URGENT REQUEST FOR A MEETING WITH THE PRO-DEMOCRACY PROTEST MOVEMENT DURING YOUR VISIT TO ISRAEL

Dear Rep. Jeffries and Members of the Delegation

Welcome to Israel.

We are concerned American citizens, many of us Israeli-born, with deep connections to Israel. We represent over 30 communities of Israeli and American Jews across the US. Each of us is strongly committed to Israeli democracy and has been supporting it especially over the recent turbulent eight months.

We are writing to you in regard to your current visit to Israel, which includes a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Mr. Netanyahu, as you know and as President Biden remarked on several occasions, launched an anti-democracy campaign and put in motion broadside legislation to strip away the power of the Israeli Supreme Court, cancel judicial review and turn Israel into a full illiberal or hollow democracy. What he has done and is doing is tantamount to a constitutional coup, not merely a “judicial overhaul”.

The coalition has recently passed the first law removing judicial oversight over government decisions, and your visit is happening shortly after Mr. Netanyahu has admitted in interviews to the American press that he is not committed to following Supreme Court rulings. Can you imagine an American President hinting that he/she will not abide by a SCOTUS decision?

At this critical time, please consider meeting with leaders of the Israeli pro-democracy movement. We would like you to get the full, unfiltered picture of what is transpiring.

Over the past 31 weeks, while Netanyahu’s extremist coalition has been moving rapidly ahead with a judicial overhaul and creeping annexation of the West Bank, hundreds of thousands of Israelis have taken to the streets on a weekly, sometimes daily, basis. The equivalent of half a million New Yorkers protesting week in and week out.They have been passionately and non-violently voicing their concerns and fears, as before their very eyes the country is quickly slipping away from its democratic vision. The movement comprises diverse members of Israeli society, from across the political spectrum.

We truly appreciate your dedication to understanding the complexities of the situation in Israel. Therefore, we ask that you also meet with representatives from the pro-democracy movement. As an elected representative and a valued friend of the State of Israel, it is essential that you lend an ear to these legitimate concerns and address them through meaningful dialogue and concrete actions. We know we can rely on your unwavering support for the democratic institutions that uphold justice and equality in Israel and the shared values at the foundations and core of the US-Israel relationship.

To show your unwavering support for the rule of law and for supporting Israeli democracy, we also ask you to consider co-sponsoring H.Con.Res.61 - Supporting Israeli Democracy. This resolution reaffirms the United States' commitment to a strong and thriving Israeli democracy, recognizes the importance of democratic institutions, and condemns any attempts to undermine them.

Thank you for your attention to this pressing matter. Sincerely,

UnXeptable - A grassroots movement to support Israeli democracy