For twenty-two weeks now (and counting!) a remarkable phenomenon has overwhelmed Israel and both its citizens and politicians. Every Saturday, hundreds of thousands of Israelis leave the comfort of their homes to take part in massive protests being held all over the country. From the main event in Tel Aviv, with people spread out all over Kaplan Street and it surroundings, to impressive demonstrations in almost every town and city in the country, to people gathering on highway bridges and crossroads, an unprecedented number of Israeli citizens feels the need to get up and protest the actions of their government against the judicial system which will destroy democracy by breaking its golden rule: the separation of powers.
The so-called “reform” that the Israeli government is pursuing will restrict the powers of the courts (and in particular the High Court of Justice) and thereby enable politicians (as the Legislative Power) to do as they please and install laws and enact policies to promote Racism, Fascism and Jewish supremacy without being stopped in their destructive actions by a responsible court system.
While the aims of the demonstrators are laudable and indeed worth fighting for, I have not taken part in these protests. The judiciary system is worth fighting for but it is doubtful if most protesters are at this point aware of the real problem that Israel is currently facing, even when it is mentioned by speakers at most of the events every week, be it intellectuals or politicians. They call to continue the fight for a “Jewish and Democratic” Israel. The orators, if they really understand democracy (and this may be doubtful because growing up in Israel, they have only known the “Jewish Democracy”), they may know they are misleading the public, but most of them probably won’t even consider saying out loud what no politician (or anyone else for that matter except maybe Yehoshua Leibovitch) has ever dared to say: A “Jewish Democratic Israel” is a big lie.
The country simply cannot be both “democratic” and “Jewish”. The moment a religion is part of the political system, allowed to make decisions, decree rules and have the (political) power to enforce these rules, the system will be usurped by religion and democracy is destroyed. And Israel is the living proof that the Jewish religion is no exception to this rule.
Israel was founded seventy-five years ago after one of the most horrific periods in the history of the Jews and humanity in general. Israel was founded as a “Jewish State” i.e. a State for the Jews. But what does it really mean a “Jewish State”?
Will Israel no longer be Jewish, if a civil marriage procedure existed, whereby people could become married citizens, no matter what religion they both have?
Will Israel be no longer Jewish if supermarkets will sell products that the religious establishment has not “approved” as Jewish and Kosher and by controlling this “kosher” game make fortunes off us?
Will Israel no longer by Jewish if people that are not lucky enough to have their own car, will be able to travel and visit their family on Friday night using public transportation?
Will Israel no longer be Jewish if the house next door will be sold to a non-Jewish person, even though most of the village is Jewish?
The list goes on and one, but the answer to all of these questions has to be the same: if the “Jewishness” of Israel is dependent on such paltry (or in some cases discriminatory) rules and regulations, it will not last.
And this is where politics comes in. While the judicial “reform” was initiated by fascists and racists, it today has chances of success because the Haredi parties are part of the government and will support it and fight for it to the end. Because this is what the Haredim want more than anything. Once the “reform” is in place, they will be free to initiate, and with the help of the fascists, pass, legislation to make Israel even more “Jewish”, like the discriminatory laws that are already in place.
Don’t get me wrong. Freedom of religion is a basic aspect of democracy and must be respected at all times. But this freedom does not and cannot include, the enforcement of religious behavior or limitations onto a public that does not want them
But all this is irrelevant, unless the protester is willing and knows to go beyond the “Democracy” slogans and realize that indeed religious influences are destroying democracy and it is allowed and maybe even encouraged because “We are All Jews”. (Another popular slogan to implicate that all Israelis in the end want the same thing). If the protestor is comfortable with the “Jewishness” of the democracy, that is fine but he must realize that in that case he is wasting his time.
Unless the judiciary reform will include the prohibition and repeal of the religious restrictive laws, no demonstration will help, not for twenty-two weeks and not for two hundred and twenty two weeks.
And the Jewish people, with their history (and yes, also their religion), is significant enough to make Israel into a Jewish State also without religious coercion. Then Israel will be a Democratic State. For the Jews, and for anyone else living here.
I hope you found this article interesting and I welcome any comments you may have.
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