Israel Weekly News Roundup July 21 2023
5 Things you need to know
Demonstrations, Protests, and Calls for Action Against the Judicial Coup: While the judicial coup is reaching a tipping point (see below), the protests and demonstrations are getting more and more intense, and include new fields and professions:
On Tuesday hundred of thousands on Israelis went out to the streets all over the country for another day of demonstrations. They blocked main roads, highways and traffic junctions, train stations, and public events in which member of the cabinet or the coalition took part and participated. The police, led by minister of national security, Itamar Ben Gvir, one of the most hawkish elements in PM Netanyahu’s government, had to take new directions in his leadership of the ministry and implemented severe measures against the protests. Tens of people were arrested, and released later.
On Wednesday there were more demonstrations and distractions, focusing on women’s rights, that are being curtailed in many fields. In the evening a group of demonstrators decided to start a march from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. They were influenced by the fact that the legislation continued, while they were in the streets protesting, and decided to take the protest to the next step. They intend to reach Jerusalem on Saturday and hold a sizable demonstration in front of the Knesset (the Israeli parliament), against the last step of the legislation, scheduled for Monday (see below).
On Thursday the Israeli Bar Association conducted an emergency conference, to protest against the first bill of the judicial coup. The Bar has new leadership which was elected a month ago with a sizable majority for the anti-coup camp. Former chief justice, Dorit Benisch, and the former State Attorney General, delivered speeches to the audience of lawyers in which they pointed out the dangers in the new bill.
Earlier that morning, former chief of the Shin Bet (General Security Service), Nadav Argaman, said in an interview that he thinks we have reached the point at which the heads of state agencies, the military chief of staff and the head of the Shin Bet, have to take a stand siding with the law, not with this dangerous government and the PM Netanyahu, and that they will only obey the law. If that happens, this will be a genuine constitutional crisis.
Meanwhile hundreds of military reservists, mainly pilots, have announced that they will no longer volunteer to serve in the reserves. It is important to mention here that the Israeli military air force is based mainly on reservists who volunteer for duty and training when they are called. If they don’t come, they will not be fit for future missions and this may jeopardize the ability of the Air Force to execute missions, and weaken its operational ability.
A Public Dispute Between President Biden and PM Netanyahu Regarding the Content of a Phone Conversation They Had Earlier this Week: Hours before President Biden met Israeli President, Isaac Herzog, he had a phone conversation with PM Netanyahu. Netanyahu told the press that Biden invited him to the White House (a sensitive issue as Biden has not invited Netanyahu to the WH, and this is considered an insult). PM Netanyahu also said that President Biden barely mentioned his discontent with the judicial coup. Later, President Biden invited acclaimed New York Times political commentator and author Thomas Friedman to the White House. In the meeting he told Friedman, for the record, that he did indeed express his deep worries about the judicial coup to Netanyahu, that he told PM Netanyahu that if the new bill is passed that will directly threaten the shared values doctrine between Israel and the US that are based on democracy. This move taken by the White House is an unprecedented act.
On Wednesday, President Herzog delivered a speech to the House and Senate to commemorate Israel’s 75th independence, which was warmly received by the joint sitting with thirty standing ovations. Herzog said in his speech that Israel has a strong and resilient democracy and that the protests in the streets is one example of the strength of its democracy.
Likud Minister David Amsalem Wages a Public Attack on Attorney General: Minister of Regional Cooperation David Amsalem attacked AG Gali Baharav-Miara from the podium at the Knesset plenum, claiming she was “the most dangerous person in the State of Israel”. Amsalem accused the AG of selective enforcement of the law with regard to anti judicial overhaul protestors, and specifically reservists from different forces within the IDF who announced earlier this week that they will refuse to continue their reserve duty should the judicial overhaul legislation pass. “There is in practice a revolt going on in the IDF, and the AG doesn’t see, doesn’t hear”, Amsalem said. The attack came after the AG said in a public address that she and her staff are under direct pressure to take positions in certain active legal cases.
Also, this week, Minister Amsalem, the minister responsible for governmental companies, published a letter, addressed to the Commissioner of Public Service, urging him to act against Michal Rozenboim, head of the authority of governmental companies. The letter of complaint included harsh language; Amsalem referred to Rozenboim as “a hustler”, “violent”, “unstoppable” and “driven by a venomous sense of revenge”. In a letter to the Minister, cc’d to PM Netanyahu, ministers of finance and justice, and the commissioner himself, Rozenboim wrote that the attempt to exert pressure on her using offensive language will not undermine her determination to serve the public and maintain her role as a gatekeeper committed to uphold the principles of proper public administration.
In recent weeks, several analysts wrote about the attacks of government ministers on women public servants, such as the AG and the head of authority of governmental companies, for their determination to not succumb to political pressures and for their overt criticism of government actions that are not in line with proper public service ethics.
Bill to Abolish Reasonableness Clause Ready for Second and Third Readings: after two days of marathon discussions in the Knesset Law and Justice Committee, the coalition announced that the bill to abolish the reasonableness clause will be submitted for final votes in the Knesset plenum. The opposition filed an unprecedented number of 27,000 objections and comments to the bill, and the committee had to review and vote on all of them. Yet, despite the heated debates in the committee, chaired by MK Simcha Rothman (Religious Zionism) and one of the leading architects of the judicial overhaul, the final draft of the bill was not modified. According to the Attorney General, Baharav-Miara, the final draft of the bill is even harsher than earlier versions. Politicians from both coalition and opposition expressed doubts regarding the possibility of reaching a compromise over the bill’s content at this point.
The 40th Jerusalem Festival Takes Place Amidst Public Turmoil, Honors Actress Helen Mirren: the festival launched last weekend, will conclude on Sunday, is the most prestigious international film festival in Israel, drawing thousands of viewers from around the country. President Herzog spoke at the opening ceremony of the festival, and his speech was interrupted by pro-democracy chants.
This year, the festival honored UK award winning actress Helen Mirren with a lifetime award, Mirren plays Golda Me’ir, Israel’s iconic and only woman prime minister. In the film “Golda”, directed by Israeli Oscar-winner Guy Nattiv, focuses on Meir’s actions during the 1973 Yom Kippur War. In a press conference at a Jerusalem hotel, Mirren said how excited she was to be in Israel. When asked about the current situation in Israel, Mirren said: “I don’t want to speak to [it] because I’m not Israeli and I haven’t lived in Israel,” she said. “I’ve watched it from afar, obviously, in these past weeks. I’m personally very moved and excited when I see those huge demonstrations. I think maybe it’s a pivotal moment in Israeli history.”
Each year, the festival announces several awards for Israeli and International documentary and feature films. This year, Marie Amachoukeli’s “Ama Gloria” won the Best International Film Prize. David Volach’s comedy drama “Daniel Auerbach”, won Best Israeli Feature prize.
For Further Reading:
Protest: Here, here, here, here, here, here, here
Biden-Netanyahu: Here, here, here, here, here, here
Minister Amsalem: Here, here, here