24 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY APRIL 20-26, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com In the Balance As Israel’s government pushes an anti-democratic agenda, there is also real hope for change. By Shimrit Braun Kamin FORUM Israel is facing one of its most significant challenges since its establishment. Benjamin Netanyahu’s government is pushing an extremist, ethnonationalist, anti-democratic agenda that would undermine judicial independence, strip rights from Palestinians and target members of the LGBTQ+ community. From my perspective as an Israeli, lifelong peace activist, and New Israel Fund representative, this is a critical moment in Israel’s short history. The plan to overhaul the judiciary and limit individual rights has sparked a profound civil awakening amongst Israelis, with hundreds of thousands taking to the streets across more than 100 cities. Weekly protests in Tel Aviv draw upwards of 200,000 people every Saturday. That’s 2 percent of the population; if a similar protest were to take place in the U.S., 7 million people would be protesting every week. While the public pressure forced the government to press pause on legislation that would remove major checks and balances, the fight for democracy is far from over. The government is poised to resume the legislative blitz as soon as the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, returns to session on April 30. Amid these challenging times, there is also hope. The unprecedented momentum of the protest movement in Israel has brought together diverse groups: high-tech workers, academics, military reservists, women’s organizations, human rights advocates, and groups that operate on the premise that the only future for Israel is one that is shared between Jews and Arabs. The reason that so much of this has been possible is Israel’s vibrant and active civil society, which the New Israel Fund has funded and helped organize for more than 40 years. The activists and organizations have responded quickly and brought communities together that usually have nothing to do with each other. These groups share something powerful in common: they are all threatened by the government’s actions. These protests offer a rare moment in which a majority of Israelis, alongside growing numbers of Jewish people around the world, are joining forces to fight for Israeli democracy. I’m also active with the Bay Area’s UnXeptable organizers; seeing so many Israelis in California coming out on Sundays to join local protests is incredible. Just like Israelis living in Israel, many participants have never been active like this before. And they are joined by local rabbis, community leaders and members of the American Jewish community. As we observe Israel’s 75th Independence Day, we must remember its Declaration of Independence ensures “complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex.” We cannot let this government erode these basic principles. The powerful civil awakening gives me hope that this is an opportunity to build a better, just and democratic Israel for all. Shimrit Braun Kamin is associate director of the New Israel Fund in the Bay Area, part of the UnXeptable organizing group, and a native Israeli. She speaks at 3-5pm Sunday, April 23 at Congregation Beth Israel, 5716 Carmel Valley Road, Carmel. Learn more at nif.org. OPINION A majority are joining forces to fight for democracy. BEST SUMMER EVER! THE CITY OF MONTEREY FOR MORE INFO + REGISTRATION MONTEREY.ORG/REC OVERNIGHT CAMP DAY CAMPS TODDLER CAMPS SPORTS CAMPS AND MORE! REGISTER NOW SCAN ME!
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