Judicial Reforms
Demonstration opposite Justice Minister Levine’s apartment in Modiin
According to one analyst, an easy solution to the current crises in Israel over the Judicial Reforms is simply to fire Justice Minister Levine. "He should be the first to go," said the analyst. “Levine has been steadfast in pushing the Judicial Reforms, saying he wasn’t going to stop for a minute no matter what was happening in the streets.
“Also to be fired should be the incompetent National Security Minister ultra-nationalist Ben-Gvir, and the closed minded ultra-nationalist Finance Minister/Deputy Defense Minister Smotritch who called for the destruction of the Arab town of Huwara then backtracked saying he didn't mean that as an order to the Army, of which he was Deputy Defense Minister."
Another observer said that PM Netanyahu must finally admit that his plan to use Judicial Reform to stay out of prison has failed and that now is the time to admit failure and face the consequences.
Yesterday, according to Ha'aretz, Israel's NYTimes, Israel's President Isaac Herzog blasted a "misguided" judicial coup and said he seeks to end a 'National Nightmare.'
Ynetnetnews reported that President Herzog also said that the coalition’s Judicial Reform bills must be thrown out and warned of impending disaster if they weren't.
One of the architects of the compromise of the Judical Reforms, Prof. Yuval Albashan, said in an opinion piece in Yideot Achranot, that he didn’t like the compromise proposals but they were the best that could be expected under the circumstances. “We don’t like the outline for compromise either but the house is on fire and something must be done.” So far, neither the coalition nor the opposition have accepted the compromise.
Demonstrations
Thursday, (March 9th) was also called a “Day of Disturbance.” Thousands of people turned out around the country to protest the Judicial Reforms. The call “Democratzia” (Democracy) was a common refrain.
Demonstrators poured onto the Ayalon Highway, a main artery in Tel Aviv, and blocked traffic for two hours. Over 20 protestors were arrested.
Even at a Purim reading of the Melilla at the reform Yozma synagogue in Modiin, rather than make nose with horns and noisemakers some of the congregants shouted “Bousha (Shame)” one of the chants heard outside of Justice Minister Levine’s apartment building.
Netanyahu Avoids Protests
Protestors also blocked the entrance to Ben Gurion Airport in an attempt to prevent Prime Minister Netanyahu from reaching an airplane and flying to some meetings in Rome.
Netanyahu was heavily criticized for flying to Rome and taking a staff of 60 with him, all of whom had to have airplane tickets and hotels rooms and food. The estimated weekend was to cost nearly $300,000. Initially, El Al had trouble finding pilots to take Netanyahu. El Al spokespersons explained this was because the Netanyahu’s demanded to fly on a Boeing 777 and no pilots were available to fly that plane. Ultimately they settled for a Boeing 737.
Critics said this trip to Rome was a good way for Netanyahu to have a free weekend away from the troubles in Israel. Netanyahu also plans to be in Germany next weekend. Last weekend he was in Spain.
Netanyahu reached the airport by Police helicopter. The initial plan was to fly in an Army helicopter but the launch pad, at Jerusalem’s Hadassah Hospital was surrounded by protesters.
Earlier in the week the Knesset, now controlled by the Netanyahu coalition of 64 members out of 120, passed a bill allowing Netanyahu $270,000 for attorney’s fees. The same bill was defeated during the last government’s time in office. The Knesset finance committee also voted to pay for the upkeep of both of Netanyahu’s residences in Jerusalem and Caesaria, as well as an additional $22,136 for clothing and related expenses for both the Prime Minister and his wife.
Ben Gvir Oversteps
Also on Thursday (March 9th) National Security Minister Ben Gvir fired Deputy Police Commissioner Amichai Eshed, the head of the central police command that encompasses Tel Aviv, for not being ‘aggressive’ enough in dealing with the protesters that Ben Givr called “anarchists.”
This term is commonly used by Netanyahu and his followers to describe those involved in anti-government protests.
On Friday, according to the TimesofIsrael,, Israel’s Attorney General Baharav-Miara froze the firing of Eshed and questioned the legality of the move and if the firing was “politically motivated.”
Some media analysts point at Twitter posts by Yair Netanyahu, the Prime Minister’s son, saying that Eshed was too soft on protesters.
Following Eshed’s dismissal critics of the police called for the dismissal of Police Chief Shabtai for adhering too closely to political pressure and not what was legal or best for the country.
In a television interview, opposition leader Yair Lapid countered the argument made by Netanyahu and his followers that they were only following the public’s wishes since they had won the election and had a clear mandate to carry out the Judicial Reforms. “They barely won with less than a 1% margin.” Lapid said that this minuscule number of votes was hardly a clear mandate for a judicial coup.
Military Resistance
Some in the military have also begun to protest the Judicial Reforms by encouraging reserve soldiers not to report for duty. According to the Channel 12 TV show “Uvda” a reserve officer, Col. Gilad Peled, was suspended from reserve duty by Israel Air Force chief Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar and accused of penning a letter encouraging other reservists to not show up for duty.
Peled had given interviews on Israeli media outlets over the last week on reservists concerns over the judicial reforms.
Bar denied the decision was related to Peled’s involvement in the anti-government protest movement but was suspended due to his taking authority into his own hands by coordinating with reserve officers not to show up for duty, something Peled denies doing. Bar eventually rescinded his decision to suspend Peled.
Meanwhile, another reserve officer, Maj. G, gave an interview on Israel TV’s channel 12 about his involvement in the anti-government protest movement. Maj. G, who is an academic in civilian life, said he would still go to his weekly reserve duty but wasn’t sure if he’d get in a plane.
Maj. G pointed out that he was a dedicated soldier, and that the reserve pilots, who had to report once a week for duty, were in actual fact the backbone of the Israeli air force. They were the ones who participated in most missions. They were in effect were still in the air force while having other jobs. “We are the Air Force,” said Maj. G. He said he was sad that the situation in Israel was deteriorating. And, wiping tears from his eyes, said, he was “worried about the future of my children.”
One analyst said that the military resistance could slip into a serious situation where resistance turns into revolution, tearing the country even further apart.
Terror
While Prime Minister Netanyahu was ensconced in the small basement alternative synagogue of Rome’s great synagogue, not in the huge hall above, listening to a speech by Noemi di Segni, president of the Union of Italian Jewish Communities, who was reprimanding Netanyahu for some of the Judicial Reforms, Netanyahu was handed a note informing him of a terrorist attack in Tel Aviv.
A lone gunman, Mutaz Salah al-Khawaja, 23, from the West Bank town of Ni’lin, who had been twice jailed in Israel, had opened fire on the corner of Deizengoff and Ben Gurion streets in the center of the city, near a pub that had been the scene of previous attacks. The gunman shot three people, seriously injuring one, before he was gunned down by neighbors, including an off-duty commando and a policewoman.
A terrorist attack was anticipated after a raid by the police and army this week in the Arab town of Jenin where six terrorists were killed in a shootout during an attempted arrest of one of the men suspected of killing Ilan Goneles,27, as he drove through the Arab town of Howard in the West Bank. Hamas, the terrorist organization in Gaza who had already sent rockets at Israel during the week, and claimed responsibility for the attack in Tel Aviv. However, an Israel TV commentator said Hamas always jumps in to claim responsibility.
Anti Semitism in the USA
According to the ADL (Anti-Defamation League) 6,751 incidents of white supremacist propaganda were reported in 2022. The incidents included hanging signs over highway overpasses, (a 38% increase in use of banners over 2021) Also, 219 incidents of antisemitic propaganda was reported on school campuses. And 852 incidents of general antisemitic propaganda, double from that in 2021.
