Dear Friends,
Unfortunately, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lashing out against the media has become an almost regular occurrence; a pattern worthy of genuine concern. In recent months, the Prime Minister’s Office has repeatedly attacked journalists, severely criticizing and attempting to delegitimize them.
If we thought this was the ultimate challenge Netanyahu posed to free expression, this week we were proven wrong, as another red line was crossed.
In recent days, the Prime Minister posted a Facebook status claiming that the media is engaged in a “Bolshevik witch-hunt, brainwashing the public, and attacking my character.” He wrote this in response to coverage on investigations against him, and claimed that the media’s objective is to apply “unyielding pressure on the Attorney General and enforcement officials so that they file an indictment against me at any cost.”
With these words, our Prime Minister defaced two pillars of any democratic state: a free press and the rule of law.
In recent years, ACRI has fought similar campaigns against civil society waged by Netanyahu and other politicians. The NGO Transparency and MK Expulsion laws, passed by the Knesset last year, were just some examples of how oversight mechanisms in our democracy are being dismantled and its gatekeepers are being harmed. Social and human rights activities are portrayed as traitors and efforts to forcibly eliminate entire groups from the Israeli discourse continue unhindered.
It is clear that media and law enforcement officials will become the next targets. Netanyahu’s statements liken the media to a united opposition against him, while in practice, Israel enjoys diverse media outlets offering a wide range of opinions. Exposing wrongdoing and corruption are among the media’s core duties.
I often disagree with opinions expressed in leading Israeli media outlets, but I have never questioned their legitimacy. On the contrary, ACRI has been heavily involved in protecting and promoting freedom of expression in the media: we came out in support of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting during the government’s attempts to shut it down and our campaign to cancel the media ordinance enabling the government to close newspapers will soon bear fruit.
This is the essence of freedom of expression in democracy.
In such challenging times, we need a strong defense.
Let ACRI be that defense. Support ACRI and secure freedom of the press.
Yours,
Sharon
Adv. Sharon Abraham-Weiss
Executive Director
The Association for Civil Rights in Israel
