Last night, for the 17th week, about 140,000 pro-democracy demonstrators returned to Kaplan Street in central Tel Aviv.
The event opened with a screening of a video message from Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in favor of Israeli democracy and against the legal changes proposed by the Israeli government.
Sánchez sent the message in response to requests from Tomer Reznik, the head of the Meretz party, and Colette Avital, a former member of the Knesset.
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In the video message, Sanchez made it clear that he was speaking not as the Prime Minister of Spain but as the president and head of the Socialist International, a global organization of social democratic, socialist, and labor parties. He emphasized that the Socialist International stands in solidarity with the people of Israel, fighting to preserve their democracy and the rule of law.
Sanchez expressed his concern about the proposed legal changes, which he believes would undermine the separation of powers and weaken the independence of the judiciary. He stressed that these changes would have serious consequences for Israeli democracy and the country’s standing in the international community.
Sanchez’s message was well-received by Israeli protesters opposed to the legal changes. They see his support as a sign that the international community is standing with them in their fight for democracy and the rule of law.
דבריו של ראש ממשלת ספרד שמוקרנים כעת בהפגנה בקפלן, ת”א pic.twitter.com/iE1O6354Sq
— Yosef Yisrael (@yosefyisrael25) April 29, 2023
The video message also sparked a debate in Israel about the international community’s role in Israeli politics. Some commentators criticized Sanchez for interfering in Israeli affairs, while others argued that the support of global leaders is crucial in defending democracy and human rights worldwide.
“You are demonstrating values that cannot be taken for granted and should be cherished every day. We stand with you in the fight for democracy.”
The Socialist International, of which Pedro Sanchez is the president and head, is a global organization that brings together social democratic, socialist, and workers’ parties from around the world. The organization comprises of 132 political parties and organizations, including Meretz in Israel and Fatah in Palestine.
In March, the organization expressed its concern about the legal reforms being promoted by the new Israeli government, which it believed would weaken the judicial power, divide Israeli society, and inspire hundreds of thousands of Israelis to mobilize against it.
In a statement, the Socialist International warned that if accepted, the new laws would harm human rights and cause significant politicization. The organization emphasized that these laws would further undermine the democratic principle of the separation of powers, remove all checks and balances, and give absolute power to the executive branch. This, in turn, would leave the citizens of Israel defenseless against the authorities and especially harm women and minorities.
The organization sent a message of solidarity to the hundreds of thousands of Israelis who are protesting against the move, irrespective of their religion, gender, or age. The organization’s message has been welcomed by Israeli protesters who believe that the support of international leaders is crucial in defending democracy and human rights in Israel.
The statement by the Socialist International has sparked a debate in Israel about the role of international organizations in Israeli politics. While some believe that such organizations should not interfere in Israeli affairs, others argue that the international community’s support is necessary to protect democracy and human rights.
The reserves in the ultimatum to Netanyahu: “May 20 is the target when we will understand if there is any progress in the talks”
700 reservists from the special operations unit who are protesting against the legal reform have sent a letter to Prime Minister Netanyahu demanding broad agreements and setting a target date of May 20th for negotiations. The letter was prompted by statements from Likud members indicating that if negotiations fail, the reform will be passed unilaterally. The reservists called this approach “mafia methods” and warned of the consequences of such action. They also warned that if the legislation is passed unilaterally, the reserve system will collapse, and active personnel will start breaking contracts. The reservists defined May 20th as when they will assess if there is any real progress in the talks. They clarified that they would not volunteer to serve in a dictatorship.
Who is Pedro Sanchez?
Pedro Sanchez is a highly influential figure in the European Union and the Socialist International. He is set to become the President of the European Union in the second half of 2023 and will also be visiting the White House to hold talks with President Biden as the official representative of the EU.
Sanchez’s recent video message to Israeli protesters has also garnered significant attention in Spain, with the media covering his speech extensively. Many Spaniards view Sanchez as a champion of democracy and are proud of his support for Israeli democracy.
As the leader of the leftist Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party, Sanchez has been a vocal supporter of immigrants and has pushed for welfare policies that benefit all citizens. He has also worked to strengthen labor unions and called for separating religion from the education system.
Sanchez is seen as a model of new and young politics in Spain and has been a driving force behind constitutional reforms that aim to ensure that the separatist region of Catalonia remains within the domain of Spain. His progressive policies and support for democracy have earned him significant support among young people in Spain and across the European Union.
Pedro Sánchez is an atheist and a socialist who promotes progressive policies that benefit all citizens. In his government, he has established a female majority for the first time, with 11 out of 18 seats held by women.
One of his key priorities is to resolve the conflict with the region of Catalonia through reconciliation and negotiation. He is also committed to helping distressed immigrants, pushing for the absorption of African migrants stranded in the middle of the sea.
Sánchez was born into a wealthy family in Madrid and studied at leading institutions in the Spanish capital. He played basketball in the league until age 21, and in the early nineties, as an economics student, he joined the Spanish Workers’ Party. Over the years, he rose through the party ranks, eventually becoming its leader in mid-July 2014.
In the April 2019 general elections, Sánchez led the Workers’ Party to its first national victory since 2008 but could not form a coalition government. In subsequent elections, he won the most votes again and formed a minority coalition government with a populist leftist party in January 2020.
Sánchez’s progressive policies and commitment to social justice have earned him a significant following in Spain and the European Union. His leadership style, which emphasizes dialogue and negotiation, has also been praised by many.
