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Knesset Member Defends Israeli Judicial Reform in U.S.
(JNS) Mike Wagenheim - MK Simcha Rothman, chairman of the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee which is overseeing the government's judicial reform plan, returned from the U.S. last week confident that he allayed concerns from allies. "It was the first time they heard the story straight," Rothman said. "All democratic countries elect their judges in a democratic manner, except Israel," he said. Rothman said the perception that the current government doesn't care deeply about American Jewish support is false. "The connection with Jews around the world and in the U.S. is very important to us. That's the beginning and that's the end of every conversation I had on this issue. But when I ask them what they are worried about, usually the answer that I will get is that they heard we're trying to pass legislation against gays. That's the first lie they're told." Rothman addressed concerns about potentially revising the Law of Return, in order to eliminate the clause granting automatic citizenship to anyone with a Jewish grandparent. "For some reason, they think this applies to American Jewry. Some 97% of those from the U.S. are eligible to make aliyah without any connection to the grandfather clause." "If I would read the New York Times, I would be very worried about what's going on in Israel...because I will get only one side of what's going on."