Israel Weekly News Roundup March 17, 2023
5 Things you need to know
President Herzog Warns of a Civil War in Israel: After long discussions, consultations, dialogues and meetings with a large number of experts from academia, mainly law professors, from civil society, mayors, economists, heads of the large corporations in Israel, and of course representatives from the different political parties, President Herzog introduced his outline for a compromise in the judicial coup/reform.
The President in Israel is not a politician, but rather a symbolic institution that reflects national unity and is above politics.
The President’s outline was intended to present a detailed compromise that should bridge the deep gap between the right wing government, the judicial coup it promotes in rapid legislation, and the opposition, but mainly for the hundred of thousands of Israelis who have protested daily in the streets for more than ten weeks, terrified by the proposed dramatic changes that might eliminate all checks and balances, and division of power between state agencies.
President Herzog delivered his outline in a live broadcast, and created a designated website where he uploaded the detailed document for the public.
It took only seven minutes for the coalition to reject the president’s outline out of hand. Speakers from the opposition said that the plan is relatively balanced and can be a basis for a compromise.
It is important to state that due to the fact that the coalition rejected the President’s compromise, it continues to push forward with all the legislation which are part of the coup/reform. The target is to conclude the first chapter by the end of the current Knesset session on April 2nd. Last week they prepared a bill that will allow them to nominate a minister even if the High Court of Justice rules the nomination is invalid. They also prepared a bill that will allow the Prime Minister and his nuclear family members to receive donations to cover legal expenses without any monitoring or reporting, which is an open door for corruption. These are only two examples of the planned legislation, in addition to full political control over the committee to nominate judges, and the override bill.
A Severe Security Threat Was Revealed in Northern Israel: A Lebanese man managed to secretly enter Israel, carrying an explosive device and managed to carry out an attack on a car at one of the busiest junctions in Israel. Fortunately only one person was injured. The event was under a strict censorship ban for a few days, while security forces tried to catch the man, and understand how he managed to enter Israel despite all the fence sensors and other intelligence means that are meant to prevent such an event. Eventually military forces managed to locate the man, who was trying to return to Lebanon, and killed him. Censorship was lifted Thursday afternoon to stop the wave off rumors that swept Israel. Security forces still don’t know how this man managed to enter Israel. If he had succeeded in executing a massive attack with multiple casualties, Israel would have been forced, in response, to open a broad military operation against Hizbollah in Lebanon.
Protests Against Judicial Overhaul Continue to Grow: Half a million people took to the streets in cities and communities around the country, to demonstrate against the judicial overhaul. On Thursday, another “Day of Disruption” drew tens of thousands of people around the country to participate. Vigils, marches, artistic installations and demonstrations were held from the north to the south of Israel, as citizens continue to voice their resistance to the judicial overhaul.
In Tel Aviv, demonstrators blocked streets during the day, and marched with torches in the evening. In Jerusalem, a group of artists, along with professors and students from a prestigious Arts institute painted the way from the police headquarters in downtown Jerusalem to the supreme court in pink and red. Five people were detained and later released, under restrictions, for suspicion of being involved in painting the street.
As weekly demonstrations continue for the past two months, more people, professionals and communities are joining the protests. Also in Jerusalem, parents, educators and students held vigils outside the schools in the morning.
In Herzliya, near Tel Aviv protesters blocked a train from leaving the station. "We are stopping this train just like we will stop the legislative train that is tearing the people apart. Israel will not be a dictatorship," they said. Reservist officers announced that if the judicial reform legislation passes, they will refuse to report for reserve duty,
In the Haredi city of Bnei Brak, a group of army veterans erected a makeshift drafting agency, to protest the fact that Haredi men are exempt from military service.
PM Netanyahu Travels to Rome and Berlin Amidst Judicial Overhaul Turmoil: last weekend, PM Netanyahu and his wife flew to Rome. They arrived at Ben Gurion airport by helicopter, since protestors against the judicial overhaul planned to block the road leading to the airport. At the airport, Netanyahu met with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who canceled his plans to travel to Tel Aviv for their meeting because of the protests. In a press conference following the meeting, Austin said the relationship between the US and Israel is “rooted in the shared values of democracy, freedom and the rule of law.”
In Rome, Netanyahu met with far-right Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni and with leaders of the Jewish community. There, he was openly criticized by the leader of Italy’s largest Jewish community for promoting the judicial overhaul. The press also reported that a member of the Jewish community refused to serve as a translator for PM Netanyahu, due to the judicial overhaul.
Amidst another “day of disruption” in Israel, PM Netanyahu flew out for a brief visit to Berlin which was cut short because of the political and public turmoil surrounding the judicial overhaul. In Berlin, PM Netanyahu met with Chancellor Olaf Scholz and with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. While official statements said that the leaders will discuss Iran and other regional issues, president Frank-Walter Steinmeier said, prior to the visit, that he plans to raise the issue of the judicial overhaul during his meeting with Netanyahu. This, following in-house criticism for hosting PM Netanyahu at such a time.
In Berlin, Netanyahu was also met by a “Handmaids Tale” protest of women in white caps and crimson capes. In Israel, protestors demonstrated outside the German embassy in Tel Aviv.
PM Netanyahu’s trips to Rome and Berlin are overshadowed by the fact that until now, he has not received an invitation from the White House to visit, although it has been eleven weeks since he assumed office. A senior analyst with the Washington Institute told a Reuters’ reporter that the fact that PM Netanyahu has not yet received an invitation to the White House is meant to send a clear message: “If you pursue objectionable policies, there's no entitlement to an Oval Office sit-down.”
Minister of Finance, Bezalel Smotrich Cut Short His Trip to the US, As He Did Not Manage To Schedule A Meeting With Any Officials: Smotrich travelled to Washington DC to speak at the conference of the Jewish Bonds. He delivered his speech, in broken English. Parts of the speech went viral on social media displaying his lack of English skills. Hundreds of Israelis and Jews demonstrated outside his hotel in Washington DC. Smotrich was hoping to meet officials from the Biden administration and other international representatives in the American capital, like the head of the International Monetary Fund. But, no one was willing to meet him, and he ended up having meetings with Israel’s Ambassador to the US and the Israeli ambassador to the UN, and cut short his visit. Even senior Jewish leaders in the US refused to meet him.
Prior to his trip, Smotrich said in a media event, that the Palestinian village Hawara should be eliminated. Hawara was a target of a Jewish pogrom after two Israeli settlers were killed there while crossing the main road. Smotrich tried to apologize, but the apology was not accepted by anyone.
For Further Reading:
President Compromise: Here, here, here
Security Threat: Here, here, here
Demonstrations: Here, here, here, here