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Israel’s parliament has voted to limit the powers of the country’s top court, as Benjamin Netanyahu’s hardline government resumes its attempt to push through a controversial judicial overhaul.
Netanyahu was forced to put the original plan — which would have given his coalition greater control over the appointment of judges and limited the top court’s ability to strike down laws — on hold in March following months of mass protests that escalated into a brief general strike.
After months of compromise negotiations failed to bear fruit, the government resumed work on the overhaul last month, putting forward a bill that would stop the top court using the criterion of “reasonableness” to block decisions by the government, ministers and elected officials.
After a tempestuous debate during which three opposition lawmakers were ejected, government MPs voted in the early hours of Tuesday to advance the bill. It must now pass two more parliamentary votes to become law.
Officials from Netanyahu’s coalition of ultrareligious and extreme-right parties said getting rid of the “reasonableness” standard would help to curb judicial interference in the actions of elected representatives.
Critics argued removing such a key check on officials would pave the way for corruption and arbitrary decision-making. Opponents of the plan have announced a “day of disruption” for Tuesday, including attempts to block roads and a protest at Ben Gurion international airport.
In a brief video statement released ahead of Monday’s parliamentary debate, Netanyahu insisted that scrapping the reasonableness standard would not impair the top court’s ability to scrutinise government decisions.
“Even after the fix, the rights of the courts and Israeli citizens will not be harmed in any way,” he said.
His opponents blasted the plans. Yair Lapid, head of Yesh Atid, the largest opposition party, warned that they would allow the government to make unsuitable appointments or fire inconvenient officials.
“What does this have to do with Israeli citizens making a living? What does it have to do with Israel citizens’ security?” he said.
Benny Gantz, head of the National Unity party, also attacked the proposals, warning that other more radical measures would follow. The government is expected to return to one of the most contested aspects of its overhaul — reshaping the body that appoints judges — later this year.
“The significance of the law that you are seeking to advance today is that it is the beginning of a dangerous process of removing restrictions from the government and erasing judicial review,” Gantz said. “The snowball that is starting to roll here today will grow, gain momentum and crush the entire country if we do not stop it now.”
Groups from across Israeli society are expected to take place in Tuesday’s protests. However, a big chain of shopping malls, which had said on Sunday that it would shut its facilities for 24 hours as part of the protest, on Monday partially reversed its position and said stores in its malls would be able to open.
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