Israel’s consul in New York resigns in protest of judicial reform

The Israeli consul in New York, Asaf Zamir, presented his resignation this Sunday in protest at the government’s proposal to approve the controversial reform of the judiciary, and after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed the Defense Minister.

“The past 18 months as Israel’s Consul General in New York have been satisfying and rewarding, but following today’s events, now is the time to join the fight for Israel’s future to ensure that it remains a beacon of democracy and freedom in the world”, the consul indicated through his Twitter profile.

Asaf has indicated that “the political situation in Israel has reached a critical point”, for which he feels “a deep sense of responsibility and moral obligation to speak out for what is right and to fight for the democratic values ​​he defends”. . In this sense, the diplomat has criticized the Prime Minister’s decision to dismiss Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, after the latter publicly advocated pausing the process of the controversial judicial reform to allow room for dialogue.

“Today’s dangerous decision to dismiss the Defense Minister has convinced me that I can no longer represent this government. I am increasingly concerned about the policies of the new cabinet, in particular, the judicial reform that he is leading,” he said in a letter. For the consul, this reform “undermines the foundations of our democratic system and threatens the rule of law in our country,” according to what can be read in the letter.