Peace Index - March 2023
Consequences of the Judicial Overhaul on the Conflict and on Minority Rights
- Even before the temporary postponement of the legislation promoted by the government regarding changes in the judicial system was announced, dramatic differences are evident in the way voters of the coalition arties and voters of the opposition parties perceive the consequences of these changes: a large majority of respondents among the coalition voters believe that the planned changes will aid in protecting IDF soldiers and their commanders when facing arrest abroad and prosecution before an international court. This also holds true for the security forces' freedom of action against terrorist attacks, for the IDF's ability to mobilize reserves and launch a military operation, and for the preservation of the social and political rights of minority groups in Israel. On the other hand, a majority among opposition voters believe that these changes will harm the security forces’ freedom of action, and a large majority believe that the proposed changes will harm the protection of soldiers from being prosecuted abroad, the ability to mobilize reserves and embark on a military operation, and the rights of minorities.
- When examining differences between Jewish and Arab respondents, some surprising findings emerge, eflecting the current distance that many Arab citizens feel towards the public debate about the overhaul. In esponses to most questions, at least 40% of the Arab respondents did not express an opinion, double the rate among Jews. In addition, while the Jewish public is divided in its opinion regarding the impact on the prosecution of soldiers abroad, a majority among the Arab public actually believes that these changes will help prevent this possibility. About half of the Jewish respondents believed that the planned changes would harm minority groups, including half of opinion holders who define themselves as "moderate right", compared to about a third who believed that this would aid minority groups.
