Knesset Round Up | July 19 | Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI)

Differences in Arrival Times of Ambulances to Various Localities

Committee tour of the Magen David Adom National Center following a discussion on the subject: Life and death differences in arrival times of ambulances in the center and the periphery of the country.
Special Committee on Distributive Justice and Social Equality | Sunday July 16, 2017 at 10:00 | Tour

ACRI’s position: The previous hearing on this issue was scheduled following the exposure of data from a freedom of information petition that ACRI filed. The data shows that Magen David Adom (MDA) does not have a procedure for deploying ambulances and that the amount of time it takes for ambulances to arrive to many communities exceeds the target of ten minutes which was set by the Ministry of Health. Disturbing gaps were also found in the arrival times between the center and the periphery and between different localities in the same area. Despite the partial data, it is easy to notice that the average arrival times are faster in Jewish communities than in Arab localities.

These findings oblige the Ministry of Health to examine the situation in depth and provide the necessary resources to MDA to improve the overall arrival time, as well as to prevent a situation in which the arrival times are significantly different between localities, with an emphasis on the inequality between Jewish and Arab localities.

Administrative Detention

The Counter-Terrorism Bill, 5765 – 2015 – The Remaining Section
Committee of Constitution, Law and Justice | Monday, July 17, 2017 at 11:00 am |Preparation for second and third readings

The discussion dealt with a government bill that regulates the use of administrative detention and administrative restriction orders. The bill seeks to turn the administrative detention procedure into a permanent law that will be an integral part of state law. It will expand the authority of the Defense Minister in a way which harms citizens’ freedom.

ACRI’s position: The bill seeks to make permanent the draconian mandatory regulations. Administrative detention severely violates human rights, and is not suitable for a democratic state in the 21^st century. It creates a way to bypass law and justice and casts a heavy shadow on Israel’s democratic character. Administrative detention violates the right of a person to be free from arbitrary detention and is based on the unacceptable assumption that it is possible to predict future behavior of civilians. Administrative detention allows for imprisonment of people who have not committed a crime, using confidential material and without telling them of what they are accused. The State does not have to prove their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt through a fair criminal trial. Administrative detention allows the authorities to imprison a person even if they have no admissible evidence to prove guilt. It allows the security authorities to prosecute without making the effort required to collect sufficient and sufficient evidence. Administrative restraining orders also violate basic rights and basic democratic principles. They do not allow the citizen to contend with a fair legal procedure, and therefore they are unacceptable.

ACRI demands that administrative detentions and restriction orders be nullified immediately. At the very least, they should be permitted only in an extreme emergency situation, to be the subject of special declaration, when the capacity of the law enforcement agencies to act is gravely and seriously disrupted. We recognize the importance of the effective struggle against terror, as well as the state’s obligation to protect its citizens against serious violence. As a democratic state, however, Israel must combat terror in a manner that is consistent with the basis of its existence as a democracy.

Gaps in Health Services Between the Center and the Periphery

The collapse of the health system in the north – Yael German 7187; Abdallah Abu Maarouf 7188; Eyal Ben Rita and Ben 7194; Oren Assaf Hazan 7222; Shuli Mualem-Refaeli 7242; Hemed Ammar
Finance Committee | Monday, July 17, 2017 at 10:00 | Discussion

ACRI’s position (in cooperation with partner organizations): Gaps in health services between the center and the periphery are expressed in many ways, including a complete lack of services, lack of local services and long waiting times for certain medical specialists in the north and south. In light of these gaps, special committees have been set up to improve the health care of residents of these areas. The Committee for the Examination of the Expanding of Medical Services in the South submitted its recommendations in August 2014, and the Committee for Examining the Expansion of Medical Services in the North submitted their recommendations at the beginning of September 2016. However, the recommendations of the committees were not budgeted or implemented. It is unacceptable that the conclusions and recommendations of special professional committees set up in order to improve the health care of residents of the northern and southern periphery will be ignored. The residents of these areas will pay the heavy price.

Planning and Construction in the West Bank

Updating the status of activity vis-à-vis illegal Palestinian construction in Area C
Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee – Subcommittee on Judea and Samaria | Tuesday July 18, 2017 at 11:30 | Discussion

ACRI’s position: The planning and building policy in the West Bank, especially in Area C, is consistent with the development and expansion of the Israeli settlements and the displacement of the Palestinian population. The Civil Administration prevents the development of Palestinian communities by not granting permits, not preparing plans, or preparing plans that discriminate against the Palestinians. As a result, residents’ houses are built without permits and are being demolished. Hundreds of Palestinian residents remain homeless every year due to the demolition of houses built without a permit. In addition, the absence of a planning process prevents Palestinian communities in Area C from connecting to basic infrastructure such as water and electricity. The solutions that the residents find, such as the installation of solar panels, are generally met by confiscation and demolition by the Civil Administration.

Employment of Contract Workers at Universities

The employment deal is harmful to sanitation workers in institutions of higher education in Israel
Committee on the Status of Women and Gender Equality | Wednesday, July 19, 2017 at 9:30 am | Discussion

ACRI’s position (within the framework of the National Direct Employment Coalition): About 1,500 sanitation and security workers are employed as contract workers in the six university institutions under the Council for Higher Education. Many of them work for many years at the university, while the contractors employing them changes every two or three years. In this way, the workers are dismissed and rehired and thus do not accumulate seniority and work without job security. Many studies have found that contractual employment is a primary reason for living below the poverty line, and has a high correlation with violations of workers’ rights and damage to their wages.

The National Staff Direct Employment Committee of the University’s sanitation and maintenance workers, which includes workers’ organizations, student organizations from all over the country, and social organizations, is working to change this situation and to bring about direct employment of these workers in the universities. This is to ensure employment security, fair employment, and a chance for social mobility, in that their children’s education will be funded like that of any other employee.