On Monday we all learned the three networks ABC, CBS & NBC are proficient in lying through their teeth on more than one big news story at once. Not only have they kept busy over the weekend and on Monday lying about Florida’s new educational standards, they also threw tantrums and smeared the state of Israel as “undemocratic” for prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s reforms to the out-of-control judiciary in his country.
Kicking the network coverage off, ABC’s World News Tonight, correspondent Tom Soufi Burridge lashed out at the “Israeli government pushing through a controversial new law, scrapping the Supreme Court's ability to strike down government decisions which judges deem unreasonable.”
Adding to his hyperbolic coverage, Burridge whined that Netanyahu was seen “smiling in the Knesset as his hard-right coalition passed the bill.”
Meanwhile on CBS Evening News, correspondent Elizabeth Palmer begrudgingly declared that “Netanyahu’s right-wing and religious political allies” had won “a clear victory, but a hollow one.” Her evidence of the hollow victory was due to “months of protests showed the majority of Israelis were against the change.”
In between the caterwauling, Palmer did accidentally get some truth in her coverage by noting that “In a country with no constitution or upper legislative chamber, Israel's supreme court had been a crucial check on government power.”
That’s half true. Israel does have no constitution, but the Supreme Court has been a rogue court for much of the country’s history. Their judges are self appointed and their rulings aren’t backed up by any solid legal arguments. Israel has been a nation run by unelected courts. That’s why Netanyahu pushed through reforms.
Despite the networks painting Netanyahu as lawless, NBC Nightly News’s Raf Sanchez hyped the lawlessness of some members of the Israeli military reservists. “They'll no longer serve in protest of the new law. Some of them veterans of Netanyahu's old commando unit,” Sanchez gushed.
This biased coverage was made possible by Verizon on ABC, Carfax on CBS, and Liberty Mutual on NBC. Their information is linked.
To read the transcripts, click “expand”:
ABC’s World News Tonight
7/24/2023
6:44:27 p.m. EasternTOM SOUFI BURRIDGE: Tonight, the battle for Israel's future, boiling over. Protesters blocking roads. Police firing water cannons. This driver plowing into demonstrators, injuring three people. Earlier, the Israeli government pushing through a controversial new law, scrapping the Supreme Court's ability to strike down government decisions which judges deem unreasonable.
For these protesters, today's vote is an attack on Israeli democracy. There's anger, there's despair, but they say they'll fight on.
Mother of two, Gali, served in the army.
GALI: I feel like I lost my country. I'm scared for my children's future.
SOUFI BURRIDGE: Inside the parliament, opposition politicians facing inevitable defeat, boycotting the vote, chanting "Shame" as they walked out. Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, seen smiling in the Knesset as his hard-right coalition passed the bill. And tonight, Netanyahu addressing the nation, saying the law will actually strengthen democracy because a government, elected by a majority of Israelis, would be freer to act.
And David, tonight, the White House saying it was, quote, unfortunate that the bill passed with the slimmest possible majority. And in an unprecedented move, thousands of Israeli army reservists have threatened they will refuse to serve. David?
CBS Evening News
7/24/2023
6:45:22 p.m. EasternELIZABETH PALMER: The people who took to the streets were devastated by parliament's vote on judicial reform which passed technically unopposed after the opposition walked out. That gave prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing and religious political allies a clear victory, but a hollow one. Months of protests showed the majority of Israelis were against the change.
PROTESTER: We are angry that people are trying to change this country, trying to create a democratic backslide.
PALMER: In a country with no constitution or upper legislative chamber, Israel's supreme court had been a crucial check on government power. No more.
PROTESTER: When the supreme court don't [sic] have the tools to be independent, Israel won't be a true democracy anymore.
NBC Nightly News
7/24/2023
6:39:19 p.m. EasternRAF SANCHEZ: The first part of prime minister Netanyahu's judicial overhaul passing 64-0. His conservative religious government voting for it. While opposition lawmakers walked out in protest. The plan takes away the supreme court's power to nullify some government decisions. Netanyahu allies say liberal judges had been incorrectly overturning actions of the conservative majority. Netanyahu tonight saying fulfilling the will of the voters is not the end of democracy, it's the essence of democracy. But opponents of the plan say they're afraid for their country.
PROTESTER: I'm worried about my future, my children's future.
SANCHEZ: These military reservists say they'll no longer serve in protest of the new law. Some of them veterans of Netanyahu's old commando unit.
RON SCHERF: I think he's the first dictator of Israel.
SANCHEZ: And the White House tonight taking the unusual step of weighing in on the domestic politics of an ally, criticizing today's vote in Israel as unfortunate.