In response to Israeli Minister of Justice Yariv Levin announcing sweeping changes that would undermine the independence of the judiciary, NIF’s CEO Daniel Sokatch released the following statement:
“A country that removes basic democratic checks and balances and eviscerates the independence of the judiciary can no longer seriously be referred to as a full democracy. If Israel’s new ruling coalition approves this legislation, it would strip power from the High Court of Justice, one of the few remaining institutions willing to protect human rights, individual freedoms, and democratic values. The international community, including the United States government, should see this move for what it is — a lurch towards autocracy, weakening Israel’s legal system and democracy, and paving the way towards an attempt to further marginalize the most vulnerable in Israel and under Israel’s control, including Palestinians, Arab citizens of Israel, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and migrants. The New Israel Fund, our grantees, and our supporters in Israel and around the world will keep working to defeat dangerous policies like these in the courts, in the Knesset, and in the public sphere.”