A7News: Justice officials warn court reform will 'end Israeli democracy'

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Monday, May. 13 '19, ח' באייר תשע"ט





HEADLINES:
1. JUSTICE OFFICIALS WARN COURT REFORM WILL 'END ISRAELI DEMOCRACY'
2. PRO-BDS IMAM WHO COMPARED ISRAEL TO NAZIS INVITED TO CONGRESS
3. ISRAELI MAN SERIOUSLY INJURED AT SITE OF EUROVISION CONTEST
4. HOT, DRY, WEATHER HITS ISRAEL
5. US-BOUND SAUDI OIL TANKERS 'HEAVILY DAMAGED' IN ATTACKS
6. IRANIAN COMMANDER: US FORCES MUST LEAVE THE REGION
7. RASHIDA TLAIB: WE PALESTINIANS PROVIDED SAFE HAVEN FOR JEWS
8. ROAD RAGE SHOOTING SPARKS PANIC AT KOSHER RESTAURANT IN FLORIDA


1. JUSTICE OFFICIALS WARN COURT REFORM WILL 'END ISRAELI DEMOCRACY'
by Arutz Sheva Staff

Senior justice officials on Monday excoriated plans to curtail the Israeli judiciary, warning that the judicial reform program proposed by the Likud would threaten Israel's democratic system of government.

"We're on the verge of losing democracy," the officials said, according to a report by Channel 13. "There is a clear link between the indictment of Netanyahu and his plan to crush the supreme court."

The senior officials went on to warn that if the Israeli judiciary is weakened, Israel would suffer a precipitous decline in global prestige.

"We'll become pariahs in the eyes of the world. Netanyahu is willing to destroy everything in order to avoid going to trial. Someone in the political system has to wake up, and fast."

The comments come following reports Monday morning carried by Haaretz and Israel Hayom regarding plans by the Likud regarding the continuation of the judicial reform efforts initiated by former Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked.

The plans for the next coalition, drawn up by Tourism Minister Yariv Levin (Likud) – who is widely expected to be tapped as the next Justice Minister – at Netanyahu's behest, include passage of a bill which would drastically limit the ability of the Supreme Court to strike down not only laws passed by the Knesset, but even administrative actions by the Israeli government, the cabinet, and the Knesset.

According to the reports, the bill would enable the Knesset to override a court decision stripping Netanyahu of his immunity, thus preventing him from being prosecuted while he remains in office.

In February, Attorney General Avichai Mandeblit announced that he had approved recommendations to indict Netanyahu on charges of breach of trust and fraud in connection with the Case 1000 and Case 2000 investigations, and would likely indict Netanyahu in the Case 4000 investigation on bribery charges – the most serious of the allegations against the Prime Minister – after a hearing with Netanyahu this summer.

The Likud responded to the reports Monday, as well as the comments by senior justice officials, saying that some of the claims regarding plans for the next government had been "sensationalized", without denying any specific details of the reports.

"In the course of coalition talks many proposals have been made by the Likud's coalition partners, particularly with regard to the Sabbath, and the balance of power between the legislature and the judiciary," the Likud party said in a statement.

"The sensationalized coverage in the media has included some proposals which haven't been discussed, as well as biased and misleading commentary aimed at blocking any attempt to restore balance between the democratically-elected legislature and the judiciary. The Likud will continue to defend the idea of having strong, independent courts, but that does not mean that the courts must be supreme."


2. PRO-BDS IMAM WHO COMPARED ISRAEL TO NAZIS INVITED TO CONGRESS
by Ron Kampeas, JTA

📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/263027

An imam who has wished for the end of Zionism, called for a third Intifada and likened Israel to Nazi-era Germany delivered the opening prayer for a session of the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday.

Omar Suleiman, the founder and president of the Dallas-based Yaqeen Institute, an organization that describes itself as a resource about Islam, referred to recent attacks on houses of worship — which has included synagogues in the United States — in his opening remarks.

"Let us not be deterred by the hatred that has claimed the lives of innocent worshippers across the world, but emboldened by the love that gathered them together to remember you and gathered us together to remember them," Suleiman said in a short prayer after being introduced by Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

Suleiman has a long record of incendiary social media statements about Israel, as compiled two years ago by Petra Marquardt-Bigman, a researcher, and posted on the Algeimeiner Jewish news site. He has on multiple occasions wished for a third Intifada, or uprising, likened Israeli troops to Nazis, and has wished for the end of Zionism, calling Zionists "the enemies of God." He is a backer of the boycott Israel movement.

Suleiman's congresswoman, Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas, invited him to deliver the prayer through a standard form on the web page of the Office of the Chaplain of the House, according to a congressional official.

Pelosi's office is looking into how and why Johnson invited Suleiman, an official told The Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y., who is Jewish, said in a statement that inviting Suleiman to deliver the opening prayer was a "terribly bad call."

Suleiman in 2016 was at the scene of an anti-police shooting, in which five policemen were slain. He delivered a prayer at a memorial service a week later appearing on a stage with Texas' two Republican senators, Ted Cruz and John Cornyn, then-President Barack Obama and former President George W. Bush.


3. ISRAELI MAN SERIOUSLY INJURED AT SITE OF EUROVISION CONTEST
by Yoni Kempinski

An Israeli man in his 60s was seriously injured Monday in an accident at the Tel Aviv Expo center, during preparations for the upcoming Eurovision song contest.

The incident occurred while the worker was helping to unload equipment at the expo center's parking lot.

A piece of lighting equipment fell on the worker while it was being unloaded, seriously injuring him. The worker was treated at the scene by MDA emergency first responders, before being evacuated to Ichilov Medical Center in Tel Aviv.

Police identified the injured man as a 66-year-old resident of the central Israeli town of Pardes Hannah.

The Eurovision is lasted to hold its first general dress rehearsal Monday night at 10:00 p.m., with the live semi-finals beginning Tuesday evening at 10:00 p.m. Seventeen nations will compete for a place in the May 18th finals.


4. HOT, DRY, WEATHER HITS ISRAEL
by Arutz Sheva Staff

Eurovision attendees may get a chance to experience a true Israeli summer, as forecasters predict Israel's temperatures to reach 29 degrees Celsius (84.2 degrees Fahrenheit) in Tel Aviv and 33 (91.4) in Jerusalem.

Monday will be clear, hot, and dry, with a rise in temperatures. During the afternoon hours, strong northern winds will blow along the coast. Monday night will be clear.

Tuesday will be clear with a slight rise in temperatures. The weather will be hot and dry, especially inland and in the mountainous regions. During the afternoon, strong northern winds will blow along the coast.

Wednesday will be mostly clear. Temperatures will remain above seasonal average and the weather will be hot and dry, especially inland and in the mountainous regions. Temperatures will drop slightly along the coast.

Thursday will be mostly clear and warmer than seasonal average. There will be a slight drop in temperatures in the mountainous regions.


5. US-BOUND SAUDI OIL TANKERS 'HEAVILY DAMAGED' IN ATTACKS
by Arutz Sheva Staff

Two Saudi oil tankers en route to the United States were attacked Sunday, a senior Saudi Arabian official said according to SPA.

Khalid al-Falih, the kingdom's minister of energy, industry, and mineral resources, said Monday that two Saudi oil tankers were hit Sunday in "a sabotage attack" off the United Arab Emirate's coast near the port city of Fujairah, causing "significant damage" to the ships.

No casualties were reported in the attacks, and no oil spills caused as a result of the damage to the two ships.

One of the ships hit in the sabotage attack, al-Falih said, was set to be loaded with crude oil at Ras Tanura, bound for the Saudi-owned Aramco company in the US.

"One of the two vessels was on its way to be loaded with Saudi crude oil from the port of Ras Tanura, to be delivered to Saudi Aramco's customers in the United States," al-Falih said. "Fortunately, the attack didn't lead to any casualties or oil spill; however, it caused significant damage to the structures of the two vessels."

The United Arab Emirates also complained of "sabotage operations" in the area, saying four shipping vessels were damaged.

Just hours before the Saudi ships were hit, Iranian and Lebanese outlets, including the pro-Iranian Lebanese TV channel Al-Mayadeen, published false reports claiming that explosions had been heard at the port of Fujairah, near the location of the sabotaged ships, AP reported.

The incidents come after the US issued a warning suggesting that Iran and its allies could target shipping in the region.

Last week, the US military deployed an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers to the Middle East in a move that US officials said was made to counter "clear indications" of threats from Iran to American forces in the region.


6. IRANIAN COMMANDER: US FORCES MUST LEAVE THE REGION
by Elad Benari

Iranian navy commander Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi on Sunday called on the US forces in the Persian Gulf to leave, Reuters reported, citing the ISNA news agency.

"The presence of the Americans in the Persian Gulf region has reached its end and they must leave the region," Khanzadi said.

In addition, a senior Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander said the US military presence in the Gulf used to be a serious threat but now represents a target.

"An aircraft carrier that has at least 40 to 50 planes on it and 6,000 forces gathered within it was a serious threat for us in the past but now it is a target and the threats have switched to opportunities," said Amirali Hajizadeh, head of the Guards' aerospace division, according to Reuters.

"If (the Americans) make a move, we will hit them in the head," he warned.

Last week, the US military deployed an aircraft carrier and B-52 bombers to the Middle East in a move that US officials said was made to counter "clear indications" of threats from Iran to American forces in the region.

The move has escalated the tensions between the US and Iran, which began to increase after President Donald Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers.

The US has since imposed two rounds of sanctions on Iran, the latest of which went into effect in early November. Those sanctions aim to reduce Iran's oil exports to zero in a bid to curb the Islamic Republic's missile program and regional influence.

In addition, Trump recently designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) as a foreign terrorist organization.

On Friday, the deputy leader of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps' political bureau stressed that Iran will not engage in talks with the US and added that the United States would never "dare" to attack the Islamic Republic.

"We will not negotiate. There will be no negotiations on any issue with the US and the US will not dare to attack Iran," said the senior leader, Yadollah Javani.

Later on Friday, a senior Iranian cleric warned that the US navy fleet deployed to the region could be "destroyed with one missile".

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo explained last week that the US deployments came in response to intelligence about potential Iranian attacks and aimed both to deter them and to be able to respond if necessary.

He later threatened a "swift and decisive" US response to any attack by Iran.



7. RASHIDA TLAIB: WE PALESTINIANS PROVIDED SAFE HAVEN FOR JEWS
by David Rosenberg

A Democratic lawmaker came under fire over the weekend, after she claimed that Palestinian Arabs living in the British Mandate prior to the establishment of the State of Israel "provided" a safe haven to Jews after the Holocaust.

Rashida Tlaib, a freshman Democrat representing Michigan in the US House of Representatives, said in an interview with Yahoo!'s Skullduggery podcast program Saturday that she felt pride in the fact that her "ancestors, Palestinians" provided Jews with a haven after the Holocaust.

"Let me tell you, I mean, for me, just two weeks ago or so, we celebrated, but just took a moment I think in our country to remember the Holocaust."

"There's always kind of a calming feeling when I think of the tragedy of the Holocaust," Tlaib said, "that it was my ancestors, Palestinians, who lost their land and some lost their lives, their livelihood, their human dignity, their existence, in many ways, has been wiped out … in the name of trying to create a safe haven for Jews, post-Holocaust, post-tragedy and the horrific persecution of Jews across the world at that time. And I love the fact that it was my ancestors that provided that in many ways."

During the 56-minute interview on Skullduggery, Tlaib lashed out at both Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and President Donald Trump, accusing Netanyahu of oppression and calling for Trump's impeachment.

"We can smell it from far away that, no, you don't want to look at my grandmother in the eye, Netanyahu, and say 'You are equal to me. You are as human as I am to you,'" Tlaib said of the recently reelected Israeli premier.

Regarding her support for a one-state solution, Tlaib said the Israeli government's policies had made a two-state solution non-viable.

"The Israeli government gave it up," Tlaib said of the two-state solution. "It's not me to decide. It's the will of the people. If Netanyahu got up tomorrow and said, 'You know what? I'm going to take down the walls, I'm not gonna expand settlements, enough is enough. I really want to push towards a two-state solution – he has every power, ever power to do that. And then people like myself and others would truly believe in that."

She also accused Netanyahu and the Israeli government of working to "segregate communities" in Judea and Samaria.

"When I think about one state, I think: Why can't we do it in a better way? I don't want people to do it in the name of Judaism just like I don't want people to use Islam in that way. It has to be done in a way of values around equality, around the fact that you shouldn't oppress others. So that you can feel free and safe. Why can't we all be free and safe together?"

Touching on domestic politics, Tlaib called for president Trump's impeachment, calling President Trump's "foreign and domestic" investments a "conflict of interest".

"This is the first President, all 44 before him, divested in their foreign and domestic investments...We have a corporation running our government right now…We set a precedent when we don't say to someone that this is conflict of interest, this is a corridor to power, this is the most powerful position in the world and you got an upgraded version of pay to play...This will not be the last CEO that runs for President of the United States and if we don't hold this President accountable to the rule of law, you say is that impeachable, obviously it is."

Earlier this month, Tlaib also sparked controversy when she commented on news coverage of rocket attacks by Gaza-based terrorist groups on Israel, calling the news stories "dehumanizing" to Palestinian Arabs, and writing the hashtag "Free Palestine".

When will the world stop dehumanizing our Palestinian people who just want to be free? Headlines like this & framing it in this way just feeds into the continued lack of responsibility on Israel who unjustly oppress & target Palestinian children and families," Tlaib tweeted, adding "#FreePalestine."

On Saturday, Tlaib retweeted a call for the "liberation" of Palestine.

"First Friday prayer this #Ramadan in #Palestine, mashAllah. Praying for your liberation, your freedom, and your protection— my people. Ameen Ameen."


8. ROAD RAGE SHOOTING SPARKS PANIC AT KOSHER RESTAURANT IN FLORIDA
by Arutz Sheva Staff

📹 To watch the video: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/263038

A shooting outside of Trump International Beach Resort in Florida near a kosher restaurant left diners in a panic, in what initial reports suggest is a road rage incident.

Early reports claimed shots were fired at the Mozart Café, a kosher establishment in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, north of Miami, Sunday, fueling speculation the incident was an attack on the local Jewish community.

But local news outlets later described the shooting as a "road rage" incident, which took place outside of a car rental business not far from the café.

Some customers dove under tables for cover during the shooting, while others ran out of the café in a panic.

The shooting reportedly took place outside of a nearby Alamo Rent-A-Car on Collins Avenue.

Three people are said to have been wounded in the shooting.

Police forces have been deployed to the scene of the incident, and two people are reportedly in custody, with a third possible suspect wanted by authorities.