Israel Slipping Into Authoritariansm

[steve_bank]

ttps://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/02/14/israel-judiciary-overhaul-democracy/

Apparently a move is underway to eliminate judicial review of laws passed by the Israeli legislature, and most importantly executive orders. Israel does not have written constitution.

From reporting albeit on a smaller scale Netanyahu is doing to the West Bank what Putin is doing to Ukraine. Seizure and occupation by right of historic rights. Israel included the West Bank 200 yeras ago so it is today part of modern Israel.

I may be adding Israel to my list of places to avoid. One appointee wants to expel all Arabs even ones who trace back to the declaration of Israel. Withour judicial oversight the legislature can do it.

Not much of step to arresting foreigners for criticizing Israel.

It is looking like an histrical miracle that our system withstood the clacukted coup attmpt by Trump and collaborators. Key Trump judical appointees did the right thing and upheld rule of law. Israel my not be so lucky.

 

[Patooka]

Stop being so anti-semitic.

 

[Derec]

I don't agree with that law, but how is that different from what some US progressives have been suggesting because they do not like the makeup of SCOTUS?
Examples:

How Americans Can Fight Back Against a Radical Supreme Court Majority

Consider limiting the appellate jurisdiction of the Supreme Court.
Facing the prospect of continued radical right-wing activism in future terms, Congress could assess the potential benefits and drawbacks of limiting the jurisdiction of appellate cases reviewed by the Supreme Court to guard against judicial overreach. This could be done for certain types of cases or more generally. Although the Constitution allows Congress to limit the Supreme Court’s appellate jurisdiction, it is unclear how the Supreme Court might respond, and there is ongoing debate on the likely impacts of this option.

The Supreme Court Is the Final Word on Nothing

It’s here that you can see why I think it’s important to talk about these seemingly idle provisions. As recent events have made clear, powerful reactionaries are waging a successful war against American democracy using the countermajoritarian institutions of the American political system, cloaking their views in a distorted version of our Constitution, in which self-government means minority rule and the bugaboos of right-wing culture warriors are somehow “deeply rooted” in our “history and traditions.”

But the Republic is not defenseless. The Constitution gives our elected officials the power to restrain a lawless Supreme Court, protect citizens from the “sinister legislation” of the states, punish those states for depriving their residents of the right to vote and expel insurrectionists from Congress.

It is disingenuous to call a policy "authoritarian" if Netanyahu wants to do it, and "progressive" if those on the US Left want to do it.

As to the West Bank, Israel is rooting out terrorists, esp. in enclaves like Jenin or Shechem where new terror groups, somewhat independent of traditional factions like Fatah, Hamas or PFLP, have taken root.
These groups, btw., often employ underage fighters.
Palestinian teen gunman killed in clash with IDF in Nablus; 9 suspects arrested

It is in no way comparable to Russia vs. Ukraine. Ukrainians do not make it a habit to car-ram Russian 6 and 8 year old children in Moscow for example.
Second child dies in car ramming attack in Jerusalem
Or shoot random civilians coming out of St. Cyril's or some other Russian Orthodox church
At least seven dead in Jerusalem synagogue attack, Israeli police say

Not to mention all the other terrorist attacks Palestinians have been engaging for decades.
So spare me the false equivalence!

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

I don't agree with that law, but how is that different from what some US progressives have been suggesting because they do not like the makeup of SCOTUS?

This would be about eliminating review. So no, this isn't remotely the same thing.

It is disingenuous to call a policy "authoritarian" if Netanyahu wants to do it, and "progressive" if those on the US Left want to do it.

It is disingenuous to strawman the political left. Personally, I'm against influencing SCOTUS anymore than necessary as it has become terribly politicized. But seeing the GOP stole a seat and then hit the fucking jackpot during Trump, and issuing some of the shittiest rulings possible as their legal justifications in a number of cases has been dubious... things are a tad more complicated than in Israel where they want to eliminate judicial review.

 

[laughing dog]

I would have thought it was obvious to the most ideologically impaired the difference between an leader of a country who is pushing legislation to eliminate judicial review and talking heads palavering about it. I guess I was wrong.

 

[Elixir]

I think it was around 1969 when I realized that Israel was becoming what they professed to abhor.
The transformation is nearing completion. All they need now are some gas chambers.

 

[Jayjay]

Israeli courts have often been the one to curb the most outrageous zionist expansions. Not always, but at least it has forced Israel stick to following its own laws and ideals that it professes to uphold as they continue stealing Palestinian land.

Authoritarian rule starts with dismantling the courts.

 

[robnisch]

Mass protests erupt in Israel after Netanyahu fires defense chief

The prime minister's plan to overhaul the judiciary has alarmed business leaders and former security chiefs and drawn concern from the U.S. and other close allies.

www.nbcnews.com

Are these honest protesters or thugs?

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

I think it is funny that the article says people are alarmed. Seriously? We talking the same Netanyahu?

 

[Shadowy Man]

Mass protests erupt in Israel after Netanyahu fires defense chief

The prime minister's plan to overhaul the judiciary has alarmed business leaders and former security chiefs and drawn concern from the U.S. and other close allies.

www.nbcnews.com

Are these honest protesters or thugs?

The article says "Protesters in Tel Aviv blocked a main highway and lit large bonfires", so I guess it depends on whether the fires were in Target stores and if anything was looted. But it's not looking good for them...

 

[ZiprHead]

‘No such thing’ as Palestinian people, top Israeli minister says

The comments from a senior member of Israel’s new far-right government raised questions about attempts to lower tensions ahead of a sensitive holiday season.

www.nbcnews.com

As the negotiators were issuing a joint communique, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich delivered a speech in Paris saying the notion of a Palestinian people was artificial.

“There is no such thing as a Palestinian nation. There is no Palestinian history. There is no Palestinian language,” he said in France late Sunday. He spoke at a memorial event for a French-Israeli right-wing activist who denied the existence of a Palestinian nation and advocated annexation of the West Bank. The lectern was adorned with what appeared to be an image showing the map of Israel that included the occupied West Bank, Gaza and Jordan.

Jordan’s Foreign Ministry said that Smotrich’s appearance with the icon was a “reckless inflammatory act and a violation of international norms and the peace treaty” between the two countries.

 

[Jarhyn]

I think they got the tense modifier wrong.

compare "-ing" and "-ed".

 

[Shadowy Man]

‘No such thing’ as Palestinian people, top Israeli minister says

The comments from a senior member of Israel’s new far-right government raised questions about attempts to lower tensions ahead of a sensitive holiday season.

www.nbcnews.com

As the negotiators were issuing a joint communique, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich delivered a speech in Paris saying the notion of a Palestinian people was artificial.

“There is no such thing as a Palestinian nation. There is no Palestinian history. There is no Palestinian language,” he said in France late Sunday. He spoke at a memorial event for a French-Israeli right-wing activist who denied the existence of a Palestinian nation and advocated annexation of the West Bank. The lectern was adorned with what appeared to be an image showing the map of Israel that included the occupied West Bank, Gaza and Jordan.

Jordan’s Foreign Ministry said that Smotrich’s appearance with the icon was a “reckless inflammatory act and a violation of international norms and the peace treaty” between the two countries.

Could one argue that the notion of an Israeli people is artificial too, and that the country was essentially fabricated after world war 2 and filled with European Jews?

 

[ZiprHead]

Looks like they are slipping into another war.

 

[Arctish]

‘No such thing’ as Palestinian people, top Israeli minister says

The comments from a senior member of Israel’s new far-right government raised questions about attempts to lower tensions ahead of a sensitive holiday season.

www.nbcnews.com

As the negotiators were issuing a joint communique, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich delivered a speech in Paris saying the notion of a Palestinian people was artificial.

“There is no such thing as a Palestinian nation. There is no Palestinian history. There is no Palestinian language,” he said in France late Sunday. He spoke at a memorial event for a French-Israeli right-wing activist who denied the existence of a Palestinian nation and advocated annexation of the West Bank. The lectern was adorned with what appeared to be an image showing the map of Israel that included the occupied West Bank, Gaza and Jordan.

Jordan’s Foreign Ministry said that Smotrich’s appearance with the icon was a “reckless inflammatory act and a violation of international norms and the peace treaty” between the two countries.

Could one argue that the notion of an Israeli people is artificial too, and that the country was essentially fabricated after world war 2 and filled with European Jews?

Yes indeed. If one is being honest and avoiding the use of double standards.