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The Israeli Knesset's Anti-Democratic Agenda
by Stephen Lendman
An earlier article discussed the Mossawa Center calling
the current Knesset the most racist in history, accessed
through the following link:
http://sjlendman.blogspot.com/2010/04/alarming-racism-in-israel.html
It reviewed 2008 and 2009 legislation violating Israeli
Arab rights, Mossawa saying "almost every day" they're
victimized by racist actions, and as a result, they face
disruptive social, economic and cultural futures.
The upcoming winter Knesset session promises worse, the
Association for Civil Rights in Israel's Debby Gild-Hayo
(ACRI) reviewing what's expected in a report titled,
"Harming Democracy in the Heart of Democracy." Ahead of
the upcoming session, it addressed expected anti-democratic
legislation, including:
-- free expression political protest rights;
-- equality before the law;
-- verbal and physical abuse of minority MKs;
-- efforts to delegitimize and infringe on legitimate
human rights and social change organizations; and
-- attempts to weaken academic freedom.
In sum, it represents extremist efforts to weaken Israeli
democracy, or what passes for its current system, by
destroying civil liberties, silencing minority views, and
characterizing groups holding them as state enemies. In
fact, "We are witnessing a reality of increasing tyranny
against social, political, and national minorities, which
harms their" rights and everyone's. Perhaps more disturbing
is that surveys of the past two years show public support,
mainly among Israeli youths.
The Knesset's 2010-11 Winter Session
Begun on October 10, the Knesset will address some previous
session's unapproved legislation and expected new ones to
be introduced. They include:
(1) The Nakba Bill
As first written, anyone commemorating Nakba Day faced
prison. It was then softened to deny observing persons or
groups public funds, yet still threatens freely expressed
minority views. The bill passed the preliminary reading,
and may be addressed by the Constitution, Law, and Justice
Committee ahead of its first reading.
(2) The Anti-Incitement Bill
Amending existing law, it calls for arresting anyone deny-
ing the existence of Israel as a Jewish, democratic state.
In other words, it criminalizes minority or opposition
political views. It passed its preliminary reading and
may be addressed by the Constitution, Law, and Justice
Committee ahead of its first reading.
(3) The Nationalization, Pledge of Allegiance Bill
It requires all Israeli citizens to pledge loyalty to
Israel as a Jewish, democratic, Zionist state, and perform
military or some form of national service. The government
didn't endorse the bill. In May 2010, a ministerial
committee rejected it, and in July the cabinet did as well
so far. However, efforts to reintroduce it are expected.
(4) The Admission Committees of Communal Settlements Bill
Its provisions let admission committees reject communal
settlement memberships for anyone "fail(ing) to meet (its)
fundamental views," its social fabric, and other aspects
of how they're run. Its real purpose is discriminatory -
to exclude unwanted members based on their ethnicity,
religion or political views. ACRI petitioned Israel's High
Court opposing the bill. It passed its first reading and
will be address by the Constitution, Law, and Justice
Committee ahead of its second and third ones.
(5) The Funds from Foreign Political Entities Bill
In original form, individuals or groups receiving foreign
funding must register with the party registrar and immedi-
ately report each contribution amount and its source. They
must also publicly state they are funded by foreign nations
and includes strict penalties. The bill tries "to delegit-
imize and impair on the activities of organizations that
receive" outside funding, even though Israeli law already
requires such reporting be made.
However, the new legislation expands on existing law to
force "certain civil organization to mark their activities
as subversive and illegitimate." It also focuses human
rights groups (not others in favor) as a way to delegiti-
mize and incriminate them unfairly. ACRI wrote the foreign
minister warning against this type intervention. The
Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee endorsed the
amended bill. It will be presented for a first reading and
addressed by the Committee ahead of its second and third
ones.
(6) The Infiltration Bill
Among other provisions, it stipulates that infiltrators
based on their country of origin and persons assisting
them are subject to from five to seven years imprisonment.
"This bill follows" the same delegitimizing trend against
"human rights and aid organizations and individuals who
help refugees and labor immigrants." The bill failed
earlier, but key points will be reintroduced in the new
measure, currently being drafted by the Justice Ministry.
(7) A Bill Against Boycott
It states that persons who initiate, promote, or publish
material that might serve as grounds for an imposed boycott
against Israel may be criminally charged. They're also
ordered to compensate parties economically harmed, includ-
ing fixed 30,000 shekels reparations, freeing plaintiffs
from the need to prove damages.
Further, if the accused is a foreign citizen, he or she
will be prohibited from entering or doing business with
Israel, and if a foreign nation is involved, whatever debt
it's owed may not be paid. The funds instead will be used
to compensate aggrieved parties, and the country may be
banned from further business dealings in Israel. In
addition, the provisions "apply one year retroactively."
Again, the bill's purpose is discriminatory. It targets
certain internal political groups, and it aims to
"neutralize the (ruling coalition's) political opposition."
It mainly rejects legitimate settlement product boycotts
(including BDS ones)." It thus impedes "legitimate, legal,
and nonviolent protest(s)," as well as Israeli free
expression and assembly rights, what real democracies
never prohibit.
The bill passed its preliminary reading. The Constitution,
Law, and Justice Committee will next address it ahead of
its first reading. Importantly, a ministerial committee
rejected provisions pertaining to foreign citizens and
states, fearing adverse outside reactions. It remains
whether that consideration will hold.
(8) Bill on Revoking the Citizenship of Persons Convicted
of Terrorism or Espionage
Israel's Penal Code already deals with these issues, so
why something new? This bill "infringes on the basic
rights of Israel's citizens" because when citizenship is
revoked, other rights also are unfairly lost. The Interior
Committee addressed the bill ahead of its first reading.
Two additional bills may also be submitted:
-- An Associations Bill, banning suits filed abroad
against Israeli politicians or military officers.
Groups formed to file overseas suits are prohibited,
and those established will be shut down; and
-- a bill banning veils in public under penalty of
imprisonment.
The attitude of coalition MKs is discriminatory, racist,
and intolerant of minority members' views. After the Gaza
Flotilla slaughter, it became painfully evident, including
verbal and physical abuse against Balad Party's Hanin Zuabi
for her participation.
Hostile MKs wanted her expelled, others prosecuted, and
some set up a Facebook group calling for her execution,
no matter that her action was humanitarian and lawful.
The Palestinians' Higher Monitoring Committee chose her
to represent 1.5 million trapped Gazans. So targeting her
vilifies and endangers all Palestinians, Israeli Arabs
and supportive Jews. An August 18 Zuheir Andreus Haaretz
article said "We are all Zuabi," meaning everyone for
democratic freedoms is threatened.
ACRI filed a petition with Israel's High Court against
revoking her parliamentary rights. However, the prevailing
Knesset attitude isn't changing, for sure not in the
current session in light of so-called peace talks, ongoing
settlement construction, and hard-liners pushing a react-
ionary agenda overall.
Additional Winter Session Issues Affecting Human Rights
(1) Planning and Housing Reform
A new law will have "far-reaching implications" for all
Israelis by impairing public participation in activities
regarding the protection of popular interests.
(2) The State Budget and Arrangements Act
Israel's biannual 2011-12 budget will be addressed,
containing "numerous resolutions and amendments that
impair on human rights (on) a wide range of issues."
They include:
-- courts accessibility;
-- rights of the unemployed and persons seeking state
allowances;
-- labor rights;
-- public housing residents' rights; and
-- other related issues.
(3) Bills dealing with immigration and civil status.
(4) An ACRI initiated amendment seeks to ban discrimination
in public services "that will not allow further selection
at club entrances."
(5) A National Health Act amendment, "adding a standing
mechanism for updating the medications basket."
(6) An ACRI initiated measure seeks to replace the
Wisconsin Plan, aimed at eliminating welfare by
privatizing social services.
A Final Comment
ACRI is concerned that "Anti-democratic tendencies in the
Knesset are gaining momentum," the Winter Session expected
to advance them, though some initial proposals were
modified and made softer. The previous session was notable
for "laying the foundations for anti-democratic legisl-
ation," but many proposed measures await consideration
and final action. As a result, the Winter Session will be
defining and trying if repressive laws are enacted, harden-
ing tyranny over democratic freedoms. The threat is real
and all Israelis are at risk, not just opposition
minorities.
As things now stand, "Israeli democracy (has) already
sustained a serious blow, Arab Israelis and human rights
activists mostly harmed as enemies of the state," their
status subject to the whims of a hostile majority. ACRI
and other activist groups will keep working to save what's
fast eroding, "doing everything (possible to promote)
equality, social justice, and human rights," without which
free societies die.
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