Letters to Prime Minister Netanyahu: re: Court proceeding for Meir. Ettinger

bs"d

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: RANANAH {GOLDHAR} GEMEINER
Date: Mon, Feb 22, 2016 at 7:57 AM
Subject: Court proceeding for M. Ettinger
To: "mankals@pmo.gov.il" <mankals@pmo.gov.il>

To PM Netanyahu: 

 How can this be possible?  If the statement below is not accurate, please clarify! We are waiting with broken hearts.

Sincerely,

Renanah Gemeiner - co-founder of Mothers for Israeli MIAs

Rebbetzin Libby Kahane,  his grandmother, writes: The court proceedings are held behind closed doors; only one judge is shown the "evidence." Neither Ettinger nor his lawyer are told what the charges are and there is no way to argue in his defense. If the Shin Bet had even one iota of of evidence that Ettinger allegedly committed an illegal act they would have, and should have, charged him in open court."

mankals@pmo.gov.il  

BS"D

Dear Honorable Prime Minister of Israel Mr. Netanyahu Shalom,

I am writing today to protest a very undemocratic law called: Administrative Detention (also called: the Jewish Terrorist Law) which Israel has as part of its legal system.

This law, as will be described below, removes the word: Democracy from Israel. It is a shameful law that can be used against any Israeli, without evidence, without recourse and for no real positive purpose under the law.

The person accused of a crime using this law is arrested with only suspicion, without evidence, denied a lawyer. Denied due process as every Israeli is entitled to. He or She is then subjected to various forms of torture, until the person, out of their mind with pain confesses to things they never did. This "confession" is then considered legal evidence with which to prosecute the victim (there is really no other word for what he is). The victim of this law then has no recourse, for the process, and method of evidence gathering is completely legal under the law in Israel.

This shameful, anti-democratic law is used against Jews and Arabs alike. It is as if Israel is at a state of war against its own citizenry!

You may object that I include Arab citizens (or non-citizens or half citizens) in this plea.

However, the black eye this law gives to Israel for lazy police work, and the poor quality of evidence and the flimsy claims of criminal behavior alleged, if producing questionable cases against Jews, must certainly in this form, be producing questionable cases against Arabs as well. In fact one might go as far to say, that its outrageous use against Israeli citizens might well be termed: Political Agenda.

This medieval form of brute punishment without just cause, is disappointing to many of us supporters of Israel who view Israel as the last bastion of democracy in the turbulent Middle East. It's disappointing enough to hear anti-Israel protester's calling Israel a regime. 

Its worse to see aspects are actually truth.

One must ask: If one has evidence, why torture?

If one has no evidence, so let them find it, if any exists.

As for our Arab Chevra, you may argue: We need it for Arab terror, etc.

So there are two answers for this-

One is that Arab terror is a war crime. This should be dealt with as such, not as a civil crime.

Two is that Israel doesn't seem that concerned with Arab terror, first because Israel claims it made peace. If so, it can't be terror that Arabs are doing blowing themselves up and digging tunnels and firing missiles. Israel anyways seems to ignore all of these things claiming the perpetrators are enemies of peace. So if Israel is truly not concerned, why worry about Arab terror?

And if Israel is truly concerned, so end peace talks which bring more terror, and prosecute Arab terrorists under war-time laws under military law. End Camp David and stop the tunnels. End Oslo and end the land giving which is only used for missile launching against Israelis.

But to needlessly subject Israel's citizens to non-stop military law is unfair and immoral. 

There is not a country in the world that does this, save regimes, and Israel has no need to go that route, for doesn't it claim to be a democracy?

I would like to suggest that you personally support removing this anti-democratic law from Israel's law books. 

All the very best,

Name, address etc

(Print off and send to: 

Honorable Prime Minister of Israel

Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu

800 2nd Avenue 

New York, NY 10017