Israel faces many challenges in building a robust democracy. The prolonged occupation has had, and continues to have, a corrosive effect on Israel’s democratic foundations, and Israel’s Arab citizens have been treated as second-class citizens and as a potential fifth column since the founding of the State. While all this is not new, the significant upsurge in racism and nationalism in recent years, coupled with mounting security threats and economic instability, have created a fertile breeding ground for the erosion of respect for democracy and human rights and for the legitimization of racist views, practices, legislation, and policies.
The war on Gaza earlier this year exposed a growing nationalism among Jewish Israelis, with the overwhelming majority supporting Israel’s military operation regardless of its heavy toll on Palestinian civilian lives, and viewing any criticism of Israel’s actions as illegitimate and tantamount to treason. The soaring popularity of Avigdor Liberman’s Israel Beiteinu, now Israel’s third largest party and a major coalition partner, which campaigned on an anti-Arab and anti-Democratic platform, also warrants serious concern. Added to this already disturbing backdrop are new threats to freedom of expression, and attempts by the government and by parliamentarians to weaken the status of Israel’s Supreme Court as well as human rights defenders and organizations. At this critical juncture, there is an urgent need for Israeli civil society to effectively mobilize to promote an alternative discourse and vision – one that reinforces respect for human rights and democratic principles while delegitimizing racism.
To this end, with the generous support of the European Commission, ACRI and Agenda: the Israeli Center for Strategic Communications, have launch a much-needed project in 2010 aimed at curbing the erosion of democratic values and at reaffirming respect for human rights. We aim to bring about broad-based changes in policies and public discourse that effectively stem the rising tide of racism and contribute to the sustainability of Israel’s democracy by reaching key target groups in Israeli society. Through the project, we will facilitate coordination and networking among a wide range of civil society organizations across communities and sectors of Israeli society, enlist the active support of key groups and figures within Israeli society and the Jewish Diaspora, challenge racist and anti-democratic policies through legal action, and conduct strategic public awareness and media outreach activities so as to influence public opinion and discourse.
ACRI in Urgent Appeal: Cancel Undemocratic Loyalty Oath, October 2010
Harming Democracy in the Heart of Democracy, A position paper published ahead of the Knesset’s winter session, October 2010
ACRI on Revised “Transparency Bill”, August 2010
ACRI to Education Minister: Protect Academic Research First, then Donations, August 2010
ACRI’s Top 14 Anti-Democratic Draft Bills of the Knesset’s Summer Session, July 2010
ACRI: Current Knesset Threatens Israeli Democracy, July 2010
Stories of Israel’s Democracy, March 2010
