Is it only me that find this absolutely shocking and not getting the press it should?

WHAT THE NETANYAHU COALITION GOVERNMENT HAS PLEDGED TO DO

Following general practice, the Likud Party and the other parties that now compose Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government signed coalition agreements that set guidelines for the new government. One thing that is particularly noteworthy about this set of agreements is their level of specificity. More than is typical, they in many cases appear to provide detailed work plans. From those coalition agreements, we highlight the following pledges by the Netanyahu government. Additional information is available in this report.

• Annexation of the occupied West Bank: The coalition agreements make clear that Israel is moving toward the annexation of the occupied West Bank, in what might be characterized as creeping de jure annexation, complementing galloping de facto annexation on the ground. While it is unlikely that there will be an announcement of annexation or enactment of a specific annexation law by Knesset due to the anticipated international reaction to such a patently illegal move, Likud’s coalition agreements with the Religious Zionism and Noam parties expressly mention “applying sovereignty” in the West Bank. “Application of sovereignty” is synonymous with (and a euphemism for) annexation. Specific measures outlined in the coalition agreements which together amount to annexation include the following:

  • Declaration of Jewish supremacy in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory: The first guiding principle of the new government states, “The Jewish people have an exclusive and indisputable right to all parts of the Land of Israel. The Government will promote and develop settlement in all parts of the Land of Israel – the Galilee, the Negev, the Golan and Judea and Samaria [the West Bank].” In other words, Jews alone have rights to settle “the Land of Israel,” which includes not only the sovereign state of Israel, but also the occupied territories it controls.

  • Implementation of structural changes to Israel’s military regime governing the West Bank: The coalition agreements provide for several structural changes to Israeli military regime in the occupied territory, among the most consequential of which is the creation of an additional minister in the Ministry of Defense – who would have authority over the Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) and the Civil Administration. Until this point, laws applying to [Palestinians in] the West Bank were drafted by military lawyers, who answered to the General of Central Command – the governing authority of the West Bank, per international law. Now, these laws may be written by civilian lawyers who will answer to the new additional minister in the Ministry of Defense – a civilian leader with a political agenda. This minister, Bezalel Smotrich, can be expected to use this position to further violate Palestinian rights and expand Israeli presence and permanent control in the occupied territory. Notably, Israel’s Military Advocate General and Defense Ministry legal adviser warned PM Netanyahu that international bodies, including the International Court of Justice in The Hague, couldview the transfer of authority to Smotrich as de facto annexation of the West Bank by Israel.

  • “Legalization” of unauthorized settlement outposts: Included in several of the coalition agreements between Likud and its partners are provisions for “legalizing” or “regularizing” unauthorized settlement outposts and unauthorized construction that extends authorized settlements. The government will form a ministerial team tasked with regularizing outposts – the Ministerial Team for the Regulation of Young Settlement in Judea and Samaria [the West Bank] – to be headed by the Prime Minister. The agreements indicate that the government will use a variety of tactics to “regularize” all illegal Israeli construction in the West Bank – including not only outposts, but also farms, shepherding and grazing areas, and the extensions to existing settlements. Settlers motivated by the ideology of securing the entire West Bank for Israel and preventing the establishment of a Palestinian state establish the wildcat outposts, choosing specific locations that help to advance these goals. Thus, “legalization” of outposts would significantly extend the amount of the West Bank consumed by settlements – and would represent a clear step toward annexation by the Israeli government. The coalition agreements specifically call for “regularization” of the Homesh outpost and also mention promotion of the Evyatar settlement plan.

  • Vast expansion of the illegal settlement enterprise: There are several clauses in the coalition agreements that indicate the new government will incentivize large-scale migration of Israelis to the West Bank. These include tax breaks for settlers, massive funding for road development and services, removal of barriers to the construction of settlements, incentives for Israeli farmers in Area C, and inclusion of settlement enterprise needs in national planning. In addition, there are plans for expanding the settlement in Hebron.

  • Expanding application of Israeli law to Israeli settlers: The coalition agreements reference systematic application of Israeli laws to Israeli settlers in the West Bank via military orders. Within the West Bank, this would further institutionalize a dual legal system in which a system of military law (without political rights or civil liberties) applies to Palestinians, while Israel’s civilian legal system (with the full range of such rights, liberties, and protections) applies to Israeli settlers.

• Radical weakening of Israeli democracy: The new government’s guiding principles specify planned reforms of the judicial system – including the enactment of an “override clause” – that will undermine judicial oversight of the government and thus drastically weaken the powers of the only institution with the ability to act as a check and balance on Israel’s essentially fused legislative-executive branch. Justice Minister Yariv Levin announced a package of radical reforms within the new government’s first week in power that put this guiding principle into an action plan. (See Section III below.)

• Provision of immunity to settlers and security forces for anti-Palestinian violence: While Israeli soldiers already benefit from de facto impunity, the new government has pledged in its coalition agreements to enact laws resulting in immunity for soldiers who harm Palestinians and their property. They also indicate that the Minister of National Security (Itamar Ben-Gvir) will examine, and have the power to change, the open-fire regulations governing the actions of police in the West Bank. Ben-Gvir has been granted extensive powers over police policies and priorities – including provision of impunity for Israeli settlers who commit offenses against Palestinians.

• Targeting of Israeli human rights, civil society and peacebuilding organizations: The coalition agreements contain several provisions regarding the reduction of freedom of political expression of critical voices within Israel. In particular, they outline steps for targeting Israeli human rights and civil society organizations that challenge government policy in the West Bank – by delegitimizing them, limiting their operations, and targeting them financially. Specifically, the coalition agreement between Likud and the Jewish Power Party states that the government will pass a law to tax donations by foreign governmental entities to nonprofit civil society organizations within 180 days of being sworn in. Likud MK Ariel Kallner submitted this bill to the Knesset in February; for details and analysis, see Section III below.

• Curtailing of the Law of Return by amending the “grandchild clause”: Under the coalition agreements, the new government has pledged to review and possibly amend the Law of Return’s clause which guarantees Israeli citizenship to any person with at least one Jewish grandparent who does not practice another religion. Likud’s coalition partners, and even some Likud lawmakers, favor amending or repealing the clause – despite strong opposition from Diaspora Jews, who have emphasized both the symbolic and practical impacts of such a move. On March 29, Noam Party MK Avi Maoz submitted a bill to repeal the “grandchild clause” from the Law of Return. He submitted it as a private bill, rather than a government-backed bill.

• Restrictions on mixed-gender prayer and freedom of worship at the Western Wall: The coalition agreement between Likud and the ultra-Orthodox Shas Party states that men and women will pray in two separate sections at the Western Wall (Kotel), and that “laws and regulations will be enacted to ensure and enforce” this provision “if and when it is required.” In accordance with the coalition agreement, Shas introduced a bill to impose extensive restrictions on freedom of worship at the Western Wall. The bill, which Shas sought to fast track, would have banned egalitarian, mixed-gender prayer at the section of the Kotel where it is currently allowed; banned visitors from wearing “immodest” dress; and effectively criminalized the activities of the Women of the Wall prayer rights group. Violators of the law would have been penalized with six months in prison or a fine of nearly $3,000. After news of the bill provoked an uproar, PM Netanyahu froze the bill, but would not rule out some form of it being advanced in the future.

https://jstreet.org/netanyahus-ultra-right-wing-coalition-government-a-dossier/

3 minutes ago, JimCM said:

Is it only me that find this absolutely shocking

Yes.

And what they have done to date 🇨🇬

• III. WHAT THE NETANYAHU COALITION GOVERNMENT HAS DONE TO DATE

  • Major annexationist moves to boost the settlement enterprise

  • Advancement of legislation to radically weaken Israel’s judiciary

  • Deal reached to hand over most authority over West Bank policy to Bezalel Smotrich

  • Adoption of expedited process for approving new settlement activity, under Smotrich’s authority

  • Repeal of key clauses of the 2005 Disengagement Law and movement toward “legalization” of the West Bank outpost of Homesh

  • Visit to Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif by National Security Minister Ben-Gvir

  • Imposition of sanctions on Palestinians over ICJ appeal

  • Removal of Palestinian flags from public spaces ordered by National Security Minister Ben-Gvir

  • Passage of a budget that provides massive funding for West Bank settlements and infrastructure

  • Passage of law enabling deportation of some Palestinian citizens of Israel convicted of terrorism

  • Passage of law to prevent the High Court from ordering a prime minister to recuse themself due to a conflict of interest

  • Passage of law banning all unleavened bread products in hospitals during Passover

  • Passage of a bill expanding the Admissions Committee Law

  • Passage of a law adding harsher penalties for ‘nationalistically’ motivated sex crimes

  • Advancement of a law barring the Supreme Court from invalidating ministerial appointments

  • Advancement of legislation to give vast new powers to rabbinic courts

  • Advancement of bill to bring police investigations under government control

  • Advancement of bill to establish death penalty for Palestinian terrorists (but not for Jewish ones)

  • Advancement of bill to defund East Jerusalem schools that teach the Palestinian curriculum

  • Advancement of “Arnona Fund” to redistribute local taxes and benefit right-wing constituencies

  • Advancement of bill to ban displaying the Palestinian flag and impose jail time for offenders

  • Advancement of bill to transfer powers from the Israel Bar Association

  • Submission of bill to grant immunity to Israeli security service personnel

  • Submission of bill to tax donations to civil society organizations by foreign governments

  • Submission of bill to translate the Nation-State Law into policy

  • Submission of bill to expel university students who display the Palestinian flag
    Submission of bill to permit application of Israeli law to Jewish historical sites in the West Bank and Gaza

  • Submission of bill to allow National Security Minister Ben-Gvir to order administrative detention of Israeli citizens

  • Submission of bill to outlaw the Higher Arab Monitoring Committee

  • Submission of new Basic Law to exempt Haredim from conscription

  • Attempted ouster, and subsequent resignation, of Tel Aviv police chief

  • Cancellation of funding for program to combat violence in Palestinian Arab communities by Ben-Gvir

  • Incitement-laden speech delivered by Finance Minister Smotrich in Paris

  • Approval by the Cabinet of Ben-Gvir’s push for establishment of new “national guard”

  • Police raids on al-Aqsa mosque during Ramadan, followed by escalating violence

  • March to evacuated Evyatar outpost headlined by Cabinet ministers

  • Harsh treatment of Christian worshipers celebrating Orthodox Easter

  • Ban on bereaved Palestinians entering Israel for joint Memorial Day ceremony

  • Operation Shield and Arrow

  • Jerusalem Day Flag March and coalition MKs’ visit to Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif

  • Response to settler rampages against West Bank Palestinian villages

  • Major operation in Jenin refugee camp

  • Ban on programming in schools by bereaved Israeli and Palestinian families of Parents Circle-Families Forum

  • Attack on funding for Israeli Arab cities and educational programs in East Jerusalem

8 minutes ago, Yagoda said:

Yes.

8 minutes ago, Yagoda said:

Yes.

8 minutes ago, Yagoda said:

Yes.

Do you condemn these plans or support them?

4 minutes ago, JimCM said:

Do you condemn these plans or support them?

What plans? Some ones interpretation of something in a foreign language, being pushed on a Forum by a person who is the enemy of Israel and the Judeo Christian west?

Im sure you will find some of your philosophical ilk to chime in

16 minutes ago, JimCM said:

Do you condemn these plans or support them?

I support the plans.

9 minutes ago, Yagoda said:

What plans? Some ones interpretation of something in a foreign language, being pushed on a Forum by a person who is the enemy of Israel and the Judeo Christian west?

Can't you read?

I am Christian, what are you on?

14 minutes ago, TedG said:

I support the plans.

Well it is a pro Israel newspaper.

Do you realize you're supporting international crimes, like expanding the illegal settlements?

Laws are there for a reason.

9 minutes ago, JimCM said:

Laws are there for a reason.

The same laws that prohibit massacring civilians, taking hostages and raping them?

Got it.

As this topic is in violation of the following Forum Rule:

27. You will not post any copyrighted material except as fair use laws apply (as in the case of news articles). Only post a link, the headline and three sentences from the article. Content in the public domain is limited to the same restrictions.

//Closed//