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#israel political crisis

udgeyjudge · 10 months

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The Political Crisis in Israel: A PSA

For the uninitiated, political tensions have been at a fever pitch in Israel for nearly half a year. I feel the need to explain the situation to folks abroad who may have heard of it only in passing or not at all. I want to raise awareness, because my country is truly on the verge of something dark. TL;DR: The only checks and balances for the Israeli government is the Supreme Court - it's the only systemic protector of human rights. Without it, the government is free to do whatever it wants, including harming human rights, and we no longer have a democracy.

For the last six months or so, Israel's government has been trying to dismantle the power of the supreme court, which would effectively eliminate the separation of powers and make Israel a dictatorship rather than a democracy. If this move succeeds it's almost certainly going to make life hell for Arabs, women, LGBT people, and other minorities. This is the core of the crisis. For more detailed info, keep reading past the "what can I do?" segment.

What Can I Do?

If my TL;DR was enough to convince you that this is important, or if you read the rest of the post and scrolled back up to see if you can help, this segment is for you. Unfortunately I do live in Israel and my knowledge on the measures you can take from outside is limited. If anyone knows of any other measures, please let me know and I'll edit them in :) but for now:

Look up protests near where you live - there are protests happening in several cities internationally against the judicial overhaul in Israel. The most notable ones are in NYC and London, but there are protests all over the world.

How did we get here?

To explain the situation in detail, I think it's best to start with some context about Israel's political structure.

We all know a democratic system of government has three branches of government - the legislative, the judicial, and the executive. In Israel these are known as the Knesset (the parliament), Bagatz (the supreme court), and the Government (consisting of ministers) respectively.

Israeli elections are made through the legislative branch. Voters vote for a political party, and each party gets a number of seats in the Knesset proportional to the fraction of the total votes it received (there are 120 seats in total). The leader of the party with the most votes makes negotiations with other parties in order to form a coalition - if they can assemble a coalition of over 60 Knesset members, their coalition becomes official, and the rest of the Knesset becomes the opposition. The leader of the coalition becomes the new prime minister.

This is where the executive branch starts. The prime minister appoints ministers (of health, education, safety, etc) for the government - these ministers are almost always Knesset members, specifically from the coalition.

This is an important point to understand - even before the current political crisis, there was a serious problem with Israel's separation of powers. The legislative branch and the executive branch are effectively one and the same, as they consist of the same people, and any interest the executive branch might have is always going to be backed up by their majority in the legislative branch (this is by definition - they must have a majority in the Knesset to become a government).

The judicial branch, however, has always been completely separated from the other two. The supreme court's judges are not elected, and the other branches of government have no influence on who gets to be a judge. There are many laws in place to ensure the judges have no ulterior motives.

From the beginning, the supreme court has been the only authority limiting the government's power. Israel has no constitution and no other preventative measures like a senate. The supreme court's role is to protect human rights by intervening if the government attempts moves that are harmful or unreasonable. Historically the supreme court has rarely intervened with government policy, only using its power in extreme circumstances.

Prime Minister Binyanim Netanyahu

Israel's current prime minister is Binyanim Netanyahu, who has been prime minister for a total of nearly 20 years (Israel has no term limits). His party, the Likkud, is middle-right politically. Netanyahu (also known as Bibi, affectionately or disgustedly depending on who you ask) is a very controversial figure - the three major stances on him are that he's a great leader and knows what he's doing, that he's not great but is better than the other options, and that he's horribly corrupt and dangerous (let's be honest this is not a politically neutral PSA, so I'm gonna go ahead and say I'm firmly in the third camp).

Bibi has ongoing trials for various corruption offenses, which have been going on for years. Among his indictments is receiving politically motivated gifts, receiving bribes, and manipulating media.

A couple of years ago, Bibi and his coalition made attempts to pass personally motivated laws to prevent Bibi from being found guilty. These seem to have mostly fallen through and Bibi is still on trial, though the trial is dragging on very slowly and has been for years, and in the meantime he still has full prime minister authority.

What's Changed in 2023?

After about a year as the leader of the opposition, Bibi formed a new coalition and returned to being prime minister in late 2022. Ever since the new government formed, its top priority has been putting "the judicial reform" into legislation - this 'reform' is what's being called an overhaul by protesters and some of the media.

This is being pushed mostly by Yariv Levin (Minister of Justice) and Simkha Rotman (a coalition member, and a member of the Constituion, Law, and Justice Committee), who claim that the supreme court has too much power, and is acting as a tyrant preventing the government from doing its job. This is historically false, as the supreme court has rarely intervened with government policy, and only does so when the government is attempting to seriously harm human rights, which is in accordance with the supreme court's purpose.

The proposed reform would make three big changes:

It would allow the Knesset to override the supreme court's decisions using a majority vote. The government is effectively guaranteed a majority in this vote, because its interests align with those of the coalition, which is by definition a majority in the Knesset. This would effectively remove all preventative power from the supreme court and give the government total freedom.

It would remove what is known as "the reasonableness clause" (loosely translated). This is a law that allows the supreme court to intervene with a government decision by arguing that the decision is extremely unreasonable. This law has been used recently to prevent a Knesset member (Arye Der'i) who has been convicted of corruption twice from reentering public office. The removal of this safeguard law PASSED a couple of days ago and is going into effect TODAY (26th July). This means the supreme court won't always have the authority to prevent extremely unreasonable decisions, unless they can justify it through some other more specific clause.

It would restructure the council responsible for appointing supreme court judges - currently this council consists of only two Knesset members, with the rest (a large majority) of the council being completely independent from the executive and legislative branches. The proposed new structure would give the Knesset and the government more slots in the judge appointment council - enough to have a majority. This would mean the government can appoint judges freely - they could replace all the supreme court judges with their own puppets who will always rule in their favour.

This 'reform' is extremely dangerous, and if it passes in its proposed form, the supreme court will be effectively eliminated and the government will have full and unlimited power. It would become a dictatorship.

What are We Scared of in the Near Future?

The government pursuing this overhaul includes many right-wing and religious parties. They've already started attempting moves to harm minorities, such as:

canceling the Authority For The Promotion of Women's Rights (name loosely translated);

legislating a law that allows businesses to refuse service "for religious reasons" - this would affect LGBT people and women;

increasing the arresting power of police in contexts that would mostly affect marginalised Arab communities;

...and you get the idea. It's heading in a dark, dark direction.

Right now, these harmful moves are not all succeeding, and they're taking a long time to get anywhere. But if the judicial overhaul goes through and the government gains unlimited legislative power, there will be nothing stopping them. They could decide that all gay people get the death penalty and nobody could tell them 'no'. They wouldn't be that extreme of course, and certainly not right away, it would cause a massive uproar. But they would gradually move us in the direction of being an ultra-religious dictatorship until we won't recognise this country anymore.

The Fight

Since the beginning of the year, there have been constant, massive protests all over the country and even outside it, all to stop this overhaul from passing quietly. Hundreds of thousands of people are on the streets more than weekly - Israel's population is only 8 million!

The protests have been condemned by the government. Protesters are being called 'anarchists', and the government is trying to gaslight the entire public into believing these protests are somehow unreasonable and outrageous. The protests have been entirely nonviolent.

But of course the protests have also been met with much police violence. Dozens of people are unfairly arrested every time a protest happens (to which huge protests break out in front of police stations and don't relent until everyone is released), and police officers have beaten up protesters, and used violent measures like water cannons and flash bangs (the two of which have resulted in one protester losing an ear and another nearly losing their sight in one eye).

There's also been a massive amount of military pilots refusing to continue their service as an act of protest. They're being shamed by the government of course.

So That's What's Going On.

I could go on and on about the horrible corruption in the current government, the convicted criminals we have for Knesset members, the cultural mess leading up to this that is being exacerbated. But I think I've hit the critical, urgent points. This must be stopped.

If you want to contribute to the fight, scroll back up to the "What Can I do?" segment at the start of this post.

I want to add on a personal note that as a cishet white man I am likely not in any existential danger from this. It's possible, though, that my freedom to live my life as a secular jew is at risk, as the government is also making moves to enforce religion more aggressively (and separation of religion and state is already a huge problem here). I also have friends who would be in real danger if this went through. And beyond all of that, I refuse to live in and support a dictatorship.

Just be aware. There are many horrible things going on in the world right now, and this is just one of them. But for the people experiencing this firsthand, it's everything.

Edits:

updated the point about the reasonableness clause - it fully passed on 24 July and is in effect as of 26 July. They've set a date for the court to discuss repealing it, but it's only in September and until then the law is effective regardless.

#israel #politics #israeli politics #israel political crisis #psa #awareness #news #world news

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historyandmemes · 5 months

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(Note: See updated post) The new DRAFT U.N. Resolution, set to be voted on today, calls for:

• ... “urgent and extended humanitarian pauses” in the fighting throughout Gaza and the opening of corridors inside the enclave “for a sufficient number of days to enable full, rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access.” • U.N. Secretary General António Guterres to appoint a senior coordinator “with responsibility for facilitating, coordinating, monitoring, and verifying in Gaza, as appropriate, the humanitarian nature” of all assistance, and demands that “the parties to the conflict cooperate with the coordinator to fulfill their mandate without delay or obstruction.” • ... “immediate and unconditional” release of the hostages. It also demands that “all parties to the conflict comply with their obligations under international law ... including with regard to the conduct of hostilities and the protection of civilians and civilian objects.” • It reiterates the council’s “unwavering commitment” to a two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians and “stresses the importance of unifying the Gaza Strip with the West Bank under the Palestinian Authority.” (12/22/23 | Source: WaPo)

Although the resolution's language was toned down, this is a sign of progress. While such measures are long overdue and should have been honored from the start, we must do everything possible to meet the urgent humanitarian needs in Gaza and relieve unfathomable suffering.

DON'T STOP POSTING. KEEP UP THE PUBLIC PRESSURE. DEFEND HUMAN RIGHTS.

Stay tuned for today's vote.

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odinsblog · 7 months

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A humanitarian crisis is what happens after a natural disaster like a tsunami, or a hurricane, or an earthquake. A humanitarian crisis is when an unexpected accident happens. A humanitarian crisis is what happens to marginalized communities in a pandemic. Indiscriminately bombing a population of noncombatant civilians and then intentionally depriving them of food, water and medical access is a deliberate war crime, NOT some random act of nature. Words matter. Calling the aftermath of bombing civilians “a humanitarian crisis” is no different than using the passive voice to describe Israel’s war crimes without directly attributing them to Israel. Please do not let the well documented displacement, and the meticulously planned out ethnic cleansing and genocide of Palestinians… don’t allow that to be whitewashed and erased away into some kind of unfortunate “accident” of nature.

And don’t even get me started on the tired media trope of labeling non-white starving people, “looters” when they take food to feed their families…

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gobcorend · 5 months

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Enough for Me

Enough for me to die on her earth

Be buried in her

To melt and vanish into her soil

Then sprout forth as a flower

Played with by a child from my country.

Enough for me to remain

In my country's embrace

To be in her close as a handful of dust

A spring of grass

A flower.

-- Fadwa Tuqan

I hope, in these days, to share poems or parts of writings of these wonderful people and that this will also encourage you to read and share poetry or small writings - both of writers and your own -.

WRITING IS ALSO A FORM OF PROTEST!

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the-final-sif · 6 months

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You are Vulnerable to Conspiracy Theories

Right now, with tensions high over the situation in Gaza, there is a prime environment for conspiracy theories to take hold. Conspiracy theories are particularly dangerous in places where there is low trust in media, a rapidly changing situation, and high emotional tensions. When humans are stressed and scared we look for answers, and most often the easiest and most comforting answer is to make a big bad guy that's at fault for everything. Already, I've seen a number of false conspiracy theories that have alleged things like this. The most recent example was someone claiming spotify wrapped was released to drown out a pro-Palestine movement. This post ignored that Spotify wrapped is always released on Wednesday the week after thanksgiving. It's the same time it always releases. I've seen half a dozen other ones about McDonald's french fries or any other mundane corporate nonsense. I understand this is a very scary time, but this sort of thing isn't helpful.

You are vulnerable to conspiracy theories. All human beings are vulnerable to them. They are actively dangerous and they harm actual efforts to confront the actual problems of the world, and a lot of them tie back to antisemitic ideas, blaming a jewish cabal that controls all the strings of the media/world. Spreading these conspiracy theories is not helpful to Palestine, and it actively endangers Jewish people. It means people's efforts and anger is misdirected and makes the movement to help Palestine less effective. Every person has a responsibility to help prevent the spread of misinformation, and that includes you.

IF IN DOUBT, STOP, DON'T SHARE. DO NOT SHARE INFORMATION YOU CANNOT VERIFY.

This is a guide put together by the European Commission for COVID-19 conspiracy theories, but the same basic principles hold true. I've added the two most relevant infographics below. Plain text versions of these can be found at the link above.

#sif speaks #misinformation #disinformation #palestine #israel #middle east crisis #gaza #political news #politics #an anon asked me to make a separate post so I pulled in a bit of extra info so this can get spread around

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nyiiwest · 4 months

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Israel wants to use nuclear bombs against Palestinians. Israel wants to use NUCLEAR FUCKING BOMBS AGAINST PALESTINIANS! This is not a war, this is a genocide. This is an act of hell on earth literally. Not only do nuclear bombs have a blast radius up to half a mile, it pollutes the sea, and the air around it for decades to come. Think Chernobyl. Not only would it wipe out Gaza completely, it would make Gaza uninhabitable for anyone, effectively destroying the climate even more in the process. Mind you Israel has already attacked Lebanon and Yemen with the help of the US, UK and Canada. This will not stop at Palestine. Share, boost, share on other platforms, call and email your representatives, protest, sign petitions, boycott. This isn’t a joke, this isn’t something that doesn’t effect you, this is not normal to be witnessing day in and day out, this type of violence is not fucking normal. Palestinians are human beings just like you and me, can’t say the same for the Zionists backing this.

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youareprobablywrong · 17 days

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For those of you that think Israel "isn't committing genocide because if they wanted to, they would have dropped a nuke already," shut the fuck up.

The Holocaust lasted for more than a decade (1933-1945), with the first concentration camp being erected on March 22, 1933 at Dachau.

The lack of nuclear explosions in Gaza is not evidence that there is not a genocide happening. There are many other variables that go into this determination.

Your ignorance on the suffering and murder of millions of Jews over the course of a decade can stay out of the discussion.

Addendum (Added May 6, 2024): People seem either unable or unwilling to understand this post. So I’ll be clear: this post is NOT accusing Israel of genocide. It is simply pointing out that the absence of nuclear explosions is NOT evidence against one.

For those of you that think this is Holocaust Inversion, you can also shut the fuck up. This post is neither equating Israel to Nazi’s or minimizing the Holocaust. It is, in fact, pointing out that the scope of the Holocaust was much larger than people (specifically gentiles/non-jews) think.

#politics #israel #palestine #gaza #genocide #hamas #israel palestine conflict #war #humanitarian crisis

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mazzd4 · 4 months

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from Plestia's instagram story, it's extremely sad to see her saying that and extremely real : nothing is left in Gaza and Palestine, all because of Isreal's non stop violence that not only touched civilians but also the whole country and destroyed all of it's monuments, places, homes, markets, streets, parks.... to the point that Plestia cannot even recommend beautiful places to visit because all of them ended up being destroyed by Isreal, not only them, the US, France, the UK....

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the-greatest-fool · 2 months

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I basically only post and read posts in my bubble aside from occasionally scrolling through Real Tumblr, but people’s takes about US politics on this website are fucking unbelievable. They talk about our government as if it didn’t save us from a pandemic-induced financial collapse, pump trillions of dollars into public works, not to mention substantially invest and rein in pharmaceuticals, and is instead some sort of ultra-neoliberal-corporate kitty shooting machine.

Like let’s be for real. Do they…know what the government does? How it works? Do you know what a conservative is? Do you know what an authoritarian is?

Because a system of government whose citizens are all lucky it has had continuous peaceful transfer of power for centuries could very well have its greatest norm violated—that those who reject its legitimacy must be rejected—and we don’t blink an eye.

Because the first major investment against climate change, coupled with life saving investments into healthcare, cancer research, and drug costs could be shredded by indiscriminate fiscal conservatives who don’t care if we die in forest fires, cancer from pollution, lose insurance because we’re jobless, or, apparently, all die in a fricking plague.

Because a foreign policy establishment that had finally reversed two decades of foreign intervention in favor of a normalization strategy aimed at reducing American foot presence, drone strikes, and indiscriminate killings is about to be replaced by the whims of a man who dropped the “mother of all bombs” on the Middle East, gave American soldiers up to Russian bounty hunters, extorted a foreign leader for political favors and arguably indirectedly resulted in that country being BRUTALLY INVADED BY AN IMPERIAL NEIGHBOR, is in the pockets of CCP-funded billionaires, and WANTS TO “FINISH THE JOB” IN GAZA.

Because a President who is against family separations and promotes a path for DREAMERs and more legal immigration and rights for unodcumented people could be replaced by a man who wants to separate families, PUT UNDOCUMENTED PEOPLE IN CONCENTRATION CAMPS, RESTRICT EVEN LEGAL IMMIGRATION, ESPECIALLY THAT OF MUSLIMS, AND SHOOT MIGRANTS.

Because a President who stopped a repeat of the Great Recession and the painful decade that followed it with strong fiscal stimulus which CUT CHILD POVERTY IN HALF BEFORE CONSERVATIVES MADE IT EXPIRE, then managed to cut deficits and presided over a decline in inflation, resulting in record high real wages (aka taking into account inflation) for workers is going to be replaced by a President who wants to TARIFF ALL FOREIGN GOODS by 15%, CUT TAXES FOR THE FILTHY RICH AND THE TAX ENFORCEMENT TO STOP THEM, INCREASE CHILD POVERTY AND UNINSUREDNESS by cutting gov’t programs, and HURT UNIONS which by every measure will lead to lower wages, higher prices, and more poverty and starvation.

Because a President who has pledged to sign a bill codifying Roe v. Wade (which has yet to be possible in recent memory, whatever these kids say), who enshrined the right to marry someone of the same sex or different race, who supports the Equality Act which would enshrine LGBTQ protections into the law, could be replaced by THE MAN WHO REMOVED AMERICA’S RIGHT TO ABORTION, whose Christian nationalist supporters want to END SEXUAL FREEDOM as we know it including TARGETING IVF AND BIRTH CONTROL, who wants to reverse LGBTQ discrimination law in favor of Christian bigots who hate queer and trans people, and who demonizes that community to win political support.

Ask yourself if you really think there’s no difference between the two. Ask yourself if a reasonable person given these facts would choose the latter. Ask yourself why you see so much propagandizing against the reasonable choice. Ask yourself why so many people seem to have opinions on this when they “don’t even go here”.

Maybe I’m just preaching to the choir here. Maybe people who say this inane stuff wouldn’t vote anyways. Maybe somehow we’re screwed anyways. Maybe people will stupidly vote third party and we’re fucked. Maybe this will get me attacked.

I don’t care anymore. If I have to see one more fucking post acting like we live under the fucking Evil Empire while a SELF PROCLAIMED DICTATOR is about to end the best streak of decent governance I’ve ever seen in a while, I just can’t anymore.

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historyandmemes · 5 months

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