Part Six- Civil liberty and Internal and External Security

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Eliminating Police Violence:

The police is a necessary body for the safety of citizens. At the same time, Zehut condemns police violence and views it as an unacceptable phenomenon. Some of the negative behaviors that Zehut identifies among police officers: lack of basic courtesy, harassment of passersby in searches without reasonable suspicion, and unnecessary and violent confrontations with civilians, which end too often in the filing of a complaint of assaulting a police officer against the civilian.

 

In light of this, Zehut believes that the relationship between the police and civilians should be rehabilitated, and as a first step it will transfer the authority to appoint the police chief to the community. In such a reality, the police chief will feel that he serves the community in which he operates and the citizens will give him the trust he deserves, accordingly.

 

Canceling the Biometric Database:

The Israeli biometric database is a computerized database of biometric data such as fingerprints and facial features. The State of Israel has adopted the database on the grounds that it can eradicate the phenomenon of forged identity cards. However, beyond the existence of alternative technological solutions to combat this phenomenon, the existence of the biometric database presents a much more serious danger to the citizens of Israel than the phenomenon of forgery.

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This database seriously threatens the privacy and liberty of Israeli citizens. First, it is likely that at some point the database will be breached and the most private information of the citizens will be available to anyone who wants it (as happened recently with the biometric database in India). But even assuming that the database is not breached, Zehut views the state's control of the biometric data of its citizens very seriously. In fact, this is another way for the state to increase its power and reduce the citizen's freedom. If the State of Israel wants to be a state of liberty, it must respect the privacy of its citizens.

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Therefore, Zehut will immediately revoke the biometric law, and in particular the biometric database, and restore the citizen's privacy and freedom.

 

Cessation of the Pursuit of Cannabis Consumers:

Zehut  believes that there is no justification for treating hundreds of thousands of cannabis consumers as criminals. Cannabis is no more addictive than other legal substances that harm no one. In addition to the many resources that the police invest in order to enforce the policy of incriminating cannabis consumers, which amounts to hundreds of millions of shekels annually to the citizens of Israel, Zehut deplores the reality in which the Israel Police has the ability to threaten to open a criminal case against such a large number of civilians who do not harm others.

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Zehut seeks to create a legal infrastructure for cannabis consumption and trade (similar to restrictions on alcohol trade), which will be updated from time to time according to lessons learned from experience. The main points are:

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• The use of cannabis and its components, non-commercial cultivation, maintenance or purchase shall be permitted by law.

• The youngest age for cannabis purchase will be 21 years.

• The sale of cannabis and its components in places of entertainment will be prohibited.

• A business that wishes to sell cannabis or its components will need a suitable business license.

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Termination of Administrative Detentions:

Zehut opposes police use of administrative detention, which is a corrupting force that enables the state to circumvent legal mechanisms and deny the citizen's freedom, and to hold him in prison for long periods of time without evidence or trial. This is a serious violation of the detainees' rights.

 

The state must recognize the state of war to which it is subjected and separate the cases accordingly. Criminals will be tried in the criminal justice system and will be brought to justice, while maintaining their right to a fair trial. On the other hand, enemies of the state will be held as criminals of war or otherwise restricted according to the circumstances. They will not be charged, judged or acquire criminal status unless they violate the laws of war.

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Nonviolent Civil Disobedience:

In the rest of the world's democratic states, nonviolent civil disobedience is seen as a legitimate and important tool for preserving democracy. Israel, however, has developed a policy of aggressive resistance by the regime to any form of protest without distinguishing between violent protest and nonviolent protest. Zehut demands a policy that distinguishes between the two kinds of checks and instructs the police not to resort to violence when it comes to nonviolent resistance.

 

 

Carrying Arms:

In the rest of the world's democratic states, nonviolent civil disobedience is seen as a legitimate and important tool for preserving democracy. Israel, however, has developed a policy of aggressive resistance by the regime to any form of protest, without distinguishing between violent protest and nonviolent protest.

 

Zehut demands a policy that distinguishes between the two kinds of protests and instructs the police not to resort to violence when it comes to nonviolent resistance.

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Israel's Security and Diplomatic Plan

 

Israel's Security Concept:

Since the Oslo Accords, there has been a transformation of the value system of the IDF and of all the security forces in Israel. From the concept of ‘decisive victory’ aimed at creating a formidable deterrence against the enemy that would prevent future attacks on Israel, the IDF adopted the concept of ‘containment’. This concept leads to 'rounds of fighting' every few years, a constant threat of missiles and tunnels and a nuclear threat - a reality that is accepted as given. Victory is no longer in the IDF’s conceptual world, because the society that sent it to fight no longer believes in the justice of its existence and in its right to defeat its enemies.

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Zehut intends to bring about a change in values ​​that will restore the IDF to its original pre- Oslo mentality. The following are mostly practical expressions of this conceptual change.

 

Transition to Professional Volunteer Army:

The technological changes and fluctuations that have taken place in the security situation in Israel in recent decades require a change in the IDF recruitment model. Today the IDF needs a smaller, more quality force that has undergone prolonged training. In the current situation, many of the IDF recruits are not really needed.

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Zehut’s vision is to shorten the compulsory service that applies to everyone to basic training only. After the basic training period, anyone interested in continuing to serve in the professional army will be able to apply, and from among the candidates, the army will choose those who it really needs. The recruits will be paid an honorable salary derived from the average wage in the economy. They will receive the most advanced training and equipment, an academic education, gain high social status by virtue of their contribution to the security of the state, and will enjoy good conditions.

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Zehut will advance this process gradually and in coordination with security officials.

 

The Iranian threat

Israel's policy regarding Iran's nuclear weapons is disastrous. Indeed, the main problem lies not in the potential for the weapons to harm Israel but in the process of de-legitimization and the loss of the justness of Israel's existence in the eyes of the world - in the wake of Israel's lack of response to those calling for its destruction.

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The State of Israel must use technological means to eliminate the enemy's leaders and thereby create real deterrence. This is according to the Jewish principle: "He who comes to kill you, kill him first ."

 

Ending American Aid:

Zehut does not see American aid to the State of Israel as a cardinal guarantee of its security, never to be relinquished. The price of this "gift" is too high. In terms of security, receiving aid creates Israeli dependence on America, which then receives legitimacy to intervene in Israeli security matters. A foreign element that regularly interferes in Israel's decisions and prevents the freedom of military action is a serious blow to Israel's security.

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From the economic point of view, too, American aid is a losing proposition for Israel. Behind the restrictions on the export of Israeli arms, the United States recognizes the great potential of the Israeli defense industry. Israel's dependence on American weapons prevents it from investing in its own development, which is capable of competing with the American military industry.

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Therefore, Zehut will cancel the receipt of American aid.

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Next: Part 7: Zehut's Peace Plan

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