HRW: Israel is on ‘rampage’ against human rights

Israel’s government is “on
a rampage” against human rights, the new head of Human Rights
Watch has said and urged the United States and other
allies to do more to hold it accountable for alleged abuses and
persuade it to change course.

A planned overhaul of the judiciary by Israel’s
religious-nationalist government would be “a disaster” for human
rights, HRW Executive Director Tirana Hassan said on Thursday.

She called on Washington to follow through after it issued a
rare reproach over the move.

“With the current state of the Israeli government and the
attacks on the judiciary in particular, we see that this is not
a human rights-compliant government,” Hassan said.

“This is a government that’s actually on a rampage against
human rights domestically against its own people in Israel…”

Hassan, a lawyer who has represented asylum seekers, said she hoped US President Joe Biden’s administration would “leverage their relationship and their power to ensure that Israel sort of steps back from the brink which is where they are now when it comes to human rights”.

“We expect the US … to be holding Israel to account for abuses with the same rigour that they are prepared to hold China to account for their abuses,” she added.

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Israel accuses HRW of bias

The chief spokesperson for Israel’s Foreign Ministry, Lior Haiat, said: “This is an amazing example of how biased she and the organization are.”

“Israel is a strong and vibrant democracy. The demonstrators over the last few months are an impressive example of it. Hundreds of thousands of people are manifesting in the streets. No violence. Protected by the police. This is how a real democracy works.”

“It is yet another example of an organisation that targets Israel on anything, without a minimum understanding or fairness. So sad.”

The government’s plan to enable parliament to override
Supreme Court decisions and control judicial appointments has
triggered some of the biggest street protests in Israeli
history, with critics calling the move a threat to democracy.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his supporters say the
plans would ensure a proper balance between the elected
government and the judiciary and not endanger individual and
minority rights.

Earlier this week, Netanyahu paused legislative steps to
implement the plan and has begun talks with the political
opposition on a compromise.

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Israeli parties hold talks on judicial reforms amid mass protests