Livni: PM trying to weaken courts, media, NGOs

Kadima leader decries "mass of legislation breaking balance of democracy" Danon: Likud promoting values it was chosen for.

By JPOST.COM STAFF, LAHAV HARKOV
Livni in Knesset 311 (photo credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)
Livni in Knesset 311
(photo credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)
Opposition leader Tzipi Livni on Monday accused Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu of supporting legislation to weaken the courts, the media and non-governmental organizations in order to limit challenges to his power.
"There is an intentional plan to damage those factors which serve as the checks and balances, and critics of the government," Livni stated.
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The opposition leader was speaking at an emergency Knesset meeting about the spate of what critics call "anti-democratic" legislation the government has introduced entitled the "Conference to Save Democracy," initiated by Kadima MK Yoel Hasson.
"Israel is a Jewish democratic state – I’m sick of people saying we have to pick one," Livni stated. "The Jewish values of the State of Israel are part of the democratic values. Equality is not a democratic add-on, it is a Jewish value as well."
"I do not believe we have to speak about each specific bill. There is a critical mass of legislation that is breaking the balance of democracy," the opposition leader said.
Livni warned that Israel was becoming "extremist and overly nationalistic."
"The task of this conference is to put a mirror in front of our faces and see that the picture is no longer so complimentary," Livni said.
Likud MK Danny Danon responded to Livni stating that "Kadima wants to castrate the Likud and prevent it from promoting the values it was chosen for."
"Legislating laws at the nerve center of the Israeli society is democratic and if we stop legislating it would be a sin against democracy," Danon stated.