On July 24, the Newton/Brookline group Boston for Democracy in Israel held a rally on Newton Centre Green to protest the Israeli Knesset’s overturning of the “reasonableness” doctrine, an action that the group says will weaken the power of Israel’s Supreme Court and thus harm democracy in Israel. The group has been organizing events like this since February in loose affiliation with a similar organization, UnXeptable, and in solidarity with protesters in Israel and around the world.
Fig City News photographer Jack Prior produced this slideshow of the event.
One of the organizers of the event, Barbara Gaffin, said of the group, “Those who join are secular and religious, some are politically on the left, some are politically on the right. Many are Israeli-Americans, many are American Jews. All share a deep love and concern for the State of Israel, and believe that the current government is promoting policies that are anti-democratic and dangerous for the future of Israel.”
Speakers at the rally included:
- Dana Hanson, District Director of U.S. Congressman Jake Auchincloss
- Dr. Avishai Ben Sasson-Gordis, Molad Institute, Department of Government, Harvard University
- Dr. Aviram Uri, physicist, MIT, Major (reserves), Israeli Air Force
- Rav Claudia Kreiman, Rabbi, Temple Beth Zion, Brookline
- State Rep. Ruth Balser (Newton, Brookline)