Anti-Democratic Initiatives
You have reached ACRI’s archive, updated with our activity up until 2018. For more recent posts, please visit our current website here.
In the past few years, ACRI has been increasingly concerned by intensifying infringements on democratic freedoms in Israel. Of particular concern is the fact that two of the central arenas from which these threats arise are the very ones charged with safeguarding democracy: The Knesset (Israeli parliament) and government leadership. Senior officials have voiced harsh and unprecedented statements against human rights organizations, political groups, and minorities, and have made various attempts to curtail their operations. A tide of anti-democratic legislative proposals is being introduced in the Knesset and there is a rising wave of assaults on social, political, and national minorities in the public sphere.
As a result, the basic principles of the Israeli democratic system are being undermined. There is an ongoing infringement on issues such as freedom of expression, human dignity and equality and on freedom of assembly and protest. ACRI seeks to educate the public on the increasing threat to basic democratic values through publications including the annual Human Rights Report. ACRI continues to demand accountability with regards to democratic principles and the assurance of such principles in every aspect of Israeli life.
Overview of Anti Democratic Legislation (updated October 2018)
All
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What to expect from the 19th Knesset
January 10, 2013
A new Knesset and government following the 22 January elections will bring renewed challenges for human rights in Israel and … Read more
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Hagai El-Ad in Haaretz: The anti-democratic shadow over Israel
January 10, 2013
An array of NGOs, including NGO Monitor, are advancing an assault on Israeli democracy in lockstep with the government, attempting … Read more
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ACRI to Speaker of the Knesset: Reinstate researcher to his position
January 10, 2013
Knesset Research and Information Center researcher Dr. Gilad Nathan removed from position after repeated vilification as a “leftist.” In … Read more
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ACRI in the News: November – December 2012
January 3, 2013
ACRI Op-Eds This Friday, we march for the right ‘to be human’ – December 5, 2012 (+972) by Hagai El-Ad, ACRI … Read more
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ACRI to Election Committee: Parties and Candidates Must not Be Disqualified on Ideology
December 19, 2012
The Knesset’s Central Election Committee will hold a hearing today (Wednesday 19 December) on a number of petitions to disqualify … Read more
Media
In the Knesset
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ACRI Warns against Damaging Conversion Bill
July 12, 2010
First Knesset plenum vote approved – in theory – on draft legislation which would bolster Chief Rabbinate’s authority on conversions … Read more
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Striking a Balance between Security and Human Rights
July 8, 2010
ACRI submits position paper on draft counter-terror bill In July, ACRI submitted to the Justice Ministry a position paper on … Read more
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ACRI Responds to Proposed ‘Transparency’ Bill
February 25, 2010
In position paper, ACRI argues that bill is selective, redundant To: Ministers, MKs, Ministry of Justice Re: Bill for the … Read more
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Targeting of Human Rights Organizations Destroys Israeli Democracy
February 1, 2010
Thirteen Israeli human rights organizations sent an urgent letter to the president, Knesset speaker and prime minister, protesting the increasing … Read more
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ACRI, NGOs Potest “Transparency” Conference in Knesset
November 26, 2009
In November 2009, ahead of a conference in the Knesset aiming to delegitimize the work of Israeli human rights and … Read more