Source: www.persecution.org
Date: March 30, 2023
Israel (International Christian Concern) – Israel has been shaken by days of protests by tens of thousands of Israelis taking to the streets to protest controversial proposed judicial reforms. The controversy of the reforms centers on the newly elected government coalitions proposal to prevent the Supreme Court from striking down laws of the Knesset (Israeli Parliament) that it deems undemocratic. The controversy has led to nation-wide strikes and resulted in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is in favor of the judicial reforms, calling for a pause in pushing forward the reforms until the next Knesset session in an effort to preserve national unity.
Many Israelis, including both the Messianic and Arab Christian minorities in Israel, fear that these reforms, if implemented, would also give more room for radical Jewish religious groups to persecuted and pressure Christian activity as ICC reported previously. Efforts to reduce the power of the Supreme Court to strike down “undemocratic” laws have long been pushed by more radically leaning religious Jewish groups that have recently gained unprecedented influence in the newly formed coalition government, perhaps the most radically religiously Jewish leaning government in Israel’s history. In response to the expressed concerns of Christians’ freedoms in Israel, Prime Minister Netanyahu tweeted “We will not advance any law against the Christian community”.
Protests are continuing even after the Prime Minister’s announcement to pause the reforms, and the societal level debate is expected to continue through to the next Knesset session. The turmoil also comes during the normally tumultuous holiday seasons in Israel when the nation’s three largest religious communities observe Ramadan, Easter and Passover in the same month.
HOW TO PRAY: Pray for peace in the midst of the ongoing protests. Pray for wisdom and direction for those in positions of power in Israel. Pray for the gospel to reach unbelievers in Israel.