Opposition leaders on Tuesday vowed to keep up the fight against the government’s efforts to reform the judiciary after the coalition pushed a bill that would reduce judges’ oversight over politicians.
The law, approved in its first three readings, would block judicial review on the “reasonableness” of politicians’ decisions. The vote marks the first approval of a judicial overhaul bill since Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suspended the far-reaching legislative package in late March.
Leader of the opposition Yair Lapid said on Twitter, “Like thieves in the night, the government passed a bill nullifying rationality and proved they are not interested in anything but corrupt, undemocratic laws. ” “The fight is not over. We will never give up the values of the State of Israel. Tomorrow millions of Israelis will take to the streets with the Israeli flag and say: We will not give up.”
“It’s always darkest before the dawn. The struggle continues,” said Benny Gantz, leader of the National Unity Party.
“The regime-coup government launched an attack against Israeli democracy tonight. Lying to the public and crushing democracy. The protest will answer to the public,” said Labor Party leader Merv Michaeli. “There will be no dictatorship in Israel – democracy will triumph.”
Lapid’s Yesh Atid party said this was “not the end of our struggle.”
The party said, “We will never give up on Israeli democracy and will not allow them to destroy our country from within.”
Avigdor Lieberman, leader of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, said Tuesday’s vote was just “one step” in the government’s plan to “takeover” the judicial system.
The protest movement against judicial reform has vowed to stage massive demonstrations across the country on Tuesday in response to the vote.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu talks with Justice Minister Yariv Levin as the Knesset deliberates on a bill to revoke the judiciary’s review powers on the ‘rationality’ of government decisions in Jerusalem, July 10, 2023. (Jonathan Sindel/Flash90)
Government ministers and MKs celebrated the approval of the law, which was voted along party lines by 64 to 56. The bill needs to pass two more Knesset readings to become law, and the coalition aims to complete that process before the Knesset’s summer recess at the end of the month.
“We have moved forward,” Justice Minister Yariv Levin, one of the key players in the government’s legislative efforts, said on Telegram.
“We’ve got a first reading,” said MK Simcha Rothman, head of the committee that sponsored the bill. “See you in committee tomorrow. Thank you to everyone who believed and supported.”
Bezel Smotrich, leader of the Religious Zionism party, said, “64 in favor against 56 opposed to rein in rationality. Democracy won tonight.”
“We will continue in the second and third readings,” Smotrich said on Twitter.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said on Telegram, “A good start.” “Now we need to stop compromising and pass thorough reform.”
There was no immediate comment from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
MK Simcha Rothman, head of the Knesset’s Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, addresses the Knesset floor on July 10, 2023 in a debate prior to the approval of the first reading of the ‘Rationality’ bill. (Jonathan Sindel/Flash90)
Lawmakers pushed through the legislation after a long, stormy Knesset session that began on Monday evening and ended after midnight.
Although it is introduced as a limit on judicial scrutiny over the “reasonableness” of politicians’ orders, the bill allows courts to invalidate, or even debate, decisions taken by cabinet, ministers and other unspecified elected officials. completely prevents the use of judicial tests to
Supporters say the bill allows elected representatives, rather than unelected judges, to make final decisions on policy and appointments.
Critics argue that it removes an important check on arbitrary decision-making, and that the reasonableness test ensures the independence of judicial gatekeepers by protecting them from politically motivated dismissal.
Since the failure of settlement talks in June, the coalition has focused its legislative efforts on passing the Rationalization Bill before the conclusion of the summer session, but the legislation is only a precursor to deeper judicial changes.
One of the more central parts of Levin’s legislative package is a bill to rebuild the system for judicial appointments by transferring political control over it. A bill to this effect was first read in February, and was to be enacted at the end of March.
However, Netanyahu then fired his Defense Minister Yoav Galant, who warned that national division over the law was harming Israel’s security interests, triggering mass national protests and the prime minister suspending the law. Gave and later reinstated Gallant.
Netanyahu has said he plans to push the judicial selection law in the Knesset’s winter session, which begins in October.
