The State of Israel does not yet have a Constitution. The Israel Democracy Institute (IDI) has managed to put the issue of creating a constitution for the State of Israel on the national agenda, and further the process close to its fruition.

The IDI has published a draft of a proposed constitution (soon to appear in English), yet the work for this important endeavor began approximately seven years ago when over 100 people, representing the gamut of opinions in Israeli society, came together to discuss constitutional matters in a Public Council created by the IDI and headed by Supreme Court President (Emeritus) Meir Shamgar.

The Public Council’s accomplishments included obtaining the Knesset’s recognition of the paramount worth of legalizing a constitution, and the dedication of the Chairman of the Knesset's Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee to begin drafting this document.

IDI fellows taking part in the Constitution by Consensus project did not only manage to fulfill the task of drafting this substantial document, but also managed to raise an awareness of the paramount need for compromise on all sides. And, since this document was not drafted when the state was founded, but over half-a-decade later, the IDI emphasized the need for broad consensus by the public in order to give widespread legitimacy to this document. Consensus holds the potential of compromise and the meaning of coexistence. Legalizing a constitution in Israel will not only protect the rights of minorities, but will help reach some form of normalization in this region.