Target: Amir Ohana, Speaker of the Knesset
Goal: Do not strip away more check and balance powers from Supreme Court.
Israelis have taken to the streets by the hundreds of thousands to protest a controversial new law that could threaten critical checks and balances within the nation’s government. Israel’s parliament has just voted through a measure championed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that will severely limit the Supreme Court’s power to issue rulings running counter to government policies. It will also cripple the court’s oversight of politicians.
Critics charge that this law is the first in a number of power grabs by a prime minister who wants no one to stand in the way of forcing his political vision upon all of Israel. This prime minister has already faced numerous scandals that have threatened his leadership, including a case that could eventually go before the very court he is attacking. Now, with the nation’s highest court hobbled, any policies enacted under his leadership—no matter how undemocratic, unnecessary, or potentially illegal—can go virtually unchallenged because his ultra-conservative party holds a majority in parliament.
Protesters fear this initiative is just the beginning. Leaders have basically pledged a complete overhaul of the judicial system. Next up could be a proposal granting the parliament (known as the Knesset) authority to overturn any ruling made by the courts.
Sign the petition below to join in the calls against this troubling slide into authoritarianism.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Speaker Ohana,
A prominent trade union, the Israeli Defense Force, the Israel Medical Association, and hundreds of thousands of citizens: what do all of these groups have in common? You likely know the answer. They have come out in droves to rebuke the proposals that this government characterizes as judicial reform…and that critics condemn as authoritarian overreach.
The prime minister still stands accused of corruption and fraud. What message are you sending to the Israeli people if you essentially strip away their one hope for impartiality and accountability? You will violate checks and balances essential for democracy, violate the Basic Laws doctrines, and—most importantly—violate the trust of the people.
Please end these parliamentary attacks on democracy before they cause more unrest and instability from which this nation may not recover.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Oren Rozen
214 Signatures