of Law for Legal Research

Official Publications

• Legislative
  • Reshumot (official gazette)
  • Knesset [Parliament] in Hebrew; see also English version; includes Proclamation of Independence, the Basic Laws, and other documents of interest 
  • Encryption Controls in Israel
  • Selected Laws and Legal Issues
  • Basic Laws of the State of Israel 
• Executive
  • Government Portal
  • President
  • Prime Minister
• Judicial
  • Judicial Authority - in Hebrew; also available in English and Arabic; the Supreme Court's website contains judgments, which links to judgments in Hebrew and a few abstracts/translations of cases in the news
  • Israeli Constitutional Court Cases in English (Law Library of Congress)

Unofficial Databases

• FAOLEX: Israel (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) database of national laws and regulations on food, agriculture, and renewable natural resources.
• NATLEX: Israel (International Labour Organization) database of national laws on labor, social security, and related human rights.
• RefWorld Legal Information: Israel (UNHCR)
• WIPO Lex: Israel (World Intellectual Property Organization)

References:

For an extended list of legal resources for this country, see the Library of Congress’s Research Guide, and for a narrative review, see the GlobaLex Foreign Law Research Guide (most updated version, where available). The Constitution is available in the LOC Guide in its original language and at Constitute in English translation. For full versions of past constitutions, amendments, and related legislation, see HeinOnline World Constitutions Illustrated or Oxford Constitutions of the World [subscription required for each].