Of all countries, Israel — the Jewish state that many in the Arab world reject — provides them with a political spectacle that their own governments would hardly permit: real elections, an opposition with a genuine chance of gaining power, and a head of government who can be voted out of office.
While Israelis debate who should govern them in the future, millions of people in neighboring Arab states have only limited say in their own political leadership. Brother Rasheed, a Christian author of Moroccan origin, captures this contradiction with a provocative metaphor: Israel’s elections are the Arab world’s favorite soap opera. But behind this political spectacle lies a serious question: Why can people passionately debate Israel’s government while being denied the freedom to vote out their own rulers in so many places?
The Arab peoples surrounding Israel look to a democracy because they have none of their own. For many viewers living under authoritarian governments, Israel’s elections offer a political drama that their...
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