Senior diplomat Alon Ushpiz, who recently resigned as director-general of the foreign ministry, has warned that the government’s controversial judicial reform could seriously affect Israel’s international standing and expose it to charges in international courts. Can make you sensitive.
“Israel and its foreign relations require an independent and strong legal system,” Ushpiz said in an interview with the Haaretz daily published on Thursday. “We have a clear strategic interest in it.”
Ushpiz, who resigned in January, is a career diplomat of 30 years. He served as head of the ministry for the past two and a half years under ministers Gabi Ashkenazi and Yair Lapid, who were replaced by Likud’s Eli Cohen.
Ushpiz said Israel has long been able to avoid widespread condemnation from international courts because it was able to point to an independent judiciary that would investigate any reports of abuse.
“Our ability to advance and protect Israel’s core interests depends to a large extent on that. These are also issues that are certainly related to our security.
This was especially true in defending Israel Defense Force soldiers from charges of war crimes related to the conflict with the Palestinians.
“The State of Israel, and its various governments, expect State employees to protect in the best possible way a platoon commander or company commander sent to carry out a mission. To be prepared, they need to know that people like me will do everything possible to protect them from threatening legal situations, and will have the best tools to do so,” Ushpiz said.
Ushpiz also cited the example of the West Bank security barrier, which nearly two decades ago – officially to keep Palestinian suicide bombers out of the West Bank – provoked widespread international criticism and scrutiny from international courts.
A section of the Israeli security barrier between Modi Elit, the Jewish settlement, on the outskirts of the West Bank village of Bilin, near Ramallah, June 23, 2011. (AP Photo/Ariel Shalit)
“The fact that the opinion of the International Court of Justice practically did not affect our relations with the international community stems from the fact that the High Court examined the path of the obstruction and made all kinds of decisions,” Ushpiz said. .
“Even the government of Israel – and it was not a leftist government – changed course to comply with the standard [set by the court.] Since then we hear nothing about it and till today we have a barrier that protects lives and there has been no public or international discussion on it with the international community.
Ushpiz’s criticism joins those of other former officials who have warned that the proposed judicial overhaul would undermine Israel’s democracy and harm its economy and security.
Reforms being pushed through the Knesset in recent weeks include giving the government complete control over the appointment of judges, including to the High Court, but eliminating the High Court’s ability to review legislation and to strike And allowing politicians is involved. To appoint and remove its own legal advisors.
The plans have sparked massive weekly protests in major cities, warnings from academics, economists, legal professionals and tech entrepreneurs inside and outside Israel, and sharp criticism from the opposition.
