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Almost daily, Knesset members introduce new repressive bills, including the Law of Citizenship's Loyalty Oath amendment, requiring non-Jews to pledge it to "the State of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state." Otherwise, their citizenship and residency rights may be revoked. Perhaps also their freedom.
Dozens of other repressive laws have been tabled. Many more are coming, measures real democracies won't tolerate. Avery said MKs have been "act(ing) like sharks in a feeding frenzy," competing "to see who can devise the most racist bill."
It's not a uniquely Israeli phenomenon. It's surfacing across Europe and in America, its recent election sending a legion of extremist bigots to Congress, joining many others already there from both parties.
Avery "always worried that (Israeli) democracy was hanging by a thin thread, that we must be on our guard every hour, every minute." As in America, it's now "facing an unprecedented test." Failing it leaves the door open to fascism.
Again, like in America, the choice is "peace or eternal war" and accompanying repression. Peace requires equal rights for non-Jewish citizens and Palestinians, notions Israel won't countenance. As a result, Avery worries that "For the second time in my life, I may have to witness the collapse of a republic." Only an aroused public can stop it.
In a November 9 Haaretz op-ed, Haifa University Professor Daniel Gutwein headlined, "Israel needs a Leftist revolution to stop the fascism," saying:
"A social revolution on the left is the necessary condition to stop (what's) seep(ing) into the halls of government..."
The Loyalty Oath, repressive occupation, and denial of non-Jewish citizens equal rights are most evident, but also much more. Eroding social benefits and growing privatizations for example. Combined they show "the transformation of fascism from scattered, isolated 'weeds' to an official policy."
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