Limor Wolf
23rd November 2011, 22:45
40 opposition members of the Israeli Knesset initiated a debate requiring the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to come and hear the allegations leveled against him.
The discussion was opened by Chairman of Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee the knesset ,Shaul Mofaz,who sharply criticized: "the horror world of George Orwell comes to life under your regime. A forced pentration of the legislative power of the dark elements of oppression is creating a horror vision that never been seen in these parts of the world before.1984 is here.this is terrible."
Mofaz added that "Netanyahu's thought police, which make ignorance to its driving force ,which perpetuates war and move away from peace, which perpetuates the slavery as a misinterpretation of freedom, that buy views with money,that bribe Sympathetic coverage and silence with threats and legislation - This thought police should end its historical path as other dark regimes have finished their days elsewhere."
http://images.nana10.co.il/upload/mediastock/img/16/0/102/102325.jpg
This discussion took place against the new defamation Prohibition law - a bill that would drastically increase the penalty for libel, government has proposed a bill that would hike the penalty for civil libel from NIS 50,000 (around 9,900 Euros) to six times that figure, media reports said. The fine is reportedly even higher if the publication refuses to print the full response of the plaintiff, another requirement of the new legislation.
The International Press Institute (IPI) is concerned that the penalty increase, combined with the fact that the burden of proof lies with the defendant, could chill investigative reporting in Israel.
“We urge the Israeli parliament to revise the Defamation Prohibition Law, which we fear would stifle free expression in Israel – where, until now, Israeli journalists have enjoyed a level of press freedom above and beyond that of most of their colleagues in the region,” said IPI Executive Director Alison Bethel McKenzie. “While media houses must be held accountable for their reporting, a penalty increase of this dimension for libel could discourage media from holding public figures accountable, which is their core duty.”
“Should the new amendment be passed, heaven forbid, there would be even less willingness by journalists, and even more reluctance from their employers, to expose crimes or failures of public figures and thus undertake the risk of being served with libel suits,” Negbi wrote. “Via this legislation, politicians and their friends basically acquire total immunity from criticism and condemnation.”
MK Zehava gal-on called on Netanyahu and said that he "manages a campaign to eliminate democracy in Israel."
"you are a leader of a coalition that not only does not have any respect for the minority but moreover,go and hunt it."
The discussion was opened by Chairman of Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee the knesset ,Shaul Mofaz,who sharply criticized: "the horror world of George Orwell comes to life under your regime. A forced pentration of the legislative power of the dark elements of oppression is creating a horror vision that never been seen in these parts of the world before.1984 is here.this is terrible."
Mofaz added that "Netanyahu's thought police, which make ignorance to its driving force ,which perpetuates war and move away from peace, which perpetuates the slavery as a misinterpretation of freedom, that buy views with money,that bribe Sympathetic coverage and silence with threats and legislation - This thought police should end its historical path as other dark regimes have finished their days elsewhere."
http://images.nana10.co.il/upload/mediastock/img/16/0/102/102325.jpg
This discussion took place against the new defamation Prohibition law - a bill that would drastically increase the penalty for libel, government has proposed a bill that would hike the penalty for civil libel from NIS 50,000 (around 9,900 Euros) to six times that figure, media reports said. The fine is reportedly even higher if the publication refuses to print the full response of the plaintiff, another requirement of the new legislation.
The International Press Institute (IPI) is concerned that the penalty increase, combined with the fact that the burden of proof lies with the defendant, could chill investigative reporting in Israel.
“We urge the Israeli parliament to revise the Defamation Prohibition Law, which we fear would stifle free expression in Israel – where, until now, Israeli journalists have enjoyed a level of press freedom above and beyond that of most of their colleagues in the region,” said IPI Executive Director Alison Bethel McKenzie. “While media houses must be held accountable for their reporting, a penalty increase of this dimension for libel could discourage media from holding public figures accountable, which is their core duty.”
“Should the new amendment be passed, heaven forbid, there would be even less willingness by journalists, and even more reluctance from their employers, to expose crimes or failures of public figures and thus undertake the risk of being served with libel suits,” Negbi wrote. “Via this legislation, politicians and their friends basically acquire total immunity from criticism and condemnation.”
MK Zehava gal-on called on Netanyahu and said that he "manages a campaign to eliminate democracy in Israel."
"you are a leader of a coalition that not only does not have any respect for the minority but moreover,go and hunt it."