The plans, which would restrict the Supreme Court’s ability to review executive branch decisions, have angered protesters who claim they jeopardize the future of Israeli democracy.
Tens of thousands of Israelis participated in protests in Tel Aviv on Saturday against the new government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plans for judicial reform, which opponents claim will jeopardize democratic checks and balances on ministers by the courts.
The government claims that these plans are necessary to stop overreaching by activist judges, but they have been met with vehement opposition from groups like lawyers and business leaders, escalating Israel‘s already pronounced political divisions.
Former Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid was among those who demonstrated.
Lapid tweeted, pledging to “not give up until we win:” People who love the state came to defend its democracy, its courts, the concept of a common life and a common good.
The protests, which are now in their third week, have been dismissed by Netanyahu as a leftist opposition’s refusal to accept the outcome of the election held in November of last year, which resulted in one of the most right-wing governments in Israeli history.
The plans would tighten government control over judicial appointments and restrict the Supreme Court’s ability to review governmental decisions, according to the protesters, who claim that their passage would jeopardize the future of Israeli democracy.
Avi Chimi, the president of the Israeli Bar Association, declared that “they want to make us into a dictatorship and destroy democracy.” There cannot be a democracy in a country without a judicial authority, so they want to destroy it. ”
They assert that the plans will undermine minorities’ rights and pave the way for increased corruption in addition to endangering judges’ independence and undermining parliamentary and government oversight.
Amnon Miller, 64, one of the many protesters waving Israeli flags in the crowds, declared, “We are fighting for democracy.”
“We spent 30 years fighting for our freedom in this nation’s army, and we won’t allow this government to take it away from us. ”
Fire Deri
The Supreme Court ordered Benjamin Netanyahu to fire Interior Minister Aryeh Deri, who is the leader of the religious ultra-Orthodox Shas party, days prior to Saturday’s protests, which Israeli media predicted would attract more than 100,000 people to central Tel Aviv. Deri was fired due to a recent tax conviction.
One of Netanyahu’s most seasoned allies is Deri.
Almost all of Israel’s prosecutors and state attorneys from the past 50 years warned last week that pending justice system changes would “destroy” judicial independence.
They referred to a new plan that would increase the government’s ability to appoint judges and restrict the High Court’s ability to restrain parliament as “we call on the government to withdraw the proposed plan and prevent serious harm to the justice system and the rule of law,” in the letter.
At present, government legislation that violates any of Israel’s 13 fundamental laws, particularly the Basic Law on Human Dignity and Liberty, can be declared invalid by the High Court. The future constitution, which has not yet been created, will include Israel’s fundamental laws.
However, the reform proposal includes an “override clause,” which will allow parliamentarians to pass a law that was struck down by the High Court again with a simple majority of 61 MPs.
