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WORLD NEWS Thursday 16 March 2023

Jewish Americans press Israeli leaders to compromise

By JOSEF FEDERMAN
Associated Press
JERUSALEM (AP) — A se-
nior delegation of Jew-
ish-American leaders on
Wednesday paid a flash
visit to Israel to urge leaders
to find a compromise over
Prime Minister Benjamin Ne-
tanyahu’s contentious plan
to overhaul the country’s
judicial system.
The arrival of some 30 lead-
ers from the Jewish Fed-
erations of North America
marked a rare foray by
the American Jewish com-
munity into domestic Israeli
affairs and reflected con-
cerns that the turmoil in-
side Israel could spill over to
Jewish communities over-
seas.
Eric Fingerhut, the president A man holds a sign , don’t come back, and an Israeli flag during protest against plans by Prime
and chief executive of the Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to overhaul the judicial system, ahead of Netanyahu’s
Jewish Federations, said visit to Germany in Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv, Israel, Wednesday, March 15, 2023.
the 24-hour visit, coming at Associated Press
short notice, illustrated the
“grave concern and wor- over the appointment of interest. Critics also fear inent security officials have
ry” the Israeli debate has the nation’s judges. that the rights of LGBTQ spoken out against it, mili-
raised among American They say the plan is need- people and minority groups tary reservists have threat-
Jews. Netanyahu’s allies, a ed to curb an outsized influ- could be harmed issues ened to stop reporting for
collection of ultra-Orthodox ence of unelected judges that have raised concerns duty and even some of Is-
and ultranationalist parties, over national policy. But among American Jews. rael’s closest allies, includ-
launched the overhaul in critics say the plan will de- Tens of thousands of Israe- ing the U.S., have urged
January days after taking stroy Israel’s fragile system lis have taken to the streets Netanyahu to slow down.
office. The program aims of checks and balances each week to protest the Repeated efforts by Israel’s
to weaken Israel’s Supreme and that Netanyahu, who sweeping overhaul. High- figurehead president, Isaac
Court and would give Ne- is on trial for corruption tech leaders, Nobel-win- Herzog, to broker a com-
tanyahu’s allies control charges, has a conflict of ning economists and prom- promise have stuttered. q

U.N. warns gangs consuming Haiti despite help for police

By DÁNICA COTO ness of building this country experts estimating that they of victims ranging from U.S.
Associated Press back.” now control about 60% of missionaries to a hot dog
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) Powerful gangs have been Port-au-Prince. They have street vendor in a bid to
— The U.N.’s special envoy infiltrating once peaceful pillaged neighborhoods, control more territory, with
to Haiti warned Wednes- communities in the Haitian raped adults and children violence worsening since
day that the ongoing train- capital and beyond, with and kidnapped hundreds the July 2021 assassination
ing and resources the in- of President Jovenel Moïse.
ternational community is “It is urgent for the OAS…to
providing to Haiti’s national understand that the wors-
police force is not enough ening security situation on
to fight increasingly violent the ground has reached
gangs. its peak, and armed gangs
Helen La Lime, head of now roam the country
the U.N.’s Integrated Of- unfettered,” said Victor
fice in Haiti, unexpectedly Généus, Haiti’s foreign af-
joined an Organization of fairs minister. Top Haitian
American States meeting officials including Généus
in Washington, D.C., saying and Prime Minister Ariel
it’s time to look at new part- Henry have repeatedly
nerships as she called once sought international boots
again for the deployment on the ground, a request
of a specialized foreign A parent, carrying his child after picking him up from school, first made in October that
force. runs past police as they carry out an operation against gangs in has gone unheeded by
“We’re not getting the job the Bel-Air area of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Friday, March 3, 2023. the U.N.’s Security Council,
done,” she said. “We need Associated Press which has instead imple-
to get down to the busi- mented sanctions.q