Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
At the request of the Socialist and Democratic parties, the European Parliament decided to hold a discussion with the Department of External Action on the deterioration of democracy in Israel and the consequences for the occupied territories. A statement issued in Brussels by the Socialists and Democrats political bloc, which is the second largest bloc in the supreme legislative institution in the European Union, said that democracy and the rule of law in Israel are in danger. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right government are pushing for controversial judicial reform that would weaken the judiciary, undermine the rule of law, and deteriorate democracy in Israel.
The Cluster Vice President for Foreign Affairs, Pedro Marquez, said:
Hundreds of thousands of people are demonstrating inside and outside Israel against Netanyahu's judicial reform. Their protest is our protest.
“This reform would erode the independence of Israel’s Supreme Court by giving the ruling coalition control over the appointment of judges, and the power to veto Supreme Court decisions with a simple majority of 61 out of 120 votes in the Knesset. A weak Supreme Court could also be used to create more settlements. We oppose We strongly welcome that the European Parliament, at our request, has formally expressed its concerns and disagreements.
To make matters worse, since Netanyahu's far-right government came to power, we have observed a dangerous escalation of violence between Palestinians and Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank. We are witnessing an occupation that turns dramatically into an annexation of settlement lands. We voted against it."
The statement quoted the rapporteur of the Palestine file and a member of the European Parliament, Evin Enser, as saying:
In the largest demonstrations in Israel's history, more than half a million citizens took to the streets to protest against the far-right government. Israeli democracy is at stake and the international community has a duty to act in defense of the people.
Judicial reform and illiberal government policies are being imposed on the Israeli and Palestinian people alike. It is used as a tool for expanding settlements and annexing the West Bank. For years, the European Union has called for an end to the demolition of EU-funded structures and projects in Israel, as well as compensation for damages. For decades, the European Union has demanded an end to the expansion of illegal settlements in Palestine.
The EU must now listen to the hundreds of thousands of demonstrators in the streets of Israel. We can no longer allow business as usual."