Our transitions of power have been always been peaceful, and there’s a chance we will see that happen again this week.

Regardless of the results, which remained unclear Tuesday night, Election Day is, first and foremost, a celebration of democracy and Israelis should be proud of the way we conduct ourselves on this day.

Israel is the world’s 10th-oldest democracy, with universal suffrage from the time of its establishment for all citizens regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion or anything other than Israeli citizenship and being 18 years old or more. Our democratic tradition goes even farther back than that, with the Yishuv’s Assembly of Representatives during the time of the British Mandate and the Zionist Congresses that preceded it. Continue reading