Dear friends,<\/p>\n
\u201cIsrael must safeguard a Jewish majority even at the expense of human rights.\u201d So declared Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, this week. This comment joins the dozens of remarks made by Shaked and other senior members of the government that overtly\u00a0undermine our\u00a0democracy.<\/p>\n
\nWe can not dismiss such statements as mere political spin or remarks made “off-the-cuff.” Comments like Shaked’s reflect an ideology that defines the state’s Jewishness\u00a0as its\u00a0supreme goal. The government clearly regards\u00a0the protections offered to human rights by a democratic system as obstacles to be overcome.\u00a0In other words:\u00a0for the government,\u00a0\u201ctoo much\u201d democracy is a bad thing.<\/strong><\/p>\n The government has been promoting this agenda for years:\u00a0not merely via\u00a0declarations but also through\u00a0legislation, government initiatives, and attacks on \u201cgatekeeper\u201d institutions such as the Supreme Court. The Nation-State Law currently being advanced by the government is just one\u00a0prominent example of this approach. The proposed law clearly and overtly prioritizes the Jewish character of Israel over its democratic character. It does not protect the pillars of democracy, such as the separation of powers and the rule of law, and it does not establish that human rights \u2013 chief among them the right to equality \u2013 are superior or equal to Jewish values. The Nation-State law is an outright\u00a0assault on minority rights.<\/p>\n For us at ACRI, the danger is obvious. Prioritizing Israel\u2019s Jewish character over its democratic character violates the human rights of us all. The Arab minority and asylum seekers,\u00a0non-Jewish immigrants and migrant workers —\u00a0these and other vulnerable groups will\u00a0suffer first from discrimination and the violation of their rights. But practices of discrimination, inequality, and preference for one ideology over another will soon spread. Eventually, they will affect every citizen or resident of Israel whose lifestyle, beliefs, or affiliation differ from those imposed by the political majority.<\/p>\n I call on all of us to take these comments\u00a0for what they are: a declaration of intent. I\u00a0have no doubt that the government fully plans to implement their principles as far as their authority and power permit.\u00a0To defend our democracy, we must first of all name the danger standing on its doorstep.<\/strong><\/p>\n Sincerely,<\/p>\n Rachel\u00a0Liel Dear friends, \u201cIsrael must safeguard a Jewish majority even at the expense of human rights.\u201d So declared Justice Minister Ayelet … Read more
\nACRI Board Chair<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"