Controversial bill
Israel’s parliament approves key element of judicial reform in first reading – “Day of Disruption” planned
For months, people in Israel have been protesting against Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government’s plans to reform the judicial system
© Orit Ben-Ezzer / Zuma Press Wire / DPA
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s controversial judicial reform has cleared a first hurdle in parliament. The organizers of the demonstrations in the country, which have been going on for months, want to react with massive protests.
Despite months of protests, the controversial Judicial reform in Israel progressing. After hours of debate, the parliament in Jerusalem approved a draft law on Tuesday night that is intended to restrict the Supreme Court’s ability to act. 64 out of 120 MEPs voted in favor and 56 against in the first reading. Two more readings are needed before the change comes into effect.
The organizers of the demonstrations in the country, which have been going on for months, last week announced a “Day of Disruption” in response. Protests at intersections and several central streets are planned from the early hours of the morning. Drivers are asked to drive particularly slowly “to set an example,” said a spokesman. During the day, rallies are to take place in numerous places, including from 3 p.m. (CEST) at Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv.
According to the organizers, thousands of people wanted to gather in the center of the coastal city and in other Israeli cities in the evening. The protest movement is one of the largest in the history of Israel, a country of around 9.4 million people, and it encompasses broad sections of society.
Judicial reform divides Israel’s society
The draft law passed in the first reading provides that the Supreme Court should no longer be able to assess a decision by the government or individual ministers as “inappropriate”. Critics fear that this could encourage corruption and thus also the arbitrary filling of high-ranking positions.
The government, on the other hand, accuses the Supreme Court of interfering too much in political decisions. For more than six months, the government’s comprehensive plan has divided large sections of Israeli society. Another goal of the reform is that politicians should have more influence in the appointment of judges. According to the media, this core project of the reform is to be put on the agenda for the next session in autumn.
Earlier this year, the Supreme Court ruled that the appointment of Shas party leader Arie Deri as interior minister was “inappropriate” because of his criminal past. As a result, Netanyahu had to fire his confidant. Observers expect that the government wants to reverse this.
The State of Israel does not have a written constitution and is instead based on a set of fundamental laws. Therefore, the Supreme Court is of particular importance in upholding the rule of law and human rights.
President warns of ‘mistakes of historic proportions’
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu initially stopped the comprehensive plans to restructure the judiciary after massive pressure at the end of March, but put them back on the agenda about three weeks ago, slightly weakened. Months of talks about a compromise mediated by President Izchak Herzog between the government and the opposition were unsuccessful.
On Sunday evening, Herzog made an urgent appeal to both parties to seek dialogue again. Anything else is “a mistake of historic proportions”. The opposition showed itself ready to talk on Monday should the government stop its plans. According to media reports, Netanyahu informed Herzog in the evening that he wanted to push this further.
Netanyahu’s coalition is the most right-wing the country has ever had. The changes in the law are also being made under pressure from Netanyahu’s strictly religious coalition partners. According to experts, however, they could also play into Netanyahu’s hands in a corruption process that has been ongoing against him for some time.