PM: Selective law enforcement at different protests is ‘fatal wound’ to democracy
Premier makes comments ahead of cabinet meeting with top police and legal officials on policy regarding police activity at rallies against judicial overhaul
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said that law enforcement policy at demonstrations must be uniform for all types of rallies, adding that selective action would be “fatal” to democracy.
In public comments made before the start of the weekly cabinet meeting, Netanyahu explained why Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and top police officials, among them police chief Kobi Shabtai, had been specially invited to participate in the gathering.
The purpose, he said, was to clarify the policy of enforcement at demonstrations.
Baharav-Miara and police were summoned to give their input after months of mass protests against the government’s controversial judicial overhaul. Senior coalition figures have increasingly urged police and the legal system to deal more forcefully with the demonstrators.
In an unusual move, senior officials from the Justice Ministry were in attendance alongside Baharav-Miara, amid concerns the coalition wants to pressure law enforcement to suppress the protests.
“Selective enforcement is a fatal wound to democracy and a fatal injury to the rule of law, and therefore we asked the legal adviser to give a report to the government on this issue,” Netanyahu told his cabinet.
“In a democratic country it is not possible to have one enforcement policy toward a certain group of people, and a second enforcement policy toward another group of people,” he declared.
The legal and police officials were to provide ministers with an update on policy “against threats and assaults on elected officials, calls for civil revolt and disobeying the law, blocking roads and illegal strikes,” Netanyahu said.
He stressed that the right to demonstrate within the framework of the law is “a sacred right for every person and every group of people, and we strongly condemn any violence against demonstrators from one side or the other.
“While the government has not considered restricting this right, it has requested to be given a report on the enforcement policy regarding violations of the law that infringe on the basic rights of millions of citizens and that are carried out almost on a daily basis during the demonstrations,” he said.
Netanyahu charged that violations of the law have included the blocking of main transportation arteries, disruptions at Ben Gurion Airport, calling for the non-payment of taxes, harassing public figures and “calling for rebellion, organizing protests with the aim of disabling entire units in the army, and violations of the law in many other areas.”
“The public should receive an answer to the question – what is the enforcement policy, and is it a uniform policy?” he said.
Far-right Otzma Yehudit minister Yitzhak Wasserlauf sent a letter to other ministers before the cabinet meeting in which he threatened to petition the courts against Baharav-Miara if she doesn’t provide answers, Channel 12 reported.
Weekly demonstrations have seen the blocking of roads and the jamming of access routes to Ben Gurion Airport, in addition to rallies outside the homes of coalition lawmakers.
In addition, a growing number of reservist soldiers have said they will refuse to volunteer if the overhaul is passed, a move that has in the past drawn warnings of danger from the defense establishment. An all-night protest was held Saturday outside Defense Minister Yoav Gallant’s home urging him to act against the judicial overhaul.
Last week Netanyahu, Justice Minister Yariv Levin and National Security Itamar Ben Gvir met on the matter of enforcement at demonstrations during which they berated Baharav-Miara and other top law enforcement officials for their handling of the ongoing protests.
Baharav-Miara then warned Netanyahu against any political interference in the police response to mass demonstrations over his hardline government’s efforts to overhaul the judiciary.
Israel has been rocked by mass demonstrations since early January, when the government unveiled its far-reaching plans to essentially neuter the judicial system. Protesters have warned that the proposals will weaken Israel’s democratic character, remove a key element of its checks and balances and leave minorities unprotected. Supporters claim it is a much-needed reform to rein in an overly activist court.
Also at the cabinet meeting, Netanyahu expressed the government’s condolences to the families of two IDF soldiers killed last week in separate attacks.
“Anyone who murders an Israeli, anyone who perpetrates terror, will end up in one of two places – prison or the grave,” Netanyahu said.
Turning to other affairs, Netanyahu noted that later this week the ministerial committee on the cost of living will convene to speed up legislation that will remove market regulation and set standards that are uniform with Europe.
“What is good for Europe is good for Israel,” Netanyahu said, adding that it was his intention to have the committee meet every week until the Knesset recesses at the end of the month.
Netanyahu also announced that the government intends to approve Israel’s participation in the COP28 climate conference that will be held in the United Arab Emirates starting at the end of November.
“We are committed to the important international effort to reduce pollutants and protect the environment,” he said.
One of the first decisions by Netanyahu’s government in January was to scrap a tax hike on disposable plastic goods.
