Department of Political Science organizes lecture on Israeli judicial reforms

The Department of Political Science at Birzeit University organized a public lecture titled “Transitions in the Israeli Political System” on Thursday, April 6, 2023, in collaboration with the Ibrahim Abu-Lughod Institute of International Studies.

The lecture was directed by Dr. Basem Ezbidi, director of the Democracy and Human Rights master’s program.

Dr. Hani Mousa, chairperson of the Department of Political Science, introduced the speakers: Khaldoun Barghouthi, journalist and researcher in Israeli affairs at the Palestine Research Center, and Walid Habbas, researcher at the Palestinian Forum for Israeli Studies.

Dr. Ezbidi maintained that this lecture aimed to explore the context of the judicial reforms and its implications on Israel’s governance system and international relations, highlighting the significance of understanding Israel’s political arena for Palestinians who are controlled by the colonial regime.

Barghouthi introduced former government coalitions and provided a background on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who, according to Barghouthi, is central to understanding the judicial overhaul. He explained, “Netanyahu is facing charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust. By undermining judicial independence, the Knesset will have the power to appoint judges to look into his corruption cases, ensuring that he avoids imprisonment.”

He also discussed the concerns of Western countries over the proposed judicial reforms, which attack the separation of powers and undermine democracy.

Habbas explored the historical context of the current conflict, tracing it to the cultural division of the Israeli society. He elaborated, “The current coalition government, led by Netanyahu, comprises Haredi and Mizrahi Jews as well as the Religious Zionist party. They are in conflict with the Ashkenazi elite, who control the army, economy and tech and perceive Israel as a Western, secular and modernist state.”

He added that the current populist coalition wants to grant the government unchecked power to limit the role of the Supreme Court, which is accused of being elitist.

The lecture was attended by students and faculty members, including Dr. Abderrahman Ibrahim, assistant professor at the Department Of Political Science, and Dr. Lourdes Habash, director of the Ibrahim Abu-Lughod Institute.