‘Don’t permit such fatal blow to lifeblood of democracy'

Tibi asks High Court to issue injunction blocking application of Boycott Law, says law would cause damage to those who don't agree with views of political majority.

By JOANNA PARASZCZUK
Tibi making a point in Knesset 311 (photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
Tibi making a point in Knesset 311
(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
MK Ahmed Tibi (United Arab List – Ta’al) petitioned the High Court Monday asking judges to issue an injunction preventing the controversial Boycott Law from being applied.
The law gives Israeli citizens, institutions and companies targeted by boycotts or even calls for boycotts on grounds of their location – which in practice means Jewish settlements in Judea, Samaria and the Golan Heights – the right to seek compensation in court for damages.
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In his petition, which was submitted on his behalf by attorneys Osama Sa’adi and Amar Ya’asin, Tibi asked the High Court to impose an injunction preventing the law from coming into force at least until his petition has been considered.
“The basic concepts of every democratic society, and primarily the right to freedom of expression, equal right before the law and the right to dignity will be trampled underfoot if the Boycott Law continues to be in effect,” the petition said.
“The immense and irreversible damage that will be caused to all those who have until now acted according to the existing democratic discourse to express protest or a political standpoint is far greater than any immediate benefit that might accrue from implementing the Boycott Law.”
Tibi went on to say that the law would cause serious damage to those members of society who did not agree with the views of the political majority.
Those individuals “may find themselves having to choose between either sticking to their viewpoint, and attempting to defend or at least express it at the price of substantial financial cost and punishment, or submitting to the dictates of the majority and [thus] completely draining the democratic system of government of any real substance”.
Tibi also accused the current Knesset of “racism, nationalism and political fanaticism” and asked the court to “make it heard loud and clear that [the court] will not permit such a fatal blow to the lifeblood of democracy.”