Pro-democracy demonstrations in Israel

By Corinne Spector, January 2023

In the past weeks, there have been mass protests as many citizens fear for the democratic character of the State of Israel. Every weekend, people have taken to the streets, in the cold and sometimes rain, under very crowded conditions, to protest potential harm to the resilience and independence of the Israeli Judicial system. This time the protests are not a matter of right- or left-wing politics, or of supporting one party or another. The proposals of the newly-elected government call for constitutional changes that some feel will undermine the democratic and egalitarian character of the State.

As was written in the Israeli Declaration of Independence in May 1948:
"The State of Israel will be based on freedom, justice and peace as envisaged by the prophets of Israel. It will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants, irrespective of religion, race or gender. It will guarantee freedom of religion, conscience, language, education and culture."

Democracy is not simply rule by the majority --through the principle of Separation of Powers, democracy attempts to ensure the protection of minority rights, in Israel mainly via the judiciary. Here there is no constitution and there are no two Houses of Representatives. The result is therefore that the judiciary is the sole gatekeeper against tyranny by the majority, and follows the Basic Laws enacted during the state's 75 years, as in the Declaration above.

Citizens, who now feel that the regime is threatening democracy by challenging rulings of the Supreme Court, are going out en masse to demonstrate in the streets. Demonstrations are intended to be peaceful; many people even bring their children along, and some even attend in their wheelchairs. Nevertheless, they feel that this a struggle for the very substance and character of the State of Israel.

Says the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Yair Lapid: “What you see here is a demonstration in favor of this country. People who love this nation have come here in order to protect it, to protect Democracy and to save its Judiciary”.

Said another demonstrator: “I’m not willing to have my children grow up in a country that is no longer a Democracy. My father was killed in the Yom Kippur war – and not for what’s going on here now”.

David Grossman, a well-regarded author says: “Israel is in a fateful fight for its very character, its democratic nature, human rights, freedom for art and creative people, and for freedom for public broadcasting.

I am very sad about the political situation. I feel that we are going backwards a hundred years