The government’s attempt to reform the judiciary in Israel has sparked the biggest political crisis in recent years, where accusations of a coup have already found their way.
Three months into Israel protests have not subsided over government plans to limit the power of the Supreme Court. Now the court has the opportunity to block the decisions of the parliament, if it is considered illegal. Amid popular uproar, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decided to postpone the second and third readings of the controversial judicial reform bill until the next session of parliament, but that has not dampened the level of opposition so far.
The essence of reform
Since 2021, allegations against Netanyahu of bribery, fraud and breach of trust have been heard in the courts. He denies any wrongdoing and says he is the victim of revenge from his political opponents.
Last fall, after winning the elections and once again leading the government, Netanyahu took up judicial reform. According to the protesters, in this way the prime minister is trying to prevent the court from removing him from his post.
The essence of Netanyahu’s reforms is to deprive the judiciary of the opportunity to influence the decisions of legislative and executive bodies.
Israel’s Supreme Court can strike down laws it deems unconstitutional.
The proposed amendments state that any such decision can be overturned by a simple parliamentary majority. Israel’s parliament consists of one chamber with 120 representatives. Thus, a ruling coalition with a majority of at least 61 votes in the Knesset is free to pass or repeal any laws.
In addition, the government wants to influence the appointment of Supreme Court judges – now they are chosen by the members of the judiciary themselves.
Finally, ministers are no longer obliged to follow the recommendations of legal advisers, who in turn report to an attorney general who is independent of the government.
Critics of the law say that by removing the checks and balances that limit government power, Netanyahu is turning Israel’s democracy into an authoritarian regime. Netanyahu, on the contrary, calls the current situation an anti-democratic situation, when the court can restrict the activities of the parliament elected by the people.
national protest
Protests in Israel have been ongoing since the beginning of this year, but escalated last week. On Sunday and Monday, thousands of Israelis gathered near the Knesset building in Jerusalem.
A general strike was declared in the country in protest against the reform, joined by workers, doctors, civil servants, bankers and employees of private companies.
As a result, the work of almost all institutions was paralyzed – flights from the country’s main international airport, Ben Gurion, were suspended, and the country’s main ports also stopped working. Even McDonald’s restaurants closed.
After Netanyahu’s statement, the Israeli Federation of Trade Unions announced the end of the general strike. But the authorities did not abandon their intention to carry out judicial reform, while the issue was only postponed. The confrontation will continue.
Source: korrespondent
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.