Netanyahu is working to limit free speech in Israel, Labor leader says

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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government has set upon itself to limit free speech and declare war on Israel's judicial system, Labor leader MK Shelly Yachimovich said on Sunday, adding that a wave of recent Likud bills was pushing Israel away from the democratic world.

Yachimovich's comment came after, earlier Sunday, the Ministerial Committee for Legislation approved two bills that would limit foreign funding for Israeli human rights organizations.

Netanyahu had already announced support for one of the bills, sponsored by two members of his Likud party - MKs Tzipi Hotovely and Ofir Akunis - which would cap foreign governments' contributions to "political" non-governmental organizations at NIS 20,000.

Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu, meanwhile, is throwing its weight behind the second initiative brought forh by party MK Fania Kirshenbaum, which would slap a 45 percent tax on foreign governments' donations to NGOs ineligible for state funding.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/netanyahu-is-working-to-limit-free-speech-in-israel-labor-leader-says-1.395341

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1. Netanyahu postpones controversial bill on vetting Supreme Court candidates

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decided on Sunday to postpone the vote on a controversial bill that gives the Knesset Constitution Committee the right to vet Supreme Court candidates.

At the same time, Netanyahu expressed support for a different bill that would limit foreign funding for human rights organizations, but said he wants to amend it before it is brought to a vote.

The two bills, which cover the same ground, were submitted by Likud and Yisrael Beiteinu MKs respectively.

Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein also voiced his objection to the vetting bill, saying it will infringe on the freedom of expression, is unconstitutional and would probably not withstand a petition to the High Court of Justice.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/netanyahu-postpones-controversial-bill-on-vetting-supreme-court-candidates-1.395296

[Old and In the Way]

2. Likud and the Republican Party seemed to be joined at the hip.

Both are run by religious based reactionaries who are hellbent on limiting democracy by constant warmongering. The 2 Parties are co-enabling each other's agenda.

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3. Free Speech, but only for approved points of view.

And heaven forfend you accuse them of censorship, or use any other poorly understood bad names, it makes them confused and angry.

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6. That's very much the way it is...

Though apart from responding to accusations of censorship with confusion and anger, they also like engaging in 'Look! Over There While We Change The Subject!' tactics...

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4. Seems UNESCO and their cheerleaders who have a problem with Haaretz cartoons...

...that lampoon the leaders of the GOI are the culprits guilty of trying to limit free speech.

They don't get to lecture others about free speech.

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5. Censorship is popular among politicians anywhere you go.

[Scurrilous]

7. Not good. n/t