Livni says “Democracy is “is a system of values meant to exist harmoniously with my perception of Judaism, which fosters equality, for example, as a Jewish and democratic value.” What a circular argument. She wants the state to be Jewish-democratic” what ever that is. But Levin is right when he says “Livni’s objection is a denial of the fundamentals of Zionism and it reflects [her] misguided path.”
By Gideon Allon and Israel Hayom Staff
Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, who serves as chairwoman of the Knesset’s Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, announced Wednesday that she would oppose a bill promoted by Likud and Habayit Hayehudi Knesset members that seeks to cement Israel’s Jewish character by law.
The bill, presented in late June by Coalition Chairman Yariv Levin (Likud) and MK Ayelet Shaked (Habayit Hayehudi), aims to solidify Israel’s identity as Jewish first and democratic second, as part of the country’s Basic Laws.
The proposal states that Israel is the historical homeland of the Jewish people and that as such, the right to national self-determination in Israel is reserved solely for Jews. The bill further reaffirms the democratic nature of Israel’s government and stresses that Israel will continue to uphold the rights of all its citizens, regardless of their religion.
“I will promote the introduction to Israel’s Jewish-democratic constitution, but I will oppose any legislation that upsets that balance,” Livni wrote on her Facebook page.
“Some laws sound good but their results will be bad, just as some dishes spoil if you upset the proper balance between their ingredients.
“Who among us would not like to preserve Israel’s Jewish character? That is what Zionism is all about and that is also why I am striving to promote two national states — to preserve Israel’s [Jewish] character. This is why we need a constitution and this is why the Law of Return must be its first article in it. This is also why I will oppose any proposal that upsets the moral balance between Israel’s values as a Jewish and democratic state.
“There is more to democracy than just a system of government. As I said, I will oppose any legislation that upsets the proper balance of things, but I will promote Israel’s Jewish-democratic constitution. And it should be Jewish hyphen democratic.”
In response, Levin said, “This bill means to anchor the principles that serve as the foundation of the State of Israel. Minister Livni’s objection is a denial of the fundamentals of Zionism and it reflects [her] misguided path.”
“This is a vital bill, especially in light of the High Court’s post-Zionist rulings. It will ensure that Israel will be a Jewish country with a democratic government, and not just another democracy like all others,” he told Channel 10.
Yesh Atid also announced Wednesday that it would oppose the bill, endorsing instead legislation presented by party MK Ruth Calderon, which seeks to embed the Declaration of Independence as the Basic Law.
Calderon’s bill would also cement Israel’s Jewish character by law, but unlike Levin and Shaked’s proposed legislation, Calderon said her the concept of a Jewish state does not refer to Judaism as a religion, but rather as a nationality and culture.
Israel’s Basic Laws serve in lieu of a constitution and are meant to deal with key issues on the formation and role of principal state institutions, and the relations between various state authorities.
Censored secret files – The West knew where Eichmann was – now German court does not want you to see the evidence. – German court blocks release of secret files on Nazi Holocaust mastermind Adolf Eichmann which would reveal how western spies knew where he fled after the war – http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2350554/German-court-blocks-release-secret-files-Nazi-Holocaust-mastermind-Adolf-Eichmann-reveal-western-spies-knew-fled-war.html
VIDEO- squirrel battles snake. http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/06/26/caught-on-video-squirrel-vs-snake-in-backyard-brawl/
Snakes eat squirrels for lunch, and this one was one big snake, but the squirrel must have been protecting her young ones because she was full of courage. It was a long battle and they were eventually separated by firefighters.
Newsflash from Canada – Police confiscating guns from citizens during flood crisis in Alberta. http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/alberta/Hell+Residents+angry+RCMP+sieze+guns+from+High+River+homes/8588851/story.html – The liberals instituted gun registration, and although the present conservative govt cancelled it, the lists of gun owners are still out there. This is what those against gun registration in the US are warning you about. Govt won’t let a crisis go to waste and will use to disarm the population. http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/06/28/high-river-residents-furious-after-rcmp-seize-substantial-number-of-firearms-from-evacuated-homes/ It must be noted that the federal conservatives are against this confiscation.
MK Feiglin: “The problem is not the Arabs or world opinion. The entire problem is here, in am Yisrael. The legal authorities in Israel have all the legal tools necessary to completely reject the petitions against the residents of Amona. This rejection would comply with international law, as well.” Moshe Feiglin writing about the upcoming expulsion of Jews from Amona by Israeli authorities. He also gives a summary of the historical and legal background on the issue of land ownership. http://www.jewishpress.com/indepth/columns/moshe-feiglin/amona-and-the-lie-of-private-land/2013/06/27/0/
Feiglin is pointing out the obvious. While the US exerts pressure on Israel, there are too many instances when Israeli authorities implement anti-Jewish policies motivated by their own ideology and ultimate aims for Isrrael – not by pressure. Pro-government writers often to blame the US and the Arabs for everything.
QUESTION – It just crossed my mind, as I recalled my talkback #5 here, with Bibi’s and Tzipi’s eagerness to partition the land to give it to Arab Nazis … If the Germans had to pay reparations to the Jews for what they did during the war – why is it that Israel is giving land to Hitler’s accomplices, the Arab Nazis? Hitler’s co-mastermind of the Final Solution was the Mufti of Jerusalem. There are pictures of them together discussing the most effective methods for wiping out the Jews. It’s a story no one wants to talk about, in addition to the fact that today the “Palestinians” thoroughly embrace the Nazi ideology, mostly for what the Nazis did to the Jews. You can see pictures of Gazan militias marching and giving the Heil H. salute. It’s chilling. But not to your pro-partition authorities.
So, I repeat, why did the Germans have to pay reparations, but the Arab Nazis “deserve a state” on Jewish land in the words of Israel’s Prime Minister?
@ yamit82:
PICTURES – The real Angry Birds – http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2349911/The-claws-A-tiny-owl-angry-woodpecker-clash-food-young-dramatic-battle-birds.html
Awesome pictures of a National Geographic photo contest – http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2347731/National-Geographic-Travelers-Photo-Contest-The-awesome-diversity-Earth.html
XLucid Said:
Most Jews our sages teach remained in Egypt and refused to be liberated. Most Jews stayed in Babylonia. European Jews refused to go home and were destroyed. Jews either sing on the the divine program or they will pay a terrible price.
The Hebrews in Egypt were not exactly Jews. When in Egypt they even ceased the custom of circumcision. Then there is the fact the G-d placed them in Egypt in the first place. At Sinai the Hebrews were given the Torah but as yet, they have not fully received it.
As for Jewish values keeping the Jews Jewish? Not sure which had a greater impact on keeping the Jews… Jews : Jewish Values or antisemitism?
Canadian Otter Said:
We don’t read the headlines or watch and listen to the news. Weather is nice, in fact I think pretty mild for June and my evenings in the Negev are quite cold.
Vacation season is upon us and Israels are planning their vacations. Tel Aviv celebrates “White Nights”
HAVE YOU NOTICED the absolutely SURREAL nature of today’s Israel – in a world gone crazy? Just look at the headlines on this site’s home page: Justice Min. Livni opposes the Jewish nature of Israel. (Hmmm… what did the word Israel stand for, for thousands of years, if not the Jewish people’s homeland? Would she rename Israel into something more neutral? Like West of the West Bank or WWB?) ~~~ PM Netanyahu eager to give away the ancient heartland to Arab Nazis (after Jews escaped almost complete annihilation at the hands of German Nazis allied with Arab Nazis – why his confusion?) ~~~ Another headline, Bibi has capitulated. ~~~ Yet another one, Bibi’s peace partners have erased Israel from the map. ~~~ Meanwhile your peace mediator, the USA, “keeps joining the forces of Jihad”. The whole thing is absolutely nuts! How do you manage from day to day?
Whether we like it or not, the Jewish character of Israel was established, confirmed and legally ratified.
After the crossing of the desert, the Jewish People was granted the Land of Israel for the sole and unique purpose: to observe Jewish laws and legislation, and live in a Jewish way, otherwise, they would have stayed in Egypt until today.
In the dark times of exile and oppression, it was the Jewish values which gave the Jewish People a sense of identity, and helped them survive among the nations as a united people.
After 2000 years of exile, the Nations confirmed and legally ratified the historical relationship existing between the Jewish People and the Land of Israel, and they granted the Land to the Jewish People in order to establish their National Home, in other words, no more and no less, their State.
The National Home was intended to be Jewish, for Jewish People, and the condition upon which the right granted to Israel to live in its Land was founded and based upon the direct connection with its Jewish identity and character.
Today, the identity that characterized the Jewish People has been diluted and the connection with its Jewish vocation has been broken.
Objecting to such law proves once again how politicians in Israel lost sight of their fundamental existential values: the raison d’être of the Jewish People in the Land of Israel.
Like I wrote there is an absence of consensus on Israel’s core culture and national values. In Israel’s Post-Zionist environment, entrenching Israel’s Jewish identity in Israel’s Basic Laws was always an uphill task at best. With Tzipi Livni’s opposition, the prospects of that happening now are dead on arrival.
Tzippi Livni’s full first name is Tzipporah צִפּוֹרָה derived from Tzippor צִפּוֹר meaning bird – and she is a bird brain. Just goes to show the power of the Hebrew name.
Look! A whole flock of Tzipis!!!
(There’s a pun there)