Search results

Abstract
Constructivists in the field of International Relations assume that states not only seek to ensure their physical security but also try to secure their identities by maintaining durable behavioral patterns in their relations with other actors. The dominant identity of the Israeli state is associated with policies characterized by resoluteness and decisiveness. This article argues that this state identity also manifests itself in the domestic sphere and presents case studies of two such manifestations. The first pertains to the development of Israeli offshore gas fields in the Eastern Mediterranean while the second deals with the country's COVID-19 pandemic containment strategy. The two cases are similar in the decisive and extraordinary character of the measures that the government attempted to use. At the same time, in the first case study this attempt was mostly unsuccessful and only in the second case the decisive stance was effectively implemented.

Debate over the present-day meaning of the traditional political terms 'left' and 'right' has been ongoing for at least three decades. Many claim that these labels have lost their former relevance. This article offers a comparative analysis of the Israeli, Polish, and Hungarian party systems. Using qualitative content analysis, it examines party platforms and politicians' speeches in order to assess the significance of political labels both in political narratives and academic debate. Two main research topics concerning political systems of the three countries are explored in the article: the blurring of the traditional left-right divisions and the partial adoption of an anti-establishment agenda by mainstream parties.

Ostatnia dekada przyniosła zmiany społeczne, polityczne i gospodarcze zarówno w samym Izraelu, jak i na Bliskim Wschodzie. Ewoluowały także charakter i skala zaangażowania mocarstw światowych w regionie. Celem artykułu jest stwierdzenie, czy zmiany zachodzące w środowisku Izraela od 2011 r. są na tyle silne, aby w znaczący sposób przekształcić bliskowschodnią strategię tego państwa. W pierwszej części, zarysowane zostaną najważniejsze nowe uwarunkowania zewnętrzne i wewnętrzne izraelskiej polityki zagranicznej. W drugiej, dokonana zostanie analiza głównych kierunków tej polityki w ostatnich latach: 1. zwalczania zagrożeń dla bezpieczeństwa narodowego, 2. współpracy z bliskowschodnimi aktorami międzynarodowymi, 3. reagowania i wpływania na aktywność mocarstw światowych w regionie. Słowa kluczowe: Izrael, Bliski Wschód, strategia, polityka zagraniczna, mocarstwa, państwa arabskie ; Social, political and economic changes have taken place both in Israel and the Middle East in the last decade. Also the scope and character of great powers' engagement in this region have evolved. The aim of this paper is to determine if Israel's environment transformation from 2011 is signifi - cant enough to induce a major change in the Middle Eastern strategy of this state. In the fi rst part, the main new determinants (on national and international level) of the Israeli foreign policy are depicted. In the second part, the key features of this policy in the recent years are analysed. The analysis focuses on: 1. combating threats to the national security, 2. cooperation with the regional actors, 3. reacting and infl uencing great powers' actions in the region. Key words: Israel, Middle East, strategy, foreign policy, world powers, Arab states

Public funding of churches and religious associations in Poland: Analysis of political debates on the liquidation of the Church Property Commission and the Church Fund
The paper contains a case study of the political debate concerning public funding for the religious institutions. It deals with the parliamentary discussions in the years 2004‑2015 on the abolishing of two public bodies: Church Property Commission (Komisja Majątkowa) and Church Fund (Fundusz Kościelny). The paper has two main objectives. First of them is providing the description of the debate (most important themes in the discourse, argumentative strategies, rhetorical instruments used by the interlocutors). The characteristics of the discourse let us draw a picture of the social relations and the place of religion in the public sphere. Therefore, the second objective of the paper is to describe the dominant narratives in the public debate on the role of religion in society and the state.

Israel's party system has been characterized by the bipolar rivalry between the left-wing and right-wing blocks since the late 1970s. In recent years we could have seen at least two trends that seem to diverge from this model. For the last 9 years, the Likud party has formed three successive governments which have made Benjamin Netanyahu the longest continuously serving prime minister in the history of Israel. Another new occurrence is the preservation of a significant representation of the centre parties for four Knesset terms in the row. The aim of the paper is to verify whether Israel's party system has departed from the two-blocs bipolar model. Based on the empirical data (election results, government formation, party's political platforms) it examines whether the parties' rivalry in the years 2009–2018 differed qualitatively from the previous period. To answer this question the paper investigates three hypotheses. First – Likud has become a dominant party in Israel. Second – a dominant and stable Israeli right-wing parties' bloc has formed. Third – an enduring and relevant centre sector has emerged in Israel's party system.

This Special Issue is dedicated to the study of public policies in Israel. The issue illustrates the dynamics, specific character, and complexity of policy approaches to diverse issues in Israel. Our aim is to analyze challenges and offer practical remedies. By focusing on public policies, we highlight concepts and strategies of policy management. We also offer recommendations for improving the understanding of some intricate issues and, ipso facto, social conditions in a number of spheres.