Terrorism and Democracy Newsletter: Issue No. 14, February 2010

The February 2010 issue of IDI’s Terrorism and Democracy Newsletter includes seven articles. The first contribution explores a recent landmark decision by the Israeli Supreme Court to strike down a provision in a Knesset law that enabled courts to conduct detention hearings in abstentia in cases involving suspects charged with security offences. In the second article we address Israel's recent update of the report on their investigations following "Operation Cast Lead". The Ministry of Foreign Affairs provided information about Israeli investigations following this counter-terrorism operation. The Third article introduces a recent report by the Israeli Security Agency regarding terrorist activity in the last decade. The report surveys the changes in the tactics used by terrorist organizations following changes to Israel's counter-terrorism strategy, including the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and the construction of the separation barrier. The fourth and fifth articles summarize recent decisions by the Israeli High Court of Justice (HCJ) to reject a petition against the route of the Separation Barrier and a petition against the Government's decision to deny entrance into Israel by Gaza residents who have family members imprisoned in Israel. In the sixth article we briefly address a recent decision by the Knesset's House Committee to lift the immunity of MK Said Nafa and to enable his criminal indictment for visiting an enemy state (Syria). The last article notes the IDF's issuing of an order providing a new consolidated criminal code for the West Bank.

IDI’s monthly Terrorism and Democracy Newsletter aims to shed light on some relatively unknown measures and policies adopted by Israel or related to Israel, and to foster discussion on the balance between security interests, on one hand, and democratic principles and human rights, on the other hand. It surveys recent developments in Israeli law and practices that are intended to reduce or repress terrorist threats. IDI believes that a greater knowledge of Israel's experience in this area may be of value to other societies; we also believe that engaging in international and comparative discourse about Israel's experience is valuable to Israeli society.