In what appears to many as being an absurd over-response, the Justice Ministry is formulating a new law containing hundreds of paragraphs, a law that will eliminate the outdated 1945 Emergency Laws to replace them with laws that in many ways mimic America’s actions following 9/11. What appears absurd if that even at the height of suicide bus bombings R”L, attacks that claimed hundreds of lives and left thousands wounded and maimed the government never sought to repeal the old law and replace it. However today, facing mounting price tag vandalism attacks, Justice Minister Tzipi Livni is working with Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein in doing just that.
The ministry seems determined to classify price tag vandalism as “terrorism” and the new law will result in a harsh new reality for one arrested on suspicion of such vandalism. Some of the regulations include holding a suspect for up to 30 days without charging him; during that time, the suspect will not be permitted to meet with an attorney; and increasing the maximum jail term to 40 years. The current maximum is 30 years.
Some of the other points appearing in the draft law include:
1. A suspect does not have to be brought before a judge until 96 hours following an arrest
2. Property belonging to a terror organization may be confiscated by authorities
3. An act of terror against a civilian is the same as an act of terror against a soldier
4. The same law will apply to terror organizations as well as to those funding and supporting them
5. Use of orders restricting one’s movement will be used; including house arrest and prohibiting one from leaving the country
6. Giving the ISA (Israel Security Agency – Shin Bet) broader authority so it can penetrate into computers of suspects
The draft law is very generous with its definition of “act of terror” or a “terrorist organization” to permit invoking the new law almost at will.
Any act motivated by a (1) political agenda, (2) religious agenda, (3) or ideological agenda may be classified an act of terrorism for as long as the act was (1)intended to instill fear in the public, (2) to prevent the government from doing something, (3) or to compel the government to act in a certain way.
The definition of such an ‘act’ includes endangering (1) life, (2) freedom, (3) national security, (4) public safety, or (5) an extreme attack against property, (6) infrastructure, (7) or significant financial loss.
The nation’s defense minister will be empowered to place restrictions on a citizen, including (1) house arrest, (2) limiting or prohibiting travel inside and outside of the country, (3) limiting or prohibiting contact with certain individuals and businesses.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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9 Responses
Stupid Leftists like Tzipi Livni don’t give a flip about the country or ISRAELI lives. Never did, never will.
No execution without trial. No permanent disappearances. Israel is really quite progressive.
Be real. If you want a country with civil rights and freedom of expression — avoid the middle east.
What if the “tag” has an artistic value? You can’t call graffiti art- terrorism. Just another excuse for a “democratic” government to act like a regime.
very important!!
They should try and concentrate on the real terrorism of the arabs throwing rocks, and firebombs etc. which they for the most part have not. Instead of getting all excited about some harmless citizens with spray paint cans. These individuals seem to be sorely lacking in intelligence.
The reason that they didn’t enact stricter terrorism laws during the height of the bus bombings is because these laws aren’t intended to be applied to arabs and therefore they weren’t needed when there was only an arab threat. Now that they are worried some Jews are finally getting fed up with the one absurdity of the situation they need to formulate new laws to keep them down. If these changes are passed just wait and see the percentage of Jews that get punished by the new rules vs how many arabs do.
It will still be prohibited to shoot somebody from Kfar Jihad who is throwing a stone at your head but suddenly any kid with peos and an over-sized kippah who just happens to be holding a spraypaint can will be a “terrorist.”
“…holding a suspect for up to 30 days without charging him; during that time, the suspect will not be permitted to meet with an attorney”
Is Israel really what they call the only democracy in the Middle East? Does not sound that way to me!!!
When someone votes s/he is performing an “act motivated by a (1) political agenda, (2) religious agenda, (3) or ideological agenda” in order to “compel the government to act in a certain way”.
Livni move to one of the Arab villages where your supporters live.