It is no secret that the countries of Israel and Saudi Arabia are commonly discussed, argued over and referenced when topics involving the Middle East come up in conversation. Both of these countries are key players in their region as well as important allies to the United States of America and the West. These two countries are not going away anytime soon, and they certainly will continue to be key factors in American politics in the time to come.

Israeli Government

The government of State of Israel is a parliamentary democracy (CIA 2015). It has three branches of government broken down into executive, legislative, and judicial. The executive branch consists of a head of government, a chief of state, and a cabinet. Making up the legislative realm is a parliament of 120 seats filled with citizen-elected politicians (CIA 2015). These seats give proportional representation of every political party voted into office. Forming the judicial branch is the Supreme Court consisting of fifteen individuals, and the local and regional lower courts. Israel grants the right to vote to every citizen eighteen years of age and older (CIA 2015). The Israeli government permits citizenship to people of all religious affiliations.

Saudi Government

Contrary to Israel, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is governed by a monarchy. Saudi Arabia has three branches of government broken into the executive, legislative, and judicial. Being an active monarchy, the king plays an active role in the government. The king serves as both the chief of state and head of government in the executive branch (CIA 2015). There is also a cabinet that is appointed by the king and includes many of the royal family. The legislative realm is made up of an Islamic “consultative council”, also known as the Majlis al-Shura (CIA 2015). This council consists of 150 seats and although women do not have the right to vote in Saudi Arabia, the king appointed thirty women to the council in 2013 (CIA 2015). Men have the right to vote beginning at age 21. The judicial branch of the Saudi government consists of a high court and subordinate courts. The high court is made up of the chief with three-member judge panels and a five-member judge panel for criminal cases (CIA 2015).

These two forms of government differ greatly. Not only do they differ in structure, but they also differ in practice. The ways in which the dominant religion of each country influence their politics gives insight into how and why they function the way they do. The influence of the religions are an important aspect to regard.

The Role of Religion in Israel

Israel is the official Jewish State in the world. Judaism is the dominant religion practiced in the country. However, although Israel is a Jewish State, the government itself is considered “secular” (MFA 2015). Israel is the Jewish State because it offers a homeland for ethnic Jews - those who are born to an ethnically Jewish mother, or have an ethnically Jewish father. While many Jews practice forms of Judaism, the State of Israel and her government is considered religiously separated and “secular,” even though the Israeli government draws on the Torah for basic principles such as tolerance, and national holidays follow the Judaism calendar and religious celebrations.

Religion plays key roles in the culture and daily life of the population of Israel, however, in the government, it is only briefly referenced. This is proven true when you see that Israel is the only country in the Middle East where homosexuals can live freely, are recognized as having rights, and are allowed to live period. Israel also allows women to vote, serve in the military in combative roles, work in the commerce realm, have abortions and play key roles in government. If the Israeli government was not secular, homosexual rights would be much more limited, however homosexuals would still be treated more humane than in the neighboring Islamic countries where they are executed.

The Role of Religion in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has a very different type of government, and a very different dominant religion than Israel. The dominant religion in Saudi Arabia is Sunni Islam, particularly the sect of Wahhabism (PBS 2014). Wahhabism is the ultra-orthodox, strict, often called “extreme” interpretation of Sunni Islam. This form of Islam is known to produce religious extremists and terrorists - Osama bin Laden is one of the most famous, as well as the hijacker Islamic terrorists who flew the planes into the World Trade Centers and Pentagon on September 11th, 2001. All of these men were Saudi nationals.

Religion is deeply rooted and involved with the Saudi Arabian government. This is clearly seen in how the legislative branch of the government is an Islamic council - the Majlis al-Shura, who counsel the king on Islamic law. Saudi Arabia does not allow any non-Muslim to be a citizen of the country (PBS 2014). The constitution of the Saudi government is “based on the Qu’ran and the life and tradition of the Prophet Muhammad” (CIA 2015). The Wahhabism that is practiced and financially sponsored in and by Saudi Arabia cannot be separated from the Saudi government structure because the religious foundation of the country runs deep within the creation of Saudi Arabia.

How Israel & Saudi Arabia Deal With Terrorism

Despite having drastically different dominant religions, both Israel and Saudi Arabia have to deal with religious-affiliated terrorists and extremists. The predominant extremists come mostly from Islamic adherents. Israel also has to deal with a minute group of Judaism-affiliated religious extremists who carry-on terrorist activity. In the face of these issues, both Saudi Arabia and Israel deal with it accordingly.

Israel

Israel is one of the most advanced countries when it comes to the implementation of gathering intelligence and ensuring safety for their citizens. Israel uses their intelligence agency, Mossad, to document and deal with terrorism. Israel reserves their right to carry out preemptive missions to disable, disarm, and remove religious extremists and terrorists. They also detain known terrorists in high security prisons.

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia deals with their religious extremists and terrorists in a couple of interesting ways. Similar to Israel, the Saudi government uses profiling and intelligence to keep religious terrorists and extremists from disrupting the state. Saudis are known for executing terrorists, as well as converts to Christianity or other religions, and homosexuals. What is particularly interesting about Saudi Arabia is that while at the same time they execute terrorists, the Saudi government financially funds, supports, promotes, and practices Wahhabism - which, as mentioned, is known for producing religious extremists and terrorists. Not only does the Saudi government do all of these things, but they always send away, and essentially deport their possible terrorists to other countries including Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Recap

The practices that Israel and Saudi Arabia practice are similar and different when it comes to dealing with religious extremists and terrorists. The religious and political differences between these two states both enable and hinder the two states in how they handle and carry out their removal of extremists and terrorists. Israel, being a parliamentary democracy, with a secular government, they face heavy criticism of “human rights” and more cosmopolitan-leaning voices from their citizens and the West. While Saudi Arabia, too, faces some criticism from the West. However, due to their monarchy and Islamic practice, as well as the West’s self-interest in the oil agreements, Saudis are more free to execute people and deport their terrorists.

Both Israel and Saudi Arabia are successful at dealing with their religious extremists and terrorists because of the strong approach their governments take. It can be argued that the religions of these two states aid in the action they take against the religious extremists and terrorists while at the same time stirring terrorism. The success that these two states have at keeping their countries stable and protected cannot go unrecognized considering what is going on in their neighborhood with the rise of ISIS, civil wars, and the shift of Iran’s political playing game in the region with the new Iran-U.S. Deal. While the ways in which both Israel and Saudi Arabia deal with religious extremists and terrorists cause controversy among the West and those in academia, the practices are legitimate and acceptable under state sovereignty.