NEW YORK – Following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s dismissal of Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over disagreeing with the government’s plans for judicial overhaul,  T’ruah, a rabbinic human rights organization representing over 2,300 rabbis and cantors in North America, condemned this unprecedented action. 

In a statement, Rabbi Jill Jacobs, CEO of T’ruah, said:

“Prime Minister Netanyahu and his coalition partners cannot ignore the hundreds of thousands protesting in the streets throughout the country, many of whom were out late into the night, or the millions taking part in the general strike, all demanding a stop to these judicial overhauls and infringements on human rights. On Monday, Netanyahu attempted to quell the fervor of protestors by announcing he’d delay the judicial overhaul, but a delay is not enough. The path forward is clear: leaders should listen to the voices of Israelis and end the anti-democratic judicial overhaul plans once and for all. 

“Yesterday’s actions demonstrate that Prime Minister Netanyahu is willing to sacrifice the future of Israel for his own political ambitions. Not only Gallant, but also the most senior members of the security establishment, the business sector, the labor union, and more have all warned Netanyahu of the major threat to Israel if this judicial coup moves forward. 

“As these protests were developing, the leadership of Knesset spent the evening passing the next round of the Deri law, a bill that eliminates court oversight over ministerial appointments to eventually allow Shas leader Aryeh Deri to serve in the cabinet despite his convictions for tax fraud and bribery. Earlier this month, the Knesset limited the ability of the Attorney General to declare a Prime Minister to be unfit for office, in order to shield Netanyahu from any repercussions from his corruption trial. 

“Weakening the judiciary will give this extremist government license to carry out their dangerous, messianic vision of extending and deepening occupation and taking over more and more of the West Bank, while expelling Palestinians. Already, they have effectively de jure annexed the West Bank, placing more authority in civil bodies rather than in the army, and have overturned parts of the 2005 disengagement law in order to legalize settlement expansion in the northern West Bank.

“The Talmud teaches the importance of communal solidarity: ‘When the community is immersed in suffering, a person may not say: I will go to my home and I will eat and drink, and be at peace with myself.’ (Taanit 11) PM Netanyahu and his government must wake up to the demands of the Israeli people and not only delay but cancel all plans for judicial overhaul.

“T’ruah continues to stand in solidarity with the hundreds of thousands of peaceful Israeli protestors who have been in the streets for nearly three months fighting for democracy. We will fight any attempts to weaken the rule of law; to undermine human rights protections for women, LGBTQ people, and Palestinians and Israelis alike; and to further entrench and expand occupation and annexation.”

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