The crisis in Israel grows… The prime minister rejects the peace plan of the president

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected a bill introduced by President Isaac Herzog to overcome the controversial “judicial reform” crisis being planned by the coalition government he leads.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a post on his Twitter account, ruled on the “People’s Bill” proposed by President Herzog to overcome the crisis, warning of a “civil war” regarding the judicial regulation of the government. . Netanyahu claimed that the bill introduced by the president “continues the current status quo.”

Pointing out that the coalition government partners he led did not adopt the bill, Netanyahu said:

“Unfortunately, what the President presented was not accepted by the representatives of the coalition. Key parts of his draft only perpetuate the current status quo and do not provide the balance that Israeli state bodies need. This is the unfortunate truth.”

Herzog had announced a proposal dubbed the “People’s Bill” to overcome the political crisis created by the Netanyahu government’s judicial regulation restricting the powers of the judiciary.

Contrary to the government’s objective in judicial regulation, the bill includes articles that prevent the judicial mechanism from changing its powers in favor of the government, such as not giving a majority in the Commission for the Appointment of Magistrates to the governing coalition, and enacting the laws to be passed in the 120-seat Parliament by a majority of 80 votes instead of a simple majority of 61.

The eraser that throws the Israelis on the street

It’s been 10 weeks since mass protests organized across the country against the Netanyahu government’s “judicial reform” which limited the powers of the judiciary. As the government moves step by step to pass the controversial judicial regulation in Parliament, protests are growing by tens of thousands of Israelis across the country, who see this as “interfering with the independence of the judiciary.”

Justice Minister Yariv Levin announced on January 5 that they were planning a “judicial reform” that would limit the powers of the Supreme Court and reduce the influence of the judiciary in the selection of judges.
Moves by the Netanyahu-led coalition government to transfer some of the powers of the judiciary to Parliament sparked tensions between the government and the Israeli judiciary, especially the Supreme Court.

Israel’s Supreme Court, acting as the country’s highest judicial authority, has the power to strike down laws passed by the Assembly on the grounds that they are contrary to “fundamental laws” accepted as a constitutional project.

Netanyahu’s government claimed in the court ruling that it announced it would deprive the Supreme Court of its authority to strike down laws passed by Parliament. The government’s judicial regulation, which restricts the powers of the judiciary and provides for the power to have a say in judicial appointments, was heavily criticized for limiting the powers of the judiciary within Israel and internationally. (AA)