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Israel Bill to Empower Defense Minister | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Border Police officers search the streets of Tel Aviv following the shooting attack (Reuters)


Tel Aviv- An Israeli government-sponsored bill that would expand the defense minister’s powers to restrict the freedom of citizens (Jonathan Lis, October 27) represents another step in an uninhibited campaign whose goal is to deal a death blow to human rights and the separation of powers.

The bill would also nearly eliminate the judiciary’s ability to guarantee an appropriate balance between security needs and human rights. Instead, it would grant unlimited powers to the defense minister, who is concerned solely with the interests of the security services.

It seems the government has made up its mind to remove from its path not only its political opponents, but also the restraints of the rule of law, and with them the principles of justice, fairness and human dignity.

Analysts believe that the bill directly targets activists and Arab political movements located in Israel, in addition to leftist movements inside Israel.

The bill would grant the defense minister the authority to detain individuals without trial or to issue restraining order with minimal judicial oversight, and even that sometimes only after the fact. The minister would have the authority to exclude an individual from working in a certain trade or profession, from entering or leaving defined locales, from leaving the country or having contact with certain people.

The bill would also nearly eliminate the judiciary’s ability to guarantee an appropriate balance between security needs and human rights. Instead, it would grant unlimited powers to the defense minister, who is concerned solely with the interests of the security services.

The Netanyahu government wants no legal limits on its actions, and it has no qualms about seeking to blatantly erase the checks and balances that are the foundation for any enlightened system of government.