Jewish Federation of San Diego’s President and CEO Heidi Gantwerk, as well as Federation’s Board Chair David Bark, on Monday issued the following statement regarding the latest developments on the issue of judicial reform in Israel:
Friends,
Like everyone who cares deeply about the land and the people of Israel, we are watching the latest news with great concern and many questions about what happens next. The vote that passed in the Knesset today rejecting the Supreme Court’s use of a “reasonableness standard” was the first major piece of legislation that many worry will diminish the checks and balances of the of the Israeli system of government. Tensions are extremely high in Israel, and protests and strikes are happening now and are expected to continue in the days and weeks to come.
JFNA has been working closely with other International Jewish organizations, including the Jewish Agency for Israel, Keren Hayesod, and the World Zionist Organization to promote compromise, but as evidenced by today’s vote, those efforts, were unsuccessful in delaying or revising this legislation. You can read here the letter to Prime Minister Netanyahu and Minority Leader Yair Lapid cosigned by all these organizations. I have also linked to a letter from Eric Fingerhut, JFNA CEO, and Julie Platt, JFNA Board Chair written just prior to the vote that adds context to this inflection point in Israel’s complex story.
JFNA leadership is actively working to determine next steps as the situation unfolds.
*
Preceding provided by Jewish Federation of San Diego
Contrary to reports in most mainstream U.S. media—and much of the media in Israel—Israel’s judiciary is not in the least democratic: Unlike in the United States, Israeli voters and elected officials have no control over who sits on the court, what it can judge, or the criteria on which it decides issues. It is a runaway train.