Government of Israel
To carry out a "judicial reform",
Aimed at breaking
The power of the Supreme Court,
Are getting enormous attention
Around the world.
The President of The United States
expressed deep concern for
The future of Israeli democracy.
So did the President of France
And the Chancellor of Germany
And the British Prime Minister
And even the European Parliament
In its plenary session.
That’s actually a bit strange.
The relationship between
The Executive Branch
And the Judicial Branch
Is clearly an internal matter
Of the State of Israel.
Usually, sovereign states
Do not interfere
In the internal affairs
Of other states.
But in this case
There is good reason
For an unusual
Diplomatic conduct.
Immediately upon its creation,
Israel was accepted
Into a prestigious club called
"The Western Democracies".
Israel remained a respected
Member of the club
Even after 1967,
When it established
An occupation rule over
Millions of Palestinians,
Which has no resemblance
To democracy.
The Western countries say
That the occupation is
A regrettable
But temporary situation,
To be resolved by
The Two-State Solution.
Even when the occupation
Has been going on
For 55 years,
The Western countries
Persist in waiting for
The Two-State Solution.
Even if long delayed,
Come it will!
And meanwhile, Israel
Is still a democratic country.
(Americans like to say
"A Vibrant Democracy".)
With democratic Israel
It is possible to trade
And supply it with submarines
And advanced fighter jets
And impose on its behalf
A veto in the UN
And defend it before
The International Court
In The Hague.
But for all that to happen,
Israel - at least, the Israel
Which is inside
The Green Line -
Must remain democratic.
And in recent months
This is starting to be
Cast in doubt.
In effect, the Western countries
Are asking and begging
The Government of Israel:
"Please don't take away
Our alibi!
Please, allow us to
Continue supporting you!"
A very simple
And reasonable request.
But apparently,
The Government of Israel
Is about to
Reject it.
