Israel’s parliament finally passed the controversial bill on plans to reform the judiciary and encroachment on the Palestinian territories despite widespread protests. The speaker said the bill was passed by a 64-0 vote after opposition lawmakers walked out of the Knesset in protest. The passage of the controversial bill gave the government full powers to limit the powers of the judiciary and increase its influence over the appointment of judges. News from BBC and Al Jazeera.
According to the report, the reform plan will give the government full control over the judicial appointment committee. Apart from this, it has been proposed to make it more difficult for the courts to remove any of the legislators if they are unfit to perform their duties.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was hospitalized ahead of a parliamentary vote on controversial changes to the judiciary. A pressmaker was placed on his chest.
The law would reduce the power of Israel’s High Court and allow members of parliament to pass laws that the courts have previously rejected or deemed unconstitutional in practice.
The plan also says that the role of politicians in appointing Supreme Court judges will be made more important. Ministers can appoint their own legal advisers.
Israel’s Justice Minister Yariv Levin said the new plan would increase the power of Israel’s 120-seat parliament or Knesset in such a way that they can overturn any decision of the Supreme Court if they get the support of a simple majority, i.e. 61 MPs.
The protests against the judicial reform proposal have been going on for seven months. Israel has never seen such a demonstration. The government is destroying the country’s democracy in the name of reforms, the angry people allege.
Members of the Reserve Force also joined the protest. Protesting this administrative initiative, 10,000 reserve volunteers announced their release from duty on Saturday.