President Shimon Peres said Tuesday that the latest bills brought before the Knesset and pertaining to the High Court of Justice "deviate from the democratic element."
"Democracy is about serving everyone, not controlling everyone," Peres said at a conference in southern Israel, referring to the rightist bills.
Related stories:
Speakingat a conference for young Israelis in the southern town of Kiryat Gat, the president said he objects to a controversial bill that calls for High Court candidates to undergo a Knesset hearing.
"If you serve, you are serving the entire public," Peres said, adding that in Israel "judges never joined parties."
"We must not deviate from this, and I urge all Knesset members to safeguard democracy's essence and image. The damage as result of harming what we had here to this day would be grave," he said.
Referring to a bill that aims to limit the funding sources of leftist organizations, Peres said: "What's wrong with people contributing to bodies of one type or another?"
The president then urged those in attendance to "stand firmly in safeguarding these principles. We do not have a dictatorial regime around here. Serving is about democracy."
First published: 18:30, 11.15.11