Israeli protestors on streets against Netanyahu’s new proposed ‘judicial reforms’. AFP
New Delhi: Thousands of protestors Saturday, under chilly winter rain, poured into streets across three major cities in Israel to protest Prime Minister Netanyahu’s judicial reforms bill. Those opposed the Supreme Court chief justice and the country’s attorney general.
Appointment of new judges to Supreme Court of Israel
According to draft legislation published on Wednesday, Netanyahu plans to reorder the panel for selecting Supreme Court judges. As of now, the panel has 9 members: 3 supreme court judges, 2 cabinet ministers, 2 parliamentarians, and 2 lawyers. In an arrangement designed to promote compromise, a 7-2 vote is required to approve a judge’s appointment to the top court.
However, with the new legislation, the panel would be expanded to 11 and approving an appointment would need just a simple majority of 6.
The number of Parliamentarians and Cabinet ministers would be increased to 3 each and the lawyers replaced by two “public figures”, only one of whom would be a lawyer.
With 7 of the panel members either from the ruling coalition or aligned with it, the government would potentially be ensured an automatic majority.
While approving a judge’s appointment will become easier with the proposed change in the rule, removing those on a bench would become even tougher as it would require at least 9 votes from what critics have a ‘skewed’ panel.
The legislation would require a unanimous ruling by the Supreme to overturn basic laws – Israel’s quasi-constitution – passed by parliament.
It would also remove ‘reasonableness’ as a standard of review for Supreme Court rulings against government authorities.
‘Regime change, not legal reforms’
Critics claim that the reforms are aimed at increasing the government’s sway over the top court, thus weakening democratic powers in the country.
“This is not legal reform. It is radical regime change,” Yair Lapid tweeted on Sunday, when details of proposed legislation were leaked to Israeli media.
However, the Proponents of the reform accuse the top court of overreach.
“I am calling for a calming of the public discourse,” Netanyahu said in televised remarks on Wednesday.
“The essence of democracy, beyond the separation of powers and of course majority rule, is respect for civil rights.”
With inputs from Reuters
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