NEW YORK – T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights applauded the decision by Israel’s High Court of Justice to nullify the revocation of the reasonableness clause. The decision was made after the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) petitioned the court on behalf of dozens of human rights organizations in Israel, arguing that the removal of the reasonableness clause would put human rights in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories at risk.
In a statement, Rabbi Jill Jacobs, CEO of T’ruah, said:
“This is a major victory for the future of democracy in Israel. We are relieved that the High Court has overturned this bill, which would have severely limited the court’s authority to review government decisions. Checks and balances safeguard against the concentration of power and protect the rights and freedoms of citizens, particularly in Israel, which has no constitution or bill of rights.
“PM Netanyahu’s extremist far-right government wanted to curtail the Supreme Court’s ability to review government actions, so they could further expand and entrench occupation, avoid accountability for corrupt politicians, and attack the human rights of LGBTQ people, women, and non-Haredi Israelis. The catastrophes of the last few months have made it even more clear that this government must go.
“The ancient rabbis warned of the dangers of fanaticism, suggesting that the actions of a few zealots could have devastating consequences for everyone. (Talmud Gittin 56a) Tragically, we have seen the truth in that warning this fall. To prevent doing even more damage to the fabric of Israeli society, Netanyahu must respect this week’s ruling and avoid a constitutional crisis.”
About T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights
T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights mobilizes a network of more than 2,300 rabbis and cantors from all streams of Judaism that, together with the Jewish community, act on the Jewish imperative to respect and advance the human rights of all people. Grounded in Torah and our Jewish historical experience and guided by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we call upon Jews to assert Jewish values by raising our voices and taking concrete steps to protect and expand human rights in North America, Israel, and the occupied Palestinian territories.