Gaza and Judicial Reform, neither battle is over yet - opinion

Make no mistake, despite rockets from Gaza, a threat to Israel’s democracy still looms over the Knesset. Pro-democracy demonstrations will continue throughout Israel and American Jews cannot ignore this issue. We must stand in solidarity with our friends in Israel whether the attacks come from Islamic Jihad or from right-wing Israeli ministers.

The government’s plans for the judiciary remain incredibly dangerous for both Israel and the relationship between Israel and the global Jewish community at a time of rising antisemitism. Ensuring the maintenance of democratic values and the rule of law in Israel is imperative and vital to Israel’s future and to our moral standing as a people. It is incumbent on all of us to stay in this fight and to stay in close contact with our friends defending Israel’s population centers and democratic safeguards.

We need to stay in the fight

Even as we are compelled to focus on the malevolence of Iranian terrorist proxies, hundreds of thousands of Israelis continue to demonstrate against proposals to weaken the checks on anti-democratic legislation, assembling every Saturday night in cities large and small.

During the recent Jewish Federations of North America General Assembly in Tel Aviv, American and Canadian Jews encountered and cheered on the demonstrators, and demand accountability from anti-democratic politicians who spoke at the event. Those delegates and activists are to be commended.

Israel is simultaneously facing threats from Gaza and some of its own ministers. The government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu includes some of the most radical and destructive elements to ever sit in an Israeli cabinet, among them National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. Ben-Gvir and his allies promise not to rest until their judicial reform passes and they have called their own protests in order to bring pressure to bear. Israel’s democratic wing and its friends in North America will have to demonstrate steadfastness.

The anti-democratic far right’s drive to pack Israel’s Supreme Court and stack the bench stalled in March, as the country teetered on the edge of civil unrest and citizens called a general strike. But that was only a lull in the process, a moment for Netanyahu to rebuild his political capital and regroup for the next battle.

Now that Israel’s Independence Day has passed, so too has the pause in the legislative proceedings come to an end. Israeli and American Jews must not be distracted or lose focus, lest the Israeli government’s far-right ministers attempt to muscle through its anti-democratic agenda.

Just as a reminder, the reform under consideration would eliminate the Supreme Court’s power to overturn Knesset legislation and permit the ruling party decisive control over judicial appointments. There is a lot on the line both for Netanyahu, who might soon face a corruption trial, and his allies, who have long bridled at the court’s foiling of their theocratic and illiberal ambitions.

The Biden administration’s public statements and intensive behind-the-scenes diplomatic exchanges did much to halt the first attempt this spring at an anti-democratic judicial overhaul. Their efforts are appreciated and further statements should be encouraged. Make no mistake, this is our fight, too. The future of Israel and the unity of the Jewish people hang in the balance.

The writer is an American-born Israeli peace, pluralism and equality activist. He is the founding director of Re: IL Regarding Israel, an educational travel company. www.regardingisrael.com