The May 2010 issue of IDI’s Terrorism and Democracy Newsletter includes seven short articles. In the first article, we discuss a new, comprehensive counter-terrorism memorandum bill recently published by the Israeli Ministry of Justice. This memorandum bill aims to consolidate the existing legislation, as well as to provide the authorities with new counter-terrorism tools (including a broad definition of an "act or terrorism"). The second article summarizes the report by the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court on the legal arguments presented to it concerning the Palestinian National Authority’s request that the ICC exercise jurisdiction over the alleged crimes committed during "Operation Cast Lead". The third article deals with a recent decision by the Israeli High Court of Justice to uphold the route of a section of the separation barrier that passes through East Jerusalem’s municipal borders, and denying a request by a Palestinian village to reroute the barrier within the West Bank. The fourth article addresses the Spanish Supreme Court decision to reject an appeal made against the ruling to terminate the criminal inquiry of Israeli officials for the targeted killing of Salah Shehadeh. In the fifth article, we discuss a decision by the Jerusalem District Court to release a Palestinian detained as an unlawful combatant. The sixth article presents a short update on the recent decision by Petach-Tikva Magistrate Court Judge, Einat Ron, to lift a gag order against the publication of information on the detention of two Israelis accused of espionage and contact with enemy agents. The seventh and final article briefly discusses the recent decision by Israel’s Ministerial Committee on Legislation to adopt two private bills intended to worsen the imprisonment conditions of security prisoners associated with terrorist organizations.
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.