A party for all citizens

There are tentative indications that the massive public outcry against the Israeli government's plans to emasculate Israeli democracy is affecting Prime Minister Netanyahu's decision. He appears to be starting to backtrack on some planned legislation, and recent statements clearly indicate Netanyahu's fears of a possible loss of power. He is beginning to look more and more like Caesar, Caesar, or as his supporters call him, the King of Israel in his last days. This is certainly a positive development because, following in the footsteps of some of its heroes and role models such as Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, Viktor Orban and Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the proposed legislation and the mock alliance agreements he signed, the full power and strength is in his hands. Israel will cease to be a democracy.

The success of the popular uprising against the so-called judicial reforms cannot be considered complete if Israel simply returns to the status quo ante before the last elections. Israel was not a true democracy before the formation of this government and it began to dismantle the basic lines of democracy - the independence of the judiciary, the separation of powers, checks and balances on government powers, the ability of the legislature to oversee the government, freedom of the press, protection of minority rights, freedom of expression, freedom of association, and most importantly - Equality for all citizens. Prior to the formation of our current government, Israel had only two independent branches of government - the executive branch and the judicial branch. The legislative branch of Israel's government has long ceased to be independent, and unlike the US Congress, the Israeli Knesset has no real ability to oversee the work of the executive branch. When Israeli ministers are summoned to appear before a Knesset committee, the Knesset has no legal power to compel the minister to appear. Often, the minister will send a low-level employee of the ministry's staff. There is no legal obligation to take an oath to tell the truth at a Knesset committee hearing. The chances of a member of the Israeli opposition passing legislation are close to zero without government support due to near-total discipline in the coalition/party.

But more important than all of the above, the Israel of the so-called democratic Jewish state was in fact, as Knesset Member Ahmed Tibi well defined it: Israel is democratic for the Jews and Jewish for the Arabs. There was no true equality between the Jewish and Arab citizens of the State of Israel and no law guaranteeing equality for all Israelis. The struggle for Israel's democracy should not end with a freeze or repeal of all proposed legislation. Moreover, Israel will never be a true democracy as long as it continues to rule millions of Palestinians who are denied their most basic human and civil rights.

Israel's declaration of "independence", which many people in the protest movements refer to, can certainly be seen as a declaration of intentions and values by the country's founders. That document clearly stated that they believed the Jewish people deserved to have a Jewish nation-state. But they also made very clear statements about the democratic nature of the state. The statement stated: "The State of Israel will focus on developing the state for the benefit of all its inhabitants. It will be founded on the foundations of freedom, justice and peace in light of the vision of the prophets of Israel. Maintaining full equality in social and political rights for all its citizens without discrimination in religion, race and gender; ensuring freedom of religion, conscience and language." Education and culture Protecting the holy places of all religions Being faithful to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations The State of Israel will be ready to cooperate with the institutions and representatives of the United Nations in implementing the General Assembly resolution of November 29, 1947 and will work to consolidate the economic unity of the entire Land of Israel ". Much of this lofty statement remains only on paper. The reality of Israel over the past 75 years is very different.

This is why over the past six months several hundred people have worked for the creation of a new political party in Israel called All Its Citizens - cut out of the Declaration of Independence. The party states in its founding document: "A political response is required to the deep tensions between Israeli Jews and Arabs. This must be a substantive partnership with a civil, constitutional and egalitarian basis - a political party 'all its citizens'."

We believe that only such a foundation can put an end to the reality of inequality and the resulting Jewish national superiority... Together we will make Israel a democratic state that belongs to all its citizens and all its communities, a healthy and prosperous society that respects every individual and every community... Commitment By enacting a civil and democratic constitution that preserves the rights of every citizen and the rights of every society, regardless of religion, race, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, or any other difference.

We are committed to an uncompromising fight against violence and against all those who seek to deny or eliminate the rights and freedoms of the other.

The new party has not yet decided on which solution it deems best for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but has said: "An uncompromising commitment to an end to the occupation, a lasting peace, and a just political settlement that both national parties can agree upon. Peace arrangements will be based on human rights, on full equality." For every person and every community between the Jordan and the sea..."

As one of the founding members of the party, I can say that we seek to unite the forces of true democracy in Israel and make sure that when we next go to the polls, whenever that be, those who support the above principles will have one list which will be formed as a union or coalition of Like-minded political parties. The list will be equal in its constitution between Palestinian citizens of Israel and Jewish citizens of Israel as well as gender balance in a way that reflects our true values. We do not seek division. We seek unification. Those who support these ideas and principles must work hard to ensure that the current mass protest movement for democracy never ceases to guarantee genuine democracy.