Stop your judicial overhaul, prominent British Jews tell Bibi
Co-signatories of missive, sent to Israel's Prime Minister and President, include Lord Levy, Anthony Julius, Luciana Berger, Baroness Altman and Dame Vivian Duffield
A large group of Jewish luminaries from the worlds of politics, media and philanthropy have come together to urge Benjamin Netanyahu to abandon his plans for a judicial overhaul.
The 98 prominent figures within the UK Jewish community submitted an open letter to Israeli Prime Minister, which has also been shared with the country’s President Isaac Herzog.
In one of the most significant interventions from British Jews since the scheme was unveiled, signatories from across the political and philanthropical spheres, express their profound disquiet with not only the proposed judicial reforms but the unprecedented civil strife and protest which has subsquently unfolded.
The letter, as seen by Jewish News, reads as follows:
To: Prime Minister Netanyahu Copy to President Herzog
29 March 2023
As British Jews, and as supporters of a secure and democratic Israel, we express our profound concern and opposition to the judicial reforms in the form tabled by the present Government. We also express our deep concern over the needless and growing division in society that has been created by this process. We welcome the halt to the passing of this legislation announced on Monday 27 March and encourage those from all parties to use the coming days and weeks to find a
way forward so that those from all parties ensure that the appointment of judges remains free of political pressure and that judicial scrutiny is safeguarded for the benefit of all citizens of Israel, whether Jew, Arab, religious or secular.
Yours faithfully
Michael Aaronson
Rafi Addlestone
Baroness Altman CBE
Jeremy Amias
William Benjamin
Luciana Berger
Keith Black
Sir Victor Blank
Leon Blitz
Judge Laurence Brass
Andrew Brecher
Marc Cave
Sue Charles
Sir Trevor Chinn
Nicola Cobbold
Sir Ronald Cohen
David Cohen
Lord Collins PC
Sir Mick Davis
Anthony Diner
Sir Lloyd Dorfman
Dr Arabella Duffield
Dame Vivien Duffield DBE
Lord Dyson
Paul Faiman
Lord Stanley Fink
Lord Daniel Finkelstein
Allan Fisher
Ben Freeman
Roger Gherson
Harvey Goldsmith CBE
Jonathan Goldstein
Richard Goldstein
Alan Gourgey KC
Lord Grabiner KC
Lord Michael Grade
Jeffrey Gruder KC
Henry Grunwald OBE KC
Lord Richard Harrington
Maurice Helfgott
Lawrence Heller
Andrew Hochhauser KC
Alan Jacobs
Nigel Jacobs KC
Suzanne Jacobs
David Joseph KC
Denise Joseph
Daniel Jowell KC
Anthony Julius
Steven Kaye
David Kershaw
Dr Edward Kessler
Doug Krikler
Alan Lee
Edward Lee
Benjamin Leon
Nick Leslau
Lord Levy
Mr Daniel Levy
Julian Levy
James Libson
Richard Loftus
Jonathan Marks
Laura Marks OBE
Lord Mendelsohn
Richard Millett KC
Russel Mischon
Lord Parry Mitchell
Rabbi Baroness Julia Neuberger
Lord Neuberger
Leo Noé
Maurice Ostro OBE
Lord Pannick KC
Dan Patterson
Robert Perlman
Sue Prevezer KC
Lawrence Rabinowitz KC
Sir Malcolm Rifkind
Professor Sir Bernard Rix
Gerald Ronson CBE
Harvey Rosenblatt
Daniel Sandelson
Jeremy Sandelson
Clive Sheldon KC
Raymond Simonson
Jeremy Smilg
Ruth Smilg
Joe Smouha KC
Sir Harry Solomon
Sir Martin Sorrell
Derek Spitz, Barrister
Noam Tamir
Ruth Tamir
Barry Townsley CBE
David Turner
Lord Robert Winston
Anthony H. Yadgaroff
Peter Zinkin
Each of the above signatories signs in their own right and not on behalf of any organisation they represent or are associated with.
Jewish News has led condemnation of far-right elements of this government and their legislative plans since November. Writing in Jewish News two weeks ago, the chair of the JLC (Jewish Leadership Council) Keith Black said: “Israel’s democracy is in peril; nationalism, fundamentalism and racism are outpacing moderation and respect for minorities.”
Earlier, his predecessor Sir Mick Davis had also written in these pages, saying that having voted in the recent Israeli election as a new citizen, he urged the diaspora “not to self-censor when it comes to opposing the country’s far-right government.”
As Israel heads into Passover, the judicial overhaul has been put on hold until the Knesset returns from recess. Despite the u-turn by Prime Minister Netanyahu, he insists that they will be implemented one way or another in the near future.
Demonstrators have vowed to continue protesting.
For a full update on a week of chaos in Israel, click here.
- The letter was a joint initiative by Sir Mick Davis, David Joseph KC and
Richard Loftus.
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