Tension grows… The law that raised up Israel is approved

Israel’s parliament approved on second and third ballots the controversial bill from the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which would lift Supreme Court control over the executive.

The Israeli Assembly gathered around Parliament for the 2nd and 3rd voting on the bill that will limit the powers of the Supreme Court in the controversial judicial regulation of the Government, accompanied by the protests that have been taking place since Sunday. Once the discussion of the bill in parliament was finished, a vote was taken. Opposition lawmakers walked out of the General Assembly to boycott the bill.

Moving speeches by Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Prime Minister Netanyahu were reflected on cameras.

Parliament accepted the article that would remove the Supreme Court’s control over the executive in judicial regulation of government, with 64 votes in favor on the 2nd and 3rd ballots. 56 opposition deputies in parliament did not take part in the vote.

PEOPLE ON THE STREET

After the vote in the Israeli Parliament, demonstrations against government judicial regulation are expected to continue across the country, especially around the Israel Assembly in West Jerusalem. The Israeli police announced that 19 people have so far been detained during the demonstrations.

Israeli intelligence also warned that the demonstrations would get bigger.

The law, which provides for the abolition of the Supreme Court’s authority to overturn government decisions declaring them “irrational” for reasons such as “does not serve the public interest, creates a conflict of interest,” was being discussed as a “reasonable” bill. While the bill was still being discussed in Parliament, reconciliation negotiations between Netanyahu’s coalition and the opposition were reportedly continuing, but no results could be achieved.

PROTESTS CONTINUE FOR MONTHS

The “judicial reform” announced by Israeli Justice Minister Yariv Levin on January 5 includes changes such as limiting the powers of the Supreme Court and the power to have a say in judicial appointments.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on March 27 that he had postponed judicial regulation, sparking an increase in protests and mass strikes across the country, but announced that he would put judicial regulation back on the agenda after parliament approved the 2023-2024 budget in late May. The government had recently pushed the button for judicial regulation again after negotiations with the opposition stalled.

The Netanyahu government announced that the bill that will remove Supreme Court control over the government within the scope of judicial regulation will be submitted to Parliament today for the second and third ballots after the first ballot on July 11.

Some 10,000 Israelis, including fighter pilots, submarine officers and other elite troops, who opposed the government’s “judicial reform,” announced they would resign their volunteer reservists. The Israeli press claimed that Defense Minister Gallant was working to delay a bill that would lift Supreme Court control over the government following the reaction of reserve soldiers in the army.

The protest movement against the judicial regulation of the Netanyahu government has continued with its demonstrations for about 7 months. (AA)