Israel as a mixed jurisdiction.

AuthorRivlin, Eliezer
PositionSymposium: Mixed Jurisdictions

Like in most Western countries, the legal system in Israel is constantly evolving. Israel is a mixed jurisdiction in many respects. Historically, during the time of the Ottoman Empire, the land of Israel was ruled by Turkish law, which was followed by British law during the time of the British Mandate. Today, Israel's legal system still reflects a mixture of civil law and common law. This mixture is evident, for example, in the combination of codified law and precedent-based law. Several areas of the law were codified, at the time of the British Mandate, in ordinances that remain binding today. However, these ordinances were supplemented and widely interpreted in Israel's case law, and an "Israeli common law" was created. Today, legislative efforts are being made to codify this new common law.

The mixed nature of substantive law in Israel is also illustrated by Israel's constitutional regime. While Israel has no formal constitution, it has a partial bill of rights (the basic laws) enacted by its parliament. In 1995, the Israeli Supreme Court decided, referring to American constitutional law, that it had the authority to invalidate "unconstitutional laws". In its decision, the Supreme Court relied on a limitation clause, included in the new basic laws and inspired by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Since then, the Israeli Supreme Court has developed a number of constitutional rights from these basic laws, influenced by both the American concept of liberty and the European concept of human dignity.

Finally, comparative law plays an important role in Israeli case law. While British common law no longer binds the Israeli judiciary, judges have wide discretion to use comparative law in their decisions. When relevant, referring to foreign law may be of great assistance to a judge by providing inspiration in a difficult case. Utilizing many different sources of law may help to create harmony between various jurisdictions, especially in times of increasing globalization.

A l'image de la plupart des pays occidentaux, le treit israelien est en constante evolution. Israel est de juridiction mixte sous plusieurs aspects. Historiquement, a l'epoque de l'empire Ottoman, les terres israeliennes etaient gouvernees par le droit turc. Celui-ci a ete suivi par le droit britannique durant la periode du mandat britannique. Aujourd'hui, le droit israelien reflete encore un melange de droit civil et de common law. Ce melange est evident, par exemple, dans la combinaison des lois codirides et des lois basees sur les precedents. Plusieurs secteurs legislatifs ont ete codifies, lors du mandat britannique, dans des ordonnances qui demeurent effectives de nos jours. Cependant, ces ordonnances ont ete supplees et largement interpretees par la jurisprudence israelienne, ce qui a cree une >. Aujourd'hui, des efforts sont faits afin de codifier cette nouvelle common law.

Une autre illustration du droit materiel mixte en Israel est son regime constitutionnel Israel n'a pas de constitution formelle, mais a une declaration des droits partielle (les lois fondamentales) adoptee par son parlement. En 1995, la Cour supreme israelienne a declare, en reference au droit constitutionnel americain, avoir l'autorite d'invalider toute >. Dans sa decision, la Cour supreme s'est basee sur une clause de limitation incluse dans les nouvelles lois fondamentales et inspiree par la Charte canadienne des droits et libertes. Depuis, la Cour supreme israelienne a developpe un certain nombre de droits constitutionnels a partir de ces lois fondamentales, influences a la fois par le concept americain de liberte et le concept europeen de dignite humaine.

Finalement, le droit comparatif joue un role important dans la jurisprudence israelienne. Meme si la common law britannique ne lie plus les cours israeliennes, les juges ont une large discretion pour utiliser le droit comparatif dans leurs decisions. Lorsque pertinente, la reference au droit etranger peut etre d'une grande assistance pour un juge, lui fournissant l'inspiration necessaire dans un cas difficile. L'utilisation de plusieurs sources differentes peut creer une harmonie entre les differentes juridictions, particulierement dans une epoque de mondialisation grandissante.

**********

Israel can serve as a unique example of a multi-layered mixed legal system. Historically, the Israeli legal system was composed of several chronological "layers". First, Turkish law, originating in the Ottoman era--the region that is now the state of Israel was part of the Ottoman Empire for four hundred years--was the law of the land. (1) Essentially, Ottoman law was Islamic religious law influenced by European (e.g., Austrian, Swiss, and French) law. (2) Then, British law became the law of the land. At the end of the First World War, the region was conquered by the British army and it became a part of the British Mandate under the League of Nations. For thirty years, the region was strongly influenced by the British legal system. (3) The rules of English common law and the principles of equity were imported into the region. It was only in 1980, more than thirty years after the British Mandate had ended, that these binding links to the English common law were disconnected. (4) After the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948, and since then, the Israeli Parliament--the Knesset--has enacted new statutes that have turned the Israeli legal system into a modern one--an original system in many senses.

Israel is still a mixed jurisdiction today. Its legal system reflects a mixture of English legal traditions and Continental European standards and principles. For years, Israel's private law has been governed by one kind or another of civil code. The Ottoman civil code was the first code to be absorbed into the local system, though almost all of the Ottoman laws have since been abolished. (5) A unique kind of civil codification was also enacted by the British during their mandate. The Tort Ordinance is a good example: it is still in force in Israel and was, in fact, a codification...

To continue reading

Request your trial

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT