(by Massimo Lomonaco)
While protests against Benjamin Netanyahu’s judicial reforms intensify in Israel, Germany is warning the prime minister of the dangers of a weakening of democracy. Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on the “day of resistance” against the law of the right-wing government with marches, clashes, demonstrations and arrests throughout the Jewish state that Berlin “as a good friend of Israel” observes “carefully and I do not deny, also much concern” about the Judicial reform that has divided the country.”Our hope – he stressed – is that Israel remains a liberal democracy. A democracy provides security not only for the majority, but also for minorities. We’ll see – he told Netanyahu during the joint press conference – how things develop.” “We are a liberal democracy and we will remain so,” replied Bibi, who had arrived in Berlin on his third European leg after Paris and Rome. “Israeli democracy is strong and vibrant, and we will not budge an inch.” Then he insisted: “I can only counter the allegations by showing the opposite in practice. We will strengthen human rights, women’s rights and the LGBTQ+ community.” The fact is that Israel experienced another hectic day: demonstrations followed one another from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, from Haifa to other cities. But also clashes – especially in Tel Aviv – and not only with the police. Protesters claimed they were pepper sprayed in two instances by people over roadblocks. Episodes denounced by the opposition, who accused the government of “inciting” the protesters. According to media reports, there were 21 arrests nationwide. And new protests are already being announced, starting with next Saturday evening in Tel Aviv, which has now become the epicenter of the wave of opposition to the controversial law. The confrontation appears to be continuing: Netanyahu (and the entire right-wing majority) has rejected the mediation proposal with President Isaac Herzog’s “Platform of the People” out of concern about the “precipice” of a possible “civil war”. where Israel is. The Prime Minister reiterated that Herzog’s was “a great opportunity that was missed. Not only was it not a platform for the people, it wasn’t even a platform for half the people.” Instead, the president’s mediation was accepted by the entire opposition: Yair Lapid described it as “an honest compromise”. The other centrist leader warned that “if Netanyahu’s coup goes through, Israel will cease to be a democracy.” The tug-of-war is still ongoing, and the situation is compounded by tensions in the West Bank, where four Palestinians were killed in an army operation in Jenin in search of armed jihadi militias.
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