Freedom House, which monitors countries around the globe, reports that Israel's democracy thrives, while freedom is on the decline world-wide.

Media commentators slammed the US-based Freedom House NGO for downgrading its designation of the Israeli media from “free” to “partly free” in its 2016 Freedom of the Press report.

Major Alaa Waheeb is the highest ranking Muslim officer in the Israel Defense Forces, and a report published by US News & World Report listed Israel as the 8th most powerful country in the world.