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A Palestinian man inspecting damage on Saturday after Israeli settlers attacked the village of Al Mughayir, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The Israeli military announced on Saturday that it would bolster its forces in the West Bank with additional companies and police. Israeli settlers, some of them armed, entered the villages, the official added, and there were reports that they had opened fire. At one point, “rocks were hurled” at Israeli soldiers, leading them to open fire in response, the Israeli military said. Last February, an attack by Israeli settlers devastated the Palestinian town of Huwara in the northern West Bank.

Persons: Al Mughayir, Binyamin Achimair, Yesh Din, Abu Aliya —, Amin Abu Aliya, Binyamin’s, Naser Dawabsheh, “, ”, Na’asan Na’asan, Shaul Golan, Golan, Biden, Binyamin, Abu Aliya, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, Yair Lapid, ” Mr, Na’asan Organizations: West Bank ., West Bank, United Nations, Duma Locations: Al, Palestinian, Ramallah, torching, East Jerusalem, Gaza, Al Mughayir, “, Israel, Huwara, West Bank

☆ Protest Outside Netanyahu’s Jerusalem Home Turns Into ‘Riot,’ Police Say
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-02 | by ( Cassandra Vinograd | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

The Israeli police clashed with antigovernment protesters outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s home in Jerusalem on Tuesday night, which was the third day of demonstrations calling for early elections and his ouster. Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets of Jerusalem since Sunday, when a planned four-day antigovernment protest began outside Israel’s Parliament, the Knesset. Many protesters have camped out in tents outside the Knesset, where the demonstrations have swelled each evening. The protest and an authorized march started peacefully on Tuesday night but then turned into an unbridled “riot,” according to the Israeli police force. It said in a statement that hundreds of rioters had tried to break through barriers near Mr. Netanyahu’s house but were blocked by the police.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu’s, Netanyahu’s Locations: Jerusalem, Israel’s

☆ Live updates: Israel-Hamas war, Al-Shifa raid, Gaza ceasefire talks
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-01 | by ( Jessie Yeung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Ilan Rosenberg/ReutersAn Israeli drone strike on tents outside the Al-Aqsa medical complex killed at least two people on Sunday, according to a hospital spokesperson. Thousands of displaced people are sheltering on the hospital grounds in central Gaza, along with several journalist teams working from tents in the area. Al-Aqsa is the only remaining functional medical facility in the central city of Deir al-Balah. In the north, a raid on Al-Shifa Hospital — Gaza's largest medical facility — has lasted 14 days, as of Sunday. The health ministry in Gaza says Israel is not allowing patients and medical staff to evacuate, trapping them without basic resources.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu's, Ilan Rosenberg, Aqsa, Israel Organizations: Israeli, Reuters, Shifa Locations: Jerusalem, Israeli, Al, Gaza, Deir, —, Israel

Banners at the protests called on the Prime Minister to resign and for Israel to hold new elections. Thousands gathered in Jerusalem on Sunday to call for Netanyahu to step down. “They stood outside the Kirya (the Israel Defense Forces headquarters in Tel Aviv), screamed their souls out, and nobody heard. Sunday’s demonstration outside the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, in Jerusalem was dispersed by force, but protesters appear to be readying themselves for more protests. The US and Israel are set to hold a virtual meeting on Rafah today, a US official told CNN.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, “ You’ve, ”, Ilan Rosenberg, Ronen Zvulun, Israel, Aviva Siegel, ” Siegel, Yair Lapid, “, ” Lapid, Israel papered, Benny Gantz, CNN’s Xiaofei Xu, Mohammed Tawfeeq, Gul Tuysuz, Arlette Saenz Organizations: Jerusalem CNN, Hamas, Reuters Police, Aviva, Israel Defense Forces, CNN, Israel’s, Israeli Locations: Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Israel, Gaza, United States, Washington, Rafah, Gaza’s, Egypt

☆ Outside Israel’s Parliament, Protesters Explain Why Netanyahu Must Go
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-01 | by ( Cassandra Vinograd | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Hundreds of small silver tents were clustered on the pavement outside Israel’s Parliament in Jerusalem on Monday, stretching at least a city block. Many had Israeli flags taped to their roofs, along with stickers bearing slogans. Many of them believe he has put his political survival ahead of the broader interests of the Israeli people. Another night of protest was not long off, and the encamped demonstrators were resting and preparing. When asked why he had camped out overnight, Haggai Schwartz, 47, said there were “too many issues” with the current Israeli government.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Haggai Schwartz, — Locations: Israel’s, Jerusalem

CNN —A road being built by the Israeli military splitting Gaza in two has reached the Mediterranean coast, a CNN analysis of satellite imagery shows. The plan has not been adopted by the IDF, but it includes elements that are coming into existence, including the Netzarim Corridor. Satellite imagery from November shows the tracks emerging, at a time when the military’s focus turned to surrounding Gaza City, advancing from the east. I remember it vividly.”Abu Holi was seldom open, Munther Al-Ashi, a lawyer from Gaza City, told CNN. “If our house in Gaza City has not been shelled, I would like to go back to it.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Al Rashid, Diaspora Affairs Amichai Chikli, Chikli, Israel, Shimon Orkabi, Volker Türk, ’ Emily Harding, Harding, Jamal Al, ”, ” Al, Rozzi, Khan Younis, “, Munther Al, Ashi, Al Rozzi Organizations: CNN, Israel Defense Forces, Al, Diaspora Affairs, IDF, Maxar Technologies, Planet Labs, Hamas, Israeli Engineering Corps, Combat Engineering Corps, Palestinian Friendship Hospital, Palestinian Friendship, UN, Human, Intelligence, National Security, Technology, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Israel, Rights Watch Locations: Gaza, Israel, Netzarim, Israeli, Gaza City, Be’eri, Chikli, Wadi Gaza, Turkish, Washington ,, ”, Rafah, “

☆ Israel’s Druze Arabs, fiercely loyal to the state, feel let down after ‘paying with their blood’
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Lianne Kolirin | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

About a million-strong, the global Druze community is largely spread across Israel, Lebanon and Syria. Some 130,000 Israeli Druze live in the Carmel and Galilee in the country’s north. There have been rumblings of discontent since 2018, when tens of thousands of demonstrators gathered in Tel Aviv to protest Israel’s controversial “nation-state” law. “The (nation-state) law didn’t affect our identity – it affected our sense of belonging,” he said in a video call with CNN. “The Druze community has no dream to have a country – we don’t want it, we don’t believe in it.

Persons: Alim Abdallah, Abdallah, we’d, ” Abdallah’s, Mona, Mona Abdallah Saad, “, ” Mona, ”, Alim Abdallah Saad, Adam, Maya, ” Abdallah, CNN hasn’t, Col, Salman Habaka, Be’eri, Habaka, Gadeer Kamal, Kamal, ‘ I’m, I’m, ’, Corinna Kern, Anwar Saab, It’s, Omri Eilat, Ariel Schalit, Benny Gantz, Bejamin Netanyahu, Bibi –, “ It’s Organizations: CNN, Israel Defense Forces, 300th Baram Regional Brigade, Washington DC, Jewish Agency for, Reuters ‘, Saab, University of Haifa, Druze Heritage Center, National Unity, Israeli Locations: Lebanon, Israel, Yanuh, Lebanese, Syria, Carmel, Galilee, Golan, Egypt, Israel’s, Hala, Gaza, Tel Aviv, Druze, Washington, Jewish Agency for Israel, Iran, Isfiya, Yanuh Jat

☆ Mideast Crisis Biden Criticizes Opposition to Bill That Includes Aid to Israel and Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Erica L. Green | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +7 min

Some of the dead were killed inside Israel on Oct. 7. At least three hostages were killed by the Israeli military during its ground operations. Only one hostage has been freed by an Israeli military rescue operation. The Israeli military’s assessment did not conclude that any of the dead hostages were killed in Israeli strikes. But some of the hostages freed in November have said that they fear those still in Gaza could be killed in Israeli salvos.

Persons: Israel, “, ”, Daniel Hagari, Benjamin Netanyahu’s, Gadi, Liat Bell Sommer, ” Ms, Sommer, Avi Kalo, Kalo, Sahar Kalderon, Johnatan Reiss, Aaron Boxerman, Gabby Sobelman, Sheikh Ahmad Organizations: Hamas, The New York Times, Tuesday, Times, Qatar — Locations: Gaza, Israel, Egypt, Qatar, United States

☆ Israel’s far-right wants to move Palestinians out of Gaza. Its ideas are gaining attention
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-17 | by ( Mick Krever | Jomana Karadsheh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

CNN —The Israeli soldiers stand rifles in hand, arm over shoulder, speaking to the camera. “We must promote a solution to encourage the emigration of the residents of Gaza,” far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said on January 1. Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who also holds a position in the Defense Ministry, says that Israel “will rule there. If Palestinians in Gaza are “post-Jihad, pro-Israel, and want to live that good life in that beautiful soil, there should be an opportunity for that,” he said. That color was adopted in 2004 and 2005 by the movement protesting Israel’s disengagement from Gaza.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant, “, Itamar Ben, Gvir, Bezalel Smotrich, Israel “, Antony Blinken, Dahlia Scheindlin, Itamar Ben Gvir, restoking, Netanyahu, ” Scheindlin, Diana Buttu, Netanyahu’s, ”, Ariel Sharon’s, Katif, Yishai Fleisher, ” Fleisher, we’ve, Fleisher, –, Jordan, ” Israel, Gush Katif, Hanan Ben Ari serenaded, Ben Gvir, Gila, Mahmoud Abbas, ” Omer Bartov, Buttu, ” Netanyahu, ” Tzvi, Melech, Ben Gvir’s Organizations: CNN, Hamas, Palestinian Authority, Gaza . Social Media, ”, Likud, National, Defense Ministry, United, Haaretz, Israeli, National Security, Settler, West Bank, “, Israel, Norwegian Refugee Council, United Nations, International Court of Justice, Israel Defense Forces, Gush, Social Media, Oregon State University, City University of New, Brown University, Smotrich’s, Ben Gvir’s Jewish Power Party Locations: Israel, Gaza, Hamas, Ramallah, Authority, ”, United States, Palestinian, Qatar, “, Hebron, Turkey, South America, South Africa, The Hague, Jerusalem, Gush, Israeli, Nova Beach, City University of New York, Israel’s

☆ Israelis Are Angry at Netanyahu, but Chances of His Ouster Are Slim
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-02 | by ( Sheera Frenkel | More About Sheera Frenkel | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, has weathered many controversies, including accusations of corruption and allegations this year that a contentious overhaul of the country’s judiciary was a poorly disguised power grab. But he now faces the greatest crisis of his political career. People both inside Mr. Netanyahu’s government and those who hope to see him replaced agree that his standing has never been so low with the Israeli public. And yet — owing to the complexities of Israel’s parliamentary system and the vagaries of war — few paths exist for Mr. Netanyahu to be ousted soon from office. His long-term political prospects and his legacy, however, rest largely on how he handles the coming days, analysts said.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s, Netanyahu Organizations: Mr Locations: Gaza

☆ Israel resumes combat operations against Hamas as 7-day truce expires without renewal
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Helen Regan | Jerome Taylor | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Israel’s military said it was resuming combat operations in Gaza on Friday morning after the temporary truce with Hamas that had paved the way for hostage releases broke down. The hard-negotiated temporary truce, which began last Friday, was extended by two days following the release of some captives held by Hamas. The truce brought temporary respite to the besieged enclave of Gaza, which had been relentlessly pounded by Israel’s military since the Hamas attack. As the truce expiration loomed, both Israel and Hamas indicated they were prepared for fighting to resume. Under the terms of the truce deal, Israel has to free three Palestinians for every Israeli hostage released.

Persons: CNN —, Benjamin Netanyahu, “, ” Netanyahu, ”, Israel, Yoav Gallant, Al, ” Danny Danon, — Organizations: CNN, of Interior, Hamas, UN, Palestinian Ministry of Health, West Bank, Israeli, Qatari, Information Service, — Locations: Gaza, Israel, Egypt, “, Israeli

And if we say, ‘This is my land,’ they start to shoot live.” Since the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks in southern Israel, violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank has intensified. Extremist Israeli settlers have been emboldened in what Palestinians say is an increased effort to seize their land with support from the Israeli Army. On Oct. 13, Sami Hourani’s cousin Zacharia al-Adara was shot and wounded by an Israeli settler in the Palestinian village of at-Tuwani. In 2012, Israel’s Security Agency accused him of leading covert and violent activity against Palestinians, and he was temporarily banned from entering the West Bank. In the past seven weeks alone, the U.N. says more than 1,000 villagers have been forced to leave their homes due to settler violence across the West Bank.

Persons: ’, Sami, Zacharia al, Adara, Zacharia, Zvi, He’s, Benjamin Netanyahu, Dalal al, Awad, They’ve Organizations: West Bank, Israeli Army, Observers, Israel’s Security Agency Locations: Israel, Palestinian, Zacharia, Tuba, Ma’on

☆ The Arab Israeli Feels the Pain Twice - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Thomas L. Friedman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +5 min

Abbas is a Palestinian Arab citizen of Israel who happens to be a devout Muslim and a member of Israel’s parliament, where he leads the important United Arab List party. And we cannot condemn it and say ‘but’ — that word ‘but’ has become immoral.” (Recent polls show overwhelming Israeli Arab condemnation of the Hamas attack.) Abbas sees the complexities lived by that Israeli Jewish mother in Jerusalem who never lost trust in her kids’ Palestinian Arab teacher, and by that Israeli Arab bicycle shop owner who spontaneously reached out a hand to ease the pain of Jewish children he’d never met. At the same time, though, Abbas spoke about the searing pain Israeli Palestinian Arabs and Bedouins feel at seeing their relatives pummeled and killed in Gaza. “One of the hardest things today is to be an Israeli Arab,” Abbas said to me.

Persons: —, Alaa Amara, Thomas Hobbes, Walter Mondale, Mondale, Mansour Abbas, Abbas, ’, he’d, pummeled, ” Abbas, ” Organizations: West Bank, Jewish Locations: Israel, Jerusalem, Palestinian, Israeli, Taibe, Arab, Gaza, Jordan, Tel Aviv, Muslim, “

Heavy fighting broke out around the Indonesian Hospital, which has housed thousands of patients and displaced people for weeks. More than 250 patients with severely infected wounds or other urgent conditions remain stranded at Shifa Hospital days after Israeli forces entered the compound. Four other babies died in the two days before the evacuation on Sunday, according to Mohamed Zaqout, the director of Gaza hospitals. NETANYAHU EXTENDS CENTRAL BANK GOVERNOR’S TERMTEL AVIV, Israel — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he has decided to grant the country’s central bank chief a second term. Jordan will build the hospital in southern Gaza to help with the territory's health crisis.

Persons: Yemen’s, Egypt’s, ”, Mohamed Zaqout, “, Hirokazu Matsuno, Yemen’s Houthi, Abraham Ungar, Ungar, Matsuno, NYK, BILL, Itamar Ben, ” Gil Dikman, Gvir, Ophir Katz, Benjamin Netanyahu’s, Netanyahu, NETANYAHU, Benjamin Netanyahu, Amir Yaron, Yaron, Bezalel Smotrich, Israel —, Gila Gamliel, Gamliel, Israel’s, Gamliel’s, GAZA KHAN YOUNIS, JERUSALEM —, Elad Aderi, Aderi Organizations: Health Ministry, Indonesian Hospital, World Health Organization, Shifa, West Bank, Israel’s, Palestinian, Crescent, Galaxy Leader, Ray Car Carriers, Associated Press, Houthi, Galaxy Maritime Ltd, British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, Israel Defense Forces, Firefighters, National, National Security, CENTRAL BANK, Gov, Finance, BE, Intelligence, Jerusalem Post, Palestinian Authority, Street Journal, Monday, Israel Democracy Institute Locations: Gaza, Gaza City, Israel, Gaza's, China, Pakistan, israel, EGYPT, Gaza’s, Egypt, Palestinian, JAPAN, Japan, Iran, Bahamas, Philippines, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Mexico, Romania, Gulf of Oman, Saudi Arabia, Oman, India, Hodeida, British, ISRAEL, Lebanon, Biranit, JERUSALEM, Israel’s, TEL AVIV, Israeli, GAZA, Jerusalem, United States, U.S, JORDANIAN, Jordanian, Rafah, Jordan

☆ Fact Check: Video of Knesset members crying filmed after Hamas attack screening
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A video of people crying in Israel’s parliament after viewing footage of Hamas’ Oct. 7 cross-border attack is being baselessly claimed online to be a reaction to military losses. However, the 24-second video, which shows people crying and consoling one another inside the Knesset, was taken following a private screening to lawmakers of raw footage from Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, according to a Knesset spokesman. According to a report by The Times of Israel, footage was screened to more than 50 Knesset members on Nov. 1. It included uncensored call recordings, CCTV, bodycam footage, dashcams, social media content, and mobile phone videos by Hamas, Israeli victims, and first responders. The video shows Knesset members crying after watching uncensored footage of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack.

Persons: baselessly, ”, Read Organizations: Hamas, IDF, Israel Defence Forces, The Times, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, WhatsApp

She refers to the overhaul as a “judicial coup,” saying it risks facilitating the “de facto annexation of the West Bank without any critique or any review” from the Supreme Court. The cabinet includes a number of West Bank settlers in powerful positions, and the agreement that brought together the government calls for extending Israel’s sovereignty in the West Bank, effectively a call for annexation. Under Netanyahu’s far-right government, Israel has approved a record number of housing units in West Bank settlements, Peace Now said in a July report. “Did the Supreme Court protect Palestinian rights in the West Bank? More recently in 2017, Israeli security forces bulldozed nine homes built on private Palestinian land in the West Bank settlement of Ofra.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu’s, West Bank haven’t, Sawsan, Netanyahu, Netanyahu’s, Israel, Israel doesn’t, ” Zaher, Eliav, ” Lieblich, Zaher, Ahmed Tibi, Bezalel Smotrich, Itamar Ben Gvir, Tibi, ” Tibi, ” Gershon Baskin, Bond, ” Baskin, “ Organizations: CNN, West Bank, Legal Center, Arab, Rights, United Nations, Israel Democracy Institute, Tel Aviv University, Palestinian Authority, Supreme Court, Court of Justice, Israel’s, Israeli, Court Locations: Palestinian, Israel, West Bank, East Jerusalem, Jerusalem, West, The Hague, Dura, Qara, Ofra

“There are many checks on the legislative and executive branches, but there are simply no checks on the Supreme Court,” Kontorovich said, without citing examples. Video Ad Feedback Hear Netanyahu respond to judicial overhaul plans amid protests 03:17 - Source: CNNUnlike many democracies, Israel does not have a written constitution. While they are a minority in Israel, they have different reasons for backing the judicial plan. The prime minister in his Thursday interview with CNN failed to confirm whether he’d accept a Supreme Court ruling that struck down the “reasonableness” law. Following backlash from the opposition, however, Netanyahu in a statement attempted to reassure the public, saying that Israeli governments “always respect” court decisions.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu’s, Eugene Kontorovich, Kontorovich, Netanyahu, ” Kontorovich, Israel “, ”, Tommy Lamm, Ronnie Lottner, “, Naftali Bennett’s, Tamar Hermann, ” Hermann, Gideon Rahat, Bennett, Yair Lapid, Hermann, Israel Democracy Institue Organizations: CNN, White, Israel’s, West Bank, Israel Democracy Institute, Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s, Israel Democracy Locations: Israeli, Israel, “

☆ Opinion: The Donald Trump and Hunter Biden surprises
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-30 | by ( Richard Galant | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +20 min

So it was remarkable Wednesday when the deal for Hunter Biden to plead guilty to two misdemeanors for his failure to pay taxes on time fell apart in a federal courtroom after the judge raised questions about it. Special counsel Jack Smith unexpectedly added a major allegation to the indictment charging former President Donald Trump with mishandling classified documents. The Trump and Hunter Biden developments underlined how America’s political climate is being shaped by what happens in the courts. This addition, an alleged surveillance tape conspiracy, almost reads like a spy novel.”“It features Trump employee and co-defendant Walt Nauta’s surprise clandestine trip to Florida. To W. James Antle III, it was the Hunter Biden plea deal snafu that brought to the forefront the “powerful split screen that drives” how Republican voters see the emerging 2024 presidential race.

Persons: Robert Burns, beasties, ”, Burns, aren’t, Hunter Biden, Jack Smith, Donald Trump, ” Smith, Trump, Dana Summers, Norman Eisen, Walt Nauta’s, Nauta, De Oliveira, De Oliveria, ’, ” Eisen, James Antle III, Hunter, Joe Biden’s, Maryellen Noreika, ” “ Noreika, couldn’t, Joe Biden, wasn’t, ” Bill Bramhall, Mitch McConnell, Sen, Dianne Feinstein, Julian Zelizer, “, ” “, Walt Handelsman, Elon Musk’s, Twitter “, Bill Carter, it’s, … Musk, —, Musk, ” Carter, Bill McGuire, ” McGuire, Mark Wolfe, Cassandra Lovejoy, Clay Jones, David Grusch, Jason Colavito, Colavito, Barbara Lee, Abigail E, Moore, ” Lee, Michael Bociurkiw, Odesa, Vladimir Putin’s, ” Bociurkiw, “ Handshakes, ” Netanyahu Israel’s, Benjamin Netanyahu, Frida Ghitis, Netanyahu, Drew Sheneman, Peniel, Joseph, Kamala Harris, Sophia A, Nicole Hemmer, Patrick T, Brown, David J, Skorton, Frank R, Lisa Benson, Barbie, Dean Obeidallah, ‘, GOP Sen, Ted Cruz, Mattel, Barbie —, Greta Gerwig’s, Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling —, ” Obeidallah, Taylor Swift Taylor Swift, Swift, Barbra Streisand, Margaret H, Willison, O’Connor Sinéad O'Connor, Andrew Chin, Sinéad O’Connor, Sarah Gundle, Taylor, Sinead O’Connor’s, ” Don’t, Lawrence, Kara Alaimo, Jill Filipovic, Jeff Pearlman, He’s, Catherine Steenkeste, David A, Andelman, Mort Rosenblum, who’s, he’s, ” We’ll Organizations: CNN, Mar, Trump, Justice Department, Fox, Republicans, GOP, of Justice, New York Daily, Times, Twitter, SpaceX, World Meteorological Organization, University College London, Pentagon, “, Disney, Supreme, Agency, Education, African, Trinity, Warner Bros, Warner Bros ., Billboard, Machine, Vogue Theatre, International Herald Tribune Locations: Scottish, Florida, Bedminster, New, California, Rhodes, Corfu, Evia, Europe, United States, Odesa, Miami, York, Ukrainian, Kyiv, Israel’s, North America, Vancouver, Canada, White, Paris, Seine, gunpoint, ”

In their details, the judicial changes that Israel’s Parliament passed yesterday sound like something that liberals in the U.S. and democracy advocates around the world might support. Going forward, democratically elected leaders will have more power, and unelected judges will have less. But the reaction from political progressives, moderates and even some conservatives — in Israel and elsewhere — has instead been one of extreme alarm. And that alarm stems from worries among many observers that Israel is using the mechanics of democracy to transform itself into an undemocratic country. Freed from judicial oversight, it will have the ability to push Israel further toward becoming a religiously conservative country.

Persons: —, Benjamin Netanyahu, Freed Locations: U.S, Israel

☆ Opinion: Don’t expect history to be kind to Netanyahu
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( Frida Ghitis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —There is no question that history books will dedicate considerable space to the impact that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had on the fate of his embattled nation. But in Israel’s parliamentary system, the prime minister controls not just the executive but also the legislature through his majority coalition in parliament. Without judiciary oversight, the prime minister and his bloc have little to stop them as they push their agenda. Frida GhitisTo become prime minister, Netanyahu had to enlist the support of enough parties to have 61 votes out of the 120 seats in the Knesset. When asked whom they would prefer as prime minister, just 34% said Netanyahu over the center-right Benny Gantz, with opposition leader Yair Lapid also beating the Israeli leader.

Persons: Frida Ghitis, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, “ Bibi, ”, –, it’s, Itamar Ben Gvir, Bezalel Smotrich, Benny Gantz, Yair Lapid, Joe Biden, Ron DeSantis, Biden, Facebook Netanyahu, Donald Trump’s politicization, toying Organizations: CNN, Washington Post, Politics, Frida Ghitis CNN, West Bank, Florida Gov, Twitter, Facebook, Israel Locations: Israel’s, United States, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Israel

It was enacted as an amendment to one of Israel’s Basic Laws, which the justices have never previously struck down. Originally, Basic Laws, which can be passed by a simple parliamentary majority, were not necessarily superior to other laws. Then in 1992, the Knesset passed a Basic Law that guaranteed dignity and liberty. “Proportionality is a balancing test,” said Rivka Weill, another law professor at Reichman University. But if the government removed Ms. Baharav-Miara, it would “cross a red line for the court,” Professor Weill said.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu’s, Netanyahu, —, Oded, Adam Shinar, “, it’s, ”, Kim Lane Scheppele, Aharon Barak, Benjamin Netanyahu, Ronaldo Schemidt, Shinar, Rivka Weill, Weill, Gil Cohen Magen “, Aryeh Deri, Deri, Scheppele, Ronen Zvulun Organizations: Monday, Reichman University, Princeton University, ., Agence France, Princeton, Senate Locations: Israel, Israel’s, Tel Aviv, Herzliya, Jerusalem, Gali Baharav, Britain, United States

☆ Civil unrest, legal appeals and military disobedience: What Israel may face after Supreme Court law change
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

Striking down a Basic Law would be uncharted territory for the Supreme Court, although the court has examined and commented on Basic Laws before. Hazem Bader/AFP via Getty Images People in Tel Aviv, Israel, demonstrate against the judicial overhaul plan on Saturday, July 22. Saeed Qaq/NurPhoto via Getty Images Protesters from Tel Aviv walk the entrance road to Jerusalem after a four-day march on July 22. Ilan Rosenberg/Reuters Protesters block the main entrance to the Ministry of Defense during a protest in Tel Aviv on July 18. Israeli military reservist signs pledge to suspend voluntary military service if the government passes judicial overhaul legislation, near the defence ministry in Tel Aviv, Israel on July 19.

Persons: CNN —, Israel doesn’t, Benjamin Netanyahu, Esther Hayut, ”, ” Hayut, Barak Medina, ” Medina, ” Yohanan Plesner, Ron Dermer, “, Plesner, Netanyahu, Monday, Amir Cohen, Corinna Kern, Oded, Jack Guez, Hazem Bader, Ammar Awad, Aryeh Deri, Shas, Ronaldo Schemidt, Ohad, Mahmoud Illean, Ronen Zvulun, Dar Yaskil, Saeed Qaq, Matan Golan, Eyal Warshavsky, Menahem Kahana, Ilan Rosenberg, Amir Levy, Medina, ” Plesner, Israel, Biden, Karine Jean, Pierre, ” Dermer, Biden hadn’t, Martin Indyk, Dan Kurtzer, Indyk, Israel hasn’t Organizations: CNN, Law, Supreme, Nation State Law, Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s, of Law, Israel Democracy Institute, Strategic, Israel Medical Association, IMA, High Tech, ”, Reuters, Getty, AP, Protesters, Getty Images, Reuters Protesters, AP People, Ministry of Defense, Air, House Press, New York Times, State Department Locations: Israel’s, United States, Israel, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Israeli, AFP, Reuters Israeli

☆ After Momentous Vote on Judicial Law, Israel Braces for What’s Next
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-25 | by ( Patrick Kingsley | More About Patrick Kingsley | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The law strips Israel’s Supreme Court of the power to overturn government actions and appointments it deems “unreasonable,” which opponents fear is a first step toward gutting the power of an independent judiciary. It’s also possible that the government might now attempt to reinstate Aryeh Deri, the ultra-Orthodox lawmaker whose appointment to Mr. Netanyahu’s cabinet was blocked by the Supreme Court earlier this year. On the other side of the political divide, leaders of the protest movement, which has held mass rallies for 29 consecutive weeks, have vowed to fight on. Hundreds of leaders from Israel’s vaunted high-tech industry say they’re considering moving their businesses abroad. And thousands of military reservists have said they will stop turning up for volunteer service.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu’s, It’s, Aryeh Deri, Netanyahu’s Locations: Israel’s

☆ Netanyahu’s Government Moves to Vote on Judicial Overhaul in Face of Protests
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-24 | by ( Dov Lieber | Shayndi Raice | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Israeli police blocked protesters during a demonstration outside the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, in Jerusalem, on Monday. Photo: Kobi Wolf/Bloomberg NewsTEL AVIV—Israel was on edge Monday as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ’s coalition pressed ahead with voting on a proposed judicial overhaul that has triggered mass protests and said he was “working around the clock” to reach an agreement and urged political leaders to act responsibly and with courage. Late Sunday, President Biden urged Netanyahu to focus on “pulling people together and finding consensus.”

Persons: Kobi Wolf, Benjamin Netanyahu ’, Biden, Netanyahu, ” Organizations: Bloomberg News TEL Locations: Jerusalem, Bloomberg News TEL AVIV, Israel

It is the first major piece of the multi-pronged judicial overhaul plan to get this far in the legislative process. The judicial overhaul is a package of bills that each need to pass three votes in the Knesset. Defending his plans, the prime minister has pointed to countries like the United States, where politicians control which federal judges are appointed and approved. Should the overhaul pass, the changes will be the most extreme shakeup to Israel’s judiciary since its founding in 1948. Its executive, the Bar Council, approved the decision to petition the Supreme Court to cancel the reasonableness law if it passes on Monday, the Bar said.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Aryeh Deri, Critics, Yoav Gallant, Gallant, Joe Biden, New York Times ’ Thomas Friedman, ” Biden, Friedman, ” Netanyahu, Isaac Herzog –, –, Herzog, ” Organizations: Jerusalem CNN, Sunday, Israeli, Court, Critics, Israel Democracy Institute, Air, New York Times, White, Biden, Israel Bar Association, Bar, Association Locations: Jerusalem, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, United States, Washington

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