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| The Angel of Death beside a dead ‘snake’ |
It is perhaps a fitting comment on Israel’s justice system that it has far-right zealot Ayelet Shaked as its ‘Justice’ Minister. She wants to tear up even the most minimal protection for Palestinians in the Israeli state. She has waged a long-standing war against the ‘pro-Arab’ bias of Israel’s Supreme Court i.e. it occasionally finds for Palestinians when the law doesn’t allow it to do otherwise. [see Ayelet Shaked Plans to ‘Rein In’ Israel Supreme Court , Forward 17.5.15]
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| Shaked and the leader of the religious settler party, Naftali Bennett Jewish Home |
This is one of the myths of Israel, that the Courts are ‘biased’ against Zionism. It is a long-standing prejudice of all settler societies when their court system has to pay at least nodding tribute to the principles of justice. Unlike previous occupants of the post, Shaked has no legal qualifications. Even the Nazis’ Ministers of Justice used to have law degrees but Netanyahu deems that if the only qualification necessary to be Justice Minister is to be a 100% bigot, why insist on a law degree?
Tony Greenstein
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| “I visited my son in jail. I saw marks from electric shocks on both his arms, they were visible from behind the glass. I asked him if it was from electric shocks… |
Israeli’s
extremist Justice Minister, Ayelet Shaked, has shocked even her most ardent
supporters by proposing a new criminal law that will allow minors under the age
of 14 to be imprisoned.
extremist Justice Minister, Ayelet Shaked, has shocked even her most ardent
supporters by proposing a new criminal law that will allow minors under the age
of 14 to be imprisoned.
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| Shaked in the Knesset |
Shaked
is aggressively pursuing the change in law as prosecutors attempt to charge a
13-year-old Palestinian boy with attempted murder for allegedly stabbing two
Jewish Israelis.
is aggressively pursuing the change in law as prosecutors attempt to charge a
13-year-old Palestinian boy with attempted murder for allegedly stabbing two
Jewish Israelis.
Current
law dictates that minors can only be charged at age 12 and can only be
sent to prison at age 14.
law dictates that minors can only be charged at age 12 and can only be
sent to prison at age 14.
Ahmed
Manasra and his 15-year-old cousin allegedly stabbed a man in a
neighborhood in northeastern Jerusalem, before stabbing a second
victim, a 13-year-old Jewish boy.
Manasra and his 15-year-old cousin allegedly stabbed a man in a
neighborhood in northeastern Jerusalem, before stabbing a second
victim, a 13-year-old Jewish boy.
If
Mansara is found guilty before turning 14 years old, the judge will not be
able to sentence him to prison, according to Israeli law. The
judge can intern him in a youth facility, but only until age 20.
Mansara is found guilty before turning 14 years old, the judge will not be
able to sentence him to prison, according to Israeli law. The
judge can intern him in a youth facility, but only until age 20.
Shaked
would like to amend the law quickly to ensure Manasra receives jail
time if convicted.
would like to amend the law quickly to ensure Manasra receives jail
time if convicted.
Short
of that, the prosecution could try to extend the trial
against him until January when he turns 14, the Jerusalem Post
reports.
of that, the prosecution could try to extend the trial
against him until January when he turns 14, the Jerusalem Post
reports.
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| A Palestinian child being brutally detained by Israeli occupation forces |
Shaked’s
spokesman was unsure that the amendment would happen fast enough to apply
to Manasra, but hoped that changing the law would solve the issue
for future cases, according to the Post.
spokesman was unsure that the amendment would happen fast enough to apply
to Manasra, but hoped that changing the law would solve the issue
for future cases, according to the Post.
A
Justice Ministry spokeswoman said a request had been received from Shaked
to move forward on the issue and they are in the early stages
of exploring the legal implications of such a change.
Justice Ministry spokeswoman said a request had been received from Shaked
to move forward on the issue and they are in the early stages
of exploring the legal implications of such a change.
After
the attack, Manasra’s cousin was killed by police, while Manasra was hit
by a car and injured as he fled.
the attack, Manasra’s cousin was killed by police, while Manasra was hit
by a car and injured as he fled.
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| The Red Cross refuses to call on Israel to release Palestinian children held by army |
The
stabbings were a part of the latest wave of clashes in the
Palestinian-Israeli conflict which has killed dozens and injured more
in the past month.
stabbings were a part of the latest wave of clashes in the
Palestinian-Israeli conflict which has killed dozens and injured more
in the past month.
Shaked
has earned a controversial reputation for inflammatory statements
about Palestinians. Last summer, she posted to Facebook a quote
from a late Israeli activist. It described the entire Palestinian people as
“the enemy,” called youths who become “martyrs” while attacking Israelis
“snakes” and said their mothers should “go to hell” with them.
has earned a controversial reputation for inflammatory statements
about Palestinians. Last summer, she posted to Facebook a quote
from a late Israeli activist. It described the entire Palestinian people as
“the enemy,” called youths who become “martyrs” while attacking Israelis
“snakes” and said their mothers should “go to hell” with them.
Some
criticized the post as a call for genocide of the Palestinian
people.
criticized the post as a call for genocide of the Palestinian
people.
It
was not her first controversial comment about Palestinians. When asked
during a 2012 Israeli television interview if she hoped her husband – an
Israeli air force pilot – “would be pounding the Arabs hard with bombs”
when he flew, she laughed and then replied “Yes.
was not her first controversial comment about Palestinians. When asked
during a 2012 Israeli television interview if she hoped her husband – an
Israeli air force pilot – “would be pounding the Arabs hard with bombs”
when he flew, she laughed and then replied “Yes.
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