Justice Minister Says Israel Rarely Violates Civil Liberties

Israel's Justice Minister said yesterday that despite continued threats to its national security, Israel has upheld "fundamental human rights and liberties, with only marginal departures."

Haim Zadok told a Hillel-sponsored forum that although Israel undertakes preventive detention for national security reasons, the number of detainees has been "kept to the barest minimum," and has not exceeded 20 at any one time.

'Basic Principles'

Israel has still preserved "the basic principles of a free society--democratic elections, responsible government, an independent judiciary and respect for individual rights," Zadok said.

But he said "there are departures from what one would want a free, democratic country to be under normal circumstances."

"We all look forward to the day when these measures, however sparingly they are applied now, won't be necessary at all," Zadok said.

'Time Has Come'

Zadok also told the 75 member audience at the Science Center that he feels "the time has come" for Israel to adopt a constitution.

When Israel achieved independence, it adopted Great Britain's system of an "unwritten constitution." At the same time, the Israeli Parliament determined to enact a series of laws which would form the basis for a future constitution.

Parliament is now accelerating its legislation of "basic laws," and is presently considering legislation similar to the American Bill of Rights, Zadok said.

Confrontation

But adoption of a constitution would be delayed if the constitution had to "answer all the possible questions" confronting Israel society, Zadok said.

In the past, disagreement between religious and secular groups in Israel about the proper relationship between the religious establishment and the state has prevented definitive legal definition of this relationship.

I would rather have a constitution which will answer 95 per cent of the questions and have it earlier, than wait because there is still controversy on the remaining five per cent," Zadok said.