Israel’s parliament votes on judicial reform for the first time

Israel’s parliament is scheduled to vote on a core element of judicial reform today in its first reading. President Herzog called for negotiations on the controversial plans. He described the fact that no one was willing to do this as a “mistake of historic proportions”.

Immediately before the first parliamentary vote scheduled for today, Israeli President Izchak Herzog called for renewed negotiations on judicial reform. “An agreement is feasible. And yet no one is willing to sit down and talk – now, without any preconditions,” said Herzog in Jerusalem, adding: “This is a mistake of historic proportions.”

Despite the ongoing mass protests, the right-wing religious government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu intends to present a draft law on the controversial judicial reform to parliament – the Knesset – today. The session begins in the afternoon German time. The majority of MPs could approve the draft in the evening at first reading. The protest movement has already announced that it will make Tuesday “Disturbance Day” in this case.

Among other things, the draft law provides that the country’s highest court should no longer be able to assess a government decision as “inappropriate”. Critics fear that this could encourage corruption and thus also the arbitrary filling of high-ranking positions. The government, on the other hand, accuses the judges of interfering too much in political decisions.

“Leave your egos aside”

President Herzog stated: “I ask our representatives in the Knesset: Is it worth it? Is it really worth it? The numbers, the data, the polls and the debates reflect a real and important public need for dialogue and consensus.” In his opinion, an agreement, also in the dispute over the so-called adequacy clause, is feasible. “Put your egos aside. Come and talk.”

Netanyahu initially suspended the plans in March after ongoing protests. At the end of March, Herzog mediated talks between the government and the opposition. However, even after months of wrangling, they did not reach an agreement. About two weeks ago, however, Netanyahu put the reform back on the agenda in a somewhat weaker form. He had announced that he would drop the most controversial part. This would have allowed Parliament to overturn Supreme Court rulings.

Judicial reform divides Israel’s society

Plans for a major judicial reform have been dividing Israeli society for months. Opponents of the project organize protests week after week. On Saturday tens of thousands of Israelis took to the streets againto protest against the planned reform. They see this as an inadmissible curtailment of the judiciary and a danger to democracy.

Against the background of the ongoing protests, Netanyahu was dissatisfied with the actions of the security authorities against anti-government demonstrators. He therefore ordered the Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara. In a speech broadcast on television on Sunday, he emphasized that it was unthinkable that the government would restrict the right to demonstrate or would approve of violence against demonstrators. However, these freedoms should not be used to violate the fundamental rights of millions of citizens. He referred to the blockades of the airport and main roads as justification.