MIAMI – What some call judicial reform, others in Israel describe as a step toward unchecked government power.
Protests continue in Israel after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition unanimously passed a bill that would curb the Supreme Court’s power to quash government decisions deemed unreasonable.
Some military reservists have said they will no longer volunteer for service.
Florida International University’s Eric Lob, who specializes in Middle East politics, commented on the vote.
“It sends a very big statement to the government,” said Lob. “When you read Freedom House reports, you see there is a trend of democratic backsliding in and outside the Middle East, and around the globe. It sends frightening signals and shockwaves inside and outside the region who want to protect their democracies.”
Andrew Jacobs is the senior rabbi at Ramat Shalom Beth Israel in Plantation and said the events in the country are concerning.
“What’s going on, while it troubles me tremendously, is Israel trying to figure out what her democracy is going to look like,” said Jacobs. “I think our love for Israel is what drives our concern.”
He said he’s heard a range of views on the issue.
“Protesting their government, which seems to be undermining the democratic process in many ways, on the exact week where we’re supposed to say we’re divided internally, we open our gates to those who seek to do us harm. What we can’t allow it to do is further divide us as a people. By no means is there an easy fix in this right now,” Jacobs said.
This is just one aspect in a larger policy initiative. The situation in Israel remains fluid.
ADDITIONAL LINKS
Freedom House 2020 Report - ’A Leaderless Struggle for Democracy’: FIW_2020_REPORT_BOOKLET_Final.pdf (freedomhouse.org)
Freedom House 2021 Report - ’Democracy under Seige’: FIW2021_World_02252021_FINAL-web-upload.pdf (freedomhouse.org)
Freedom House 2022 Report - ’The Global Expansion of Authoritarian Rule’: FIW_2022_PDF_Booklet_Digital_Final_Web.pdf (freedomhouse.org)
Freedom House 2023 Report - ‘Global freedom declined for the 17th consecutive year’: FIW_World_2023_DigtalPDF.pdf (freedomhouse.org)