President Isaac Herzog reviews IDF Honor Guard on Israel’s Independence Day (Photo: Tzipi Bini GPO)
Israel’s President Isaac Herzog once again warned that Israel is in danger as the country’s political debate is turning violent. On the divisiveness of the controversial judicial reforms proposed by the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Herzog said that Israel is facing a “state of emergency.” The comments came when the President spoke last week at an event held at the IDF’s national armored memorial at Latrun marking the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War.
Meanwhile, ant-government protestors took to the streets for the 39th consecutive Saturday night to protest the government’s policies.
“Half a century after the Yom Kippur War, Israeli society is divided and polarized, and the crisis that has accompanied us for nine months — is tearing us apart, directly harming society, the economy and security,” told the members of the public and military assembled at the memorial ceremony.
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And the President did not mince words.
“There is no denying that we are in a real internal state of emergency,” said President Isaac Herzog. “There is no denying that this is a time for soul searching, for learning lessons, for taking responsibility. We must all internalize the fact that our national resilience and the security of the nation are directly tied to the internal Israeli situation.”
In February, President Isaac Herzog took the unusual step of addressing the Israeli public on the issue that has caused massive demonstrations against the government over the past year. Military reservists, including air force pilots, have said publicly they would refuse to perform reserve duty if the judicial reforms are enacted.
The Presidency of Israel is largely a ceremonial role, but Isaac Herzog has been critical of Benjamin Netanyahu’s judicial reforms. He has also been trying to mediate some sort of compromise plan in an attempt to prevent the country from devolving into anarchy.
IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi also spoke at the event and said, “An argument that leaves behind it a polarizing divisive rift within Israeli society is dangerous.”
“Given the security challenges, it’s arrogant to allow this polarizing debate and to assume that the IDF is immune from the effects of destructive polarization is a dangerous concept,” he added.
But Halevi also slammed those who call for people to refuse to perform military reserved duties in protest over the government’s policies.
“Calling for the younger generation to refuse to enlist in combat service — that’s a dangerous conception. Calls by reservists to refuse to show up for missions harm security and the IDF,” said Halevi.
Massive protests have rocked Israel since January when Justice Minister Yariv Levin revealed the government’s plans to alter the nature of Israel’s judicial system. The government’s judicial reform plan would greatly curtail the power of Israel’s Supreme Court to nullify legislation passed by the Knesset and also limit the authority of Israel’s attorney general. The opposition charges this would harm Israel’s democracy, eroding foreign confidence in the country and hurting its economy. And this is why the country is now on the brink of what some are describing as the biggest societal clash in Israel’s history.
