Binyamin Netanyahu and Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin, warning of an alarming trend taking shape in the current Knesset, which flourished during the last session: the use of democratic processes by the majority,
specifically legislation, to hinder freedom of expression, to harm our system of checks and balances, and to violate the rights of minority groups in Israel. Here is ACRI’s list of the 14 worst draft bills of the season:
1) Knesset would be obliged to declare allegiance to Israel as a Jewish and democratic state, its laws, symbols, and anthem. The bill would essentially delegitimize and exclude minority groups from participating in Israeli democracy.
2) MKs): This attempts to bypass the High Court as an independent judicial authority with regards to the
3) Court by establishing an alternative judicial authority.
4) day of mourning (“Nakba”, catastrophe in Arabic, is the term used by some Palestinian Israelis to denote the anniversary of the establishment of the State of Israel) will be denied public funding. Such legislation constitutes a violation of freedom of expression in which the majority is attempting to silence a particular political position.
5) The existing prohibition on incitement would be expanded to include a rejection of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state.
6) allegiance to Israel as a Jewish, democratic, and Zionist state, and perform military or civic (national) service.
7) Endorsement of community admissions committees to reject candidates who do not match the community’s worldview.
8) among them: seven MKs would be able to split from a faction and form a new faction, instead of 40 (one-third of the Knesset); increase the majority needed to approve a budgetary draft bill to 55; if a prime minister cannot form a government after a vote of no-confidence, the previous, failed parliament would once again be instated; and more.
KNESSET MEMBERS DECLARATION OF ALLEGIANCE BILL (MK David Rotem, Yisrael Beitenu): Members ofPREVENTING HIGH COURT FROM RULING ON “CITIZENSHIP LAW” BILL (MK David Rotem and 44 additionalCitizenship Law, which the Court has yet to abolish.CONSTITUTIONAL COURT BILL (MK David Rotem): An explicit attempt to delegitimize the SupremeNAKBA BILL (MK Alex Miller, Yisrael Beitenu): Anybody marking the establishment of the State as aPROHIBITION OF INCITEMENT BILL (MK Zevulun Orlev, Habayit Hayehudi-New National Religious Party):DECLARATION OF ALLEGIANCE FOR CITIZENS BILL (MK David Rotem): Every citizen would have to declareACCEPTANCE TO COMMUNITIES BILL (MKs David Rotem, Israel Hasson and Shai Hermesh, Kadima):STRING OF DRAFT BILLS PROPOSED BY THE CABINET, AIMING TO LIMIT THE OPPOSITION‘S POWER IN THE KNESSET,2
9) would be taken to limit foreign funding of Israeli non-profit organizations. The bill was strategicall
designed to target certain organizations of a certain political bent and human rights organizations in an attempt to control the actions of Israeli civil society.
10) legislation acknowledging the right to political protest is welcome, this particular bill, granting pardons to individuals who were prosecuted for various protest acts against the disengagement from Gaza in 2005, favors a specific political-ideological group because of the Knesset majority’s need to placate its constituents. Instead legislation should be general for all cases in which pardons for political activity are acceptable.
11) infiltration punishable with 5-7 years of imprisonment including those who assist the infiltrator. The bill aims to delegitimize civil society and refugee aid associations.
12) publicizes material which serves as a basis for a boycott of Israel would be prosecuted for a criminal offense and would be forced to pay damages to those who suffered from the boycott. Any foreigner who does so will be prohibited from entering Israel for 10 years.
13) Rotem): Citizenship is a basic right and revoking it in such cases would consequently violate other related rights. Israel’s legal system has ample laws aimed at dealing with individuals found guilty of terrorism or treason.
14) declaration of loyalty to Israel as a Jewish and democratic state by the film’s entire staff.
FOREIGN STATE FUNDING BILL (MK Zeev Elkin, Likud, and additional MKs): A number of strict measuresPARDON FOR DISENGAGEMENT PROTESTERS BILL (MK Reuven Rivlin, Likud, and additional MKs): ThoughPREVENTION OF INFILTRATION BILL (Cabinet): Among other clauses, this draft law would renderBOYCOTT PROHIBITION BILL (MK Zeev Elkin and additional MKs): Anyone who initiates, advances orREVOCATION OF CITIZENSHIP FOR INDIVIDUALS FOUND GUILTY OF TREASON OR TERRORISM BILL (MK DavidFILM BILL (MK MICHAEL BEN ARI, ICHUD LEUMI): Public funding of films would be conditioned on a
