There is danger of straining the Israel-Diaspora relationship

North American lawyers address the new government

On November 30, JPLAN, a network of Jewish lawyers, judges and legal scholars from North America (the Jewish Pluralism Legal Action Network, which works to strengthen Israel’s identity as a Jewish and democratic state in a manner that fully expresses freedom of religion and equality as promised in Israel’s Declaration of Independence) addressed the leaders of the parties currently working to form the new government.

Uri Regev 30/11/2022 01:00

Tags: JPLAN ·  advocacy ·  coalition ·  Supreme Court

Legal Advocacy

They expressed their concern and hope that the establishment of the new government would not be accompanied by damage to the judicial system in Israel and would safeguard its authority and independence.

Below is the statement, which speaks for itself.

JPLAN intends to closely follow developments on this issue in Israel and will actively recruit legal scholars in Israel and abroad, in addition to cooperating with other Jewish institutions, to prevent such damage. Aside from the serious consequences to individual liberties and democracy in Israel, there is a danger that damage to the judicial system could increase the tension and strain the relationship and partnership between Israel and Diaspora Jewry.

The JPLAN Statement

To the leaders of the parties working to form the new government of the State of Israel:

We are Jewish North American lawyers, judges, and legal scholars. As North American Jews, we write to you as Zionists and stakeholders in the future of the State of Israel as a vibrant home for the Jewish people worldwide. As lawyers, judges and legal scholars, we write to you with deep respect for the foundational principles of the State of Israel as a democracy built upon the rule of law. Though we hold differing political and religious views, we stand united in our support for the State of Israel, its strength and well-being, and its bonds with world Jewry.

We trust that the new government will continue to respect fundamental principles of democracy enshrined in Israel’s Declaration of Independence and Basic Laws.

The results of the November 1, 2022 elections portend a significant shift in the policies and priorities of the new government. That is to be expected in a robust democracy. Even as politics shifts, in order to avoid any potential crisis of trust and support among the North American Jewish communities, we trust that the new government will continue to respect fundamental principles of democracy enshrined in Israel’s Declaration of Independence and Basic Laws.

Specifically, we trust that the new government will:

• Continue to ensure the complete equality of social and political rights to all, irrespective of religion, race or sex, as guaranteed in Paragraph 13 of the Declaration of Independence.
• Safeguard the independence and authority of the judiciary to declare acts of Knesset inconsistent with the Basic Laws, so that the Basic Laws of Israel remain the supreme, constitutional, law of the land.
• Ensure that the process for appointing Supreme Court justices continues to minimize partisanship, by continuing the use of a Nomination Committee that draws upon representatives of the Court itself, the government, the Knesset and the Israeli Bar.