Israeli lawmakers on Monday approved the first major law of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s controversial plan to overhaul the country’s justice system, sparking a new wave of mass protests and accusations that it is leading the country toward authoritarian rule.
The move, unanimously approved by Netanyahu’s ruling coalition after the opposition walked out of parliament, deepened divisions that have tested the delicate social ties that hold the country together, shaken the cohesion of its powerful military and raised ongoing concern for Israel’s closest ally, the United States.
The vote came just hours after Netanyahu was released from the hospital, where he received a pacemaker.
demonstrations
As Netanyahu’s allies celebrated their victory and vowed to follow through with more changes, thousands of protesters took to the streets of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, with opponents saying they would challenge the new law in the Supreme Court.
“It is a sad day,” said opposition leader Yair Lapid after the vote. “This is not a victory for the coalition. This is the destruction of Israeli democracy.”
The reform includes sweeping changes aimed at restricting the judiciary, from limiting the Supreme Court’s ability to challenge parliamentary decisions to changing the way judges are selected.
Netanyahu and his allies argue that the changes strengthen democracy by limiting the powers of unelected judges and giving officials drawn from the ballot box more decision-making powers.
But the protesters see the reform as a power grab fueled by personal and political grievances from Netanyahu — who is on trial on corruption charges — and his associates.
The prime minister’s allies, which include ultra-nationalist and ultra-religious parties, have promoted goals such as increased settlement construction in the West Bank, annexation of the occupied territory, perpetuating military draft exemptions for ultra-Orthodox men and limiting the rights of LGBTQ+ people and Palestinians.
white house: “unfortunate”
The White House, which has repeatedly urged Netanyahu to put his reform plan on hold until he reaches a broad consensus, lamented the result: “It is unfortunate that today’s vote was held with the smallest possible majority.”
Under the Israeli system, the prime minister rules through a majority coalition in Parliament, which in effect gives him control over both the executive and legislative branches.
As a result, the Supreme Court has a key supervisory role. Critics say that by trying to weaken the judiciary, Netanyahu and his allies are trying to undermine the country’s checks and balances and consolidate power.
In a televised address Monday night, Netanyahu rejected these criticisms.
“Today we carry out a necessary democratic act, an act whose objective is to restore a measure of balance between the branches of government,” he stressed.
He promised to seek a new dialogue with the political opposition and urged national unity. “Let us reach agreements,” he commented. “I extend my hand and call for peace and mutual respect between us.”
As he spoke those words, Israel’s Channel 13 TV was showing a split-screen broadcast that also showed policemen using a water cannon to disperse protesters.
judges can overrule government decisions
In Monday’s vote, lawmakers approved a measure that prevents judges from overturning government decisions on the grounds that they are “unreasonable.”
Critics of the government claim that removing the rationality standard opens the door to corruption and the misappointment of unqualified henchmen to high office. The Supreme Court, for example, halted the appointment of a major Netanyahu ally as finance and interior minister by calling it unreasonable because of prior convictions for bribery and tax evasion.
With the opposition out of the building, the measure passed by a 64-0 margin.