Dozens of retired senior ambassadors today called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to immediately halt the legislation on the grounds of reasonableness in order to halt the deterioration of Israel's standing in the world.
The ambassadors wrote in their letter that "we have devoted our best years with great pride to representing the country around the world, building its national strength and defending its vital interests together with its friends and those who seek to harm it. Today we watch with trepidation as processes within Israel lead to the undermining of its international standing and erode its network of vital connections around the world.
Knesset Channel
"We are particularly troubled by the open gap that has been created with the best of our friends, our ally, and the one and only strategic support that Israel has in the world, the United States. Israel was born as a democracy and its belonging to the free democratic world not only expresses the spirit and will of the people, but is also a central component of its security, political, economic, scientific, and cultural capabilities. Shared values are a cornerstone of our relations with the democratic powers, as many leaders have told you recently since the birth of the legal 'reform,' which is provoking resolute and uncompromising protest throughout Israeli society."
In conclusion, they write: "We hereby call on you to immediately halt the legislative process on eliminating/reducing the cause of reasonableness just before its completion, and to halt the descent into an evil abyss. We cannot remain silent in the face of the events of this hour. A moment before the point of no return, we call on you to stop, recalculate your course, and return the unity of the people and the future of the country to the top of the list of priorities.
Full list of signatories:
Pini Avivi, Colette Avital, Ram Aviram, Ofer Aviran, Artur Avnon, Yitzhak Oren, Rafi Eldad, Yossi Alfasi, Amira Arnon, Dan Eshbal, Ofer Bavli, Baruch (Bobby) Bina, Gadi Baltiansky, Dan Ben-Eliezer, Yaffa Ben-Ari, Yoram Ben-Zeev, Moshe Ben-Yaakov, Ofra Ben-Yaakov, Naomi Ben-Ami, Nissim Ben-Shitrit, Shmuel Ben-Shmuel, Eitan Benzor, Ilan Baruch, Rafi Barak, Nimrod Barkan, Liora Givon, Ehud Gol, Shlomo Gur, Avi Gil, Amir Gisin, Rafi Gamzu, Avi Granot, Haim Divon, Orit Danon, Betty Harel, Tova Herzl, Liora Herzl, Michael (Mickey) Harari, David Walzer, Yehudit Vernay-Schorer, Gershon Zohar, Haim Hoshen, Jeremy Issacharoff, Rivka Cohen, Zvi Cohen-Litant, Ruth Kahanov, Yigal Caspi, Daniel Carmon, Yosef Levana, Yitzhak Levanon, Tova Levy, Yaakov Levy, Mano Levy, Alon Liel, Arthur Lenk, Roni Leshno-Yaar, Amiram Magid, Ami Mehel, Ilan Mor, Avi Milo, Arkady Mil-Man, Shmuel Mirom, Evyatar Manor, Nathan Maron, Reuven Merhav, Amos Nadai, Mark Sofer, Robi Sable, Tamar Samash, Eli Saar, Yehoshua Amishev, Eran Etzion, Moshe Fuchs, Avi Pazner, Guy Feldman, Ori Palti, My name is Tzur, Daniel Kedem, Arthur Cole, Ran Curiel, Haim Koren, Yaakov Kedar, Zina Klay-Kleitman, Stella Rapp, Yossi Regev, Frida Rubel, Shimon Rodad, Jacques Revach, Tzipora (Tziki) Rimon, Dorit Shavit, Neta Shavit, Yitzhak Shoham, Shimon Stein, Irit Topper, Aviv Shiraon, Yitzhak Sheleff, Michael Shiloh, Meir Shlomo, Miriam Shamrat, Daniel Shek and Nadav Tamir.
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