Slippery Slope

A new report by the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) concludes that people and organizations with economic means use libel (SLAPP) suits to silence criticism. Attorney Avner Pinchuk, the report’s author, claims that “the primary effect of these law suits is not legal but public: a silencing of criticism leveled against the plaintiff, and harming of those who interfere with his affairs. (ACRI)

(Hebrew – Haaretz)

The Annual Report of the Judicial Ombudsman, former High Court Justice Eliezer Goldberg, shows that in 2012 there was a rise in the number of justified complaints against judges, even though the total number of complaints has gone down. Most of the complaints are about Rabbinical and Family Courts. The report also points to many cases of legal red tape, at all judicial levels.

(Hebrew – Ynet)

A new report published by the Yesh Din human rights group reveals that of the 240 complaints regarding possible crimes committed by Israel Defense Forces soldiers against Palestinians filed with the Military Police in 2012, only 78 investigations were launched and not a single indictment was served. (Haaretz)

(Hebrew – Haaretz)

The comptroller at the Public Security Ministry says the police are insufficiently supervising security at Israeli schools: the police do not supervise school security well enough, while the protection they do provide does not correspond to potential threats, and not all security guards are up to the job. Police Commissioner Yohanan Danino has been keeping the report under wraps. (Haaretz)

(Hebrew – Haaretz)

A report by the Central Statistics Bureau, which examined life expectancy in Israel between 2005 and 2009, shows that there is an 8.5 year gap in life expectancy between those living in Ra’anana, which has the country’s highest life expectancy, and residents of Rahat, with the lowest.  The four towns with the lowest life expectancy are either Arabic or with a mixed population – Rahat, Nazareth, Lod and Ramle. (Haaretz)

(Hebrew – Haaretz)

A report prepared by “Physicians for Human Rights” and the “Hotline for Migrant Workers” found that Israel mistreats the survivors of kidnapping and torture in the Sinai despite the harsh torture they underwent, and is detaining them under harsh conditions without proper care or facilities and while ignoring studies showing that prolonged detention has a devastating effect, especially on the survivors of slavery and torture. (Haaretz)

(Hebrew – Haaretz)

A new B’Tselem report on the long term impact of the separation barrier on the Palestinian communities on whose land it is built, reveals that despite its commitment to the High Court, the steps taken by the State have not prevented the barrier’s harmful effects on the lives of Palestinians.  Since the construction of the barrier, Palestinian residents of these communities have lost the ability to make profitable use of their lands - their major remaining resource.  Moreover, the spatial division between neighboring communities, and between them and their land, strains their ability to survive and paralyzes sustainable development.  In addition, over eight years after imposition of the permit regime, the Civil Administration has still not bothered to translate into Arabic the collected Seam Zone orders—describing the types of permits and approval criteria. (B’Tselem)

The State Comptroller’s report on the mid-sea takeover of the Mavi Marmara found that there were essential and significant deficiencies in the decision making process led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the weeks and months preceding the events of the Turkish flotilla, at the end of May 2010. (Ha’aretz)

(Hebrew - Walla)

A report by the NGO Anynimous for animal rights found that 18 years after the animal protection law was passed, there has been no visible change in protecting animals in Israel and that the Ministry of Agriculture avoids issuing directives that will protect poultry, cows and fish.

(Hebrew)

A US State Department report determines that Israel is lacking in its treatment of asylum applications.  According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), last year 4,603 new asylum applications were made in Israel.  So far the Israeli Government denied 3,692 of these applications, and approved only a single one. (BBC)

(Hebrew - Ynet)