Shock in Israel at U.S. ‘coin-toss democracy’

Special to WorldTribune.com

Israel is not embracing “coin-toss democracy”.

Knesset members from across the political spectrum were shocked to learn that six coin tosses helped decide the outcome of the Feb. 2 Democratic Party caucuses in Iowa.

Israel's Knesset
Israel’s Knesset

Just as shocking was the phenomenal “luck” of Hillary Clinton, who won all six of the coin flips over socialist rival Bernie Sanders.

While Israel still admires American democracy, the coin flips were “a really stupid idea,” said Knesset Law Committee chairman Nissan Slomiansky (Bayit Yehudi).

Slomiansky, who is tasked with overseeing changes to Israel’s electoral system, said “it is delusional to decide the fate of people by flipping a coin. I know it’s tradition in America, but God forbid us from ever doing it here.”

“Only the U.S. could get away with something like this,” said Deputy Regional Cooperation Minister Ayoub Kara (Likud), adding that had Israel adopted the same process, U.S. politicians and media would be condemning the “coin-toss democracy.”

“If we had coin flips decide things here, the loser would immediately appeal to the High Court of Justice, suggesting a problem with the coin or with the flipper,” said Kulanu MK Rachel Azaria, who gave up her American citizenship last year when she entered the Knesset.

Israel could never condone “games of luck,” because this is a form of gambling, according to Deputy Central Elections Committee chairman Yehuda Avidan (Shas), who proclaimed the Israeli system “the best in every way.”

Zionist Union MK Tzipi Livni joked that “we should decide every election in Israel that way. The results could only be better.”