Monday, May 09, 2016

Israeli Democracy in the Court System looks like this: Anyone accused of a crime that might get real jail time is allowed to have representation from the Public Defenders office. They are under the aegis of the Ministry of Justice. That's who pays their salaries. Private attorneys are exorbitantly expensive and most take this option because they have to.
The Prosecution is either the Police or the State Attorney. If they are the State Attorney, they are under the aegis of the Ministry of Justice - the same people who are paying your lawyer's salary.
If they are the Police, they are under the aegis of the Ministry of Internal Security.
The Judge likely worked for the State Attorney or the Defense dep't of the Police before becoming a Judge - and sometimes both. He or she too is getting their salary from the Ministry of Justice. There are far more Judges who worked for the State's Attorney than worked as Public Defenders.
They have all been brainwashed with the same: Israel is a democracy. Israel is a democracy. Israel is a democracy...yada yada.
Israel has a 99% conviction rate against citizens accused.
That being said, one gets the distinct impression that most of the people in that System are genuinely decent and intelligent.
However, as Noam Chomsky as observed: Within corrupt systems otherwise decent people, people who in their private lives and private thoughts prefer morality, are brought to do monstrous things. Within a hierarchy one can quiet one's conscience when ordered to commit an atrocity.


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