Source: Mondoweiss.net
The Israeli government’s defiance of American Jewish opinion in passing a law gutting judicial independence represents a huge crisis for American Zionists.
Today the Israeli parliament approved a measure that would undermine the power of the courts to overturn government policy by a vote of 64-0. The opposition walked out amid large demonstrations and threats by reservists not to serve in the armed forces.
The “reasonableness law” is a victory for Netanyahu’s far-rightwing government. The settler leaders of that government aim to use it to advance Jewish colonization of the West Bank, effectively annexing large portions of Palestinian territory.
The new law represents a huge crisis for American Zionists. The ADL and the American Jewish Committee today both expressed sharp disappointment over the government’s defiance of American Jewish opinion.
The extremist measure has prompted agonized debate among American Jews that Israel’s longtime persecution of Palestinians never has. That debate includes calls by liberal Zionists to withdraw U.S. military aid to Israel, and support for economic punishments, divestment, and boycott of the country. (Palestinians have called for boycott, divestment, and sanctions against Israel for nearly 20 years over Israeli human rights violations and have been smeared as antisemites for the demand).
Let’s look at the shock the measure is creating in the United States, especially among Zionists.
Joe Biden gave a statement to Axios yesterday urging the government not to go forward.
“It looks like the current judicial reform proposal is becoming more divisive, not less. Given the range of threats and challenges confronting Israel right now, it doesn’t make sense for Israeli leaders to rush this — the focus should be on pulling people together and finding consensus.”
The center-right Zionist organization ADL issued a “deeply disappointed” statement, expressing grave concern that the law will alienate American Jews. “[I]t’s incredibly painful to see such deep divisions in our community.”
The American Jewish Committee issued a similar statement of great dismay. Much of its concern was the effect on Israel’s Jewish political supporters in the U.S.:
American Jewish Committee (AJC) today expressed profound disappointment over the passage of the Reasonableness Standard Law in Israel.
The new law was pushed through unilaterally by the governing coalition amid deepening divisions in Israeli society as evidenced by the hundreds of thousands of Israelis who have taken to the streets. Of particular concern to AJC, the continued effort to press forward on judicial reform rather than seeking compromise has sown discord within the Israeli Defense Forces at a time of elevated threats to the Jewish homeland and has strained the vital relationship between Israel and Diaspora Jewry.
Prominent Zionist institutions, including the Jewish Federations and the Jewish Agency, urged the Netanyahu government to compromise with the opposition in an urgent letter that was ignored. “We must make every effort for unity and Shalom Bayit – peace in our home. We, representatives of the National Institutions and World Jewry, partners in outlining the future of the Jewish people, wish to express the concern of the entire Jewish people and aspire to strengthen the foundations of our national home.”
The right-wing Zionist group AIPAC is spinning the news. There couldn’t be a better sign of Israeli democracy. “The intense debate going on back home, even as we speak, is the clearest tribute to the fortitude of Israel’s democracy.”
The law is especially shocking to liberal Zionists. The Israel of their dreams is openly vanishing, as the two-state solution is being destroyed in plain view….