Knesset going after traitors
For once, the Knesset is actually working. Too bad they go on vacation at the end of next week for the next three months (until mid-October).
Two important bills are making their way through the Knesset. One, which has gotten a lot of publicity, would require a super-majority in the Knesset and a referendum for Israel to give away land that is part of the State of Israel. It would mean that the government could not give away any part of Jerusalem or the Golan Heights without the super-majority and the referendum (unfortunately, Judea and Samaria have never been made an official part of the State of Israel).
The other bill would deal with traitors like the 'academics' who travel around the world sullying our reputation and encouraging BDS (boycott, divest, sanctions) against Israel. Evelyn Gordon (no relation to the subject of the previous link) explains.
The boycott bill, which will now proceed to committee, would make Israelis who “instigate,” “encourage,” or “assist” boycotts against Israel or Israeli institutions subject to fines of up to NIS 30,000 even if no damage is proved, and more if damage is proved. Foreigners or foreign entities that do the same could be barred from the country and denied the right to use Israeli banks, land, or stocks. The bill would also allow boycott damages to be deducted from Israel’s remittances to the Palestinian Authority should the latter continue promoting anti-Israel boycotts.Faster, faster.
The bill, co-sponsored by 27 MKs from seven parties, is modeled on America’s anti-boycott laws. Ironically, those laws were passed in the 1970s in response to the Arab boycott of Israel. But at that time, Israel saw no need to imitate them: what Israeli then would have promoted a boycott of his own country?
It is a sad comment that today such a law is necessary, as Israelis are at the forefront of the anti-Israel boycott movement. Nevertheless, it’s encouraging that mainstream Israel is finally fighting back: if enacted, boycott promoters would finally be forced to weigh the acclaim and lucrative awards their behavior wins from like-minded peers abroad against a real price.
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 6:49 AM
4 Comments:
The question is will both bills become law before this session ends or will they be postponed until October?
Faster, faster, faster!
Don't you think this is a rather dangerous restriction on the freedom of expression? What other political opinions will be banned next? Could be a slippery slope, no? Are we to remain a free, open and democratic society confident enough to stand up for what we believe without resorting to banning people from criticising government policy or will we descend into authoritarianism, intolerance and intellectual vacuity, afraid even to debate and listen, regardless of how antagonistic the opposing view is? Surely societies only stagnate once they can no longer enjoy the cut and thrust of open and honest debate?
Don't you think this is a rather dangerous restriction on the freedom of expression? What other political opinions will be banned next? Could be a slippery slope, no? Are we to remain a free, open and democratic society confident enough to stand up for what we believe without resorting to banning people from criticising government policy or will we descend into authoritarianism, intolerance and intellectual vacuity, afraid even to debate and listen, regardless of how antagonistic the opposing view is? Surely societies only stagnate once they can no longer enjoy the cut and thrust of open and honest debate?
i'm confused about why encouraging boycotts, divestments, and sanctions against israel is "freedom of expression", but encouraging it against the palestinians or iran is "illegal collective punishment."
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