The Israeli government around Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is pushing ahead with the restructuring of the judicial system despite mass protests. Thousands of people gathered in Jerusalem on Monday to protest the first of three readings in Parliament. The vote on some of the controversial plans is expected in the evening.
The aim of the controversial judicial reform is to enable Parliament to overturn decisions of the Supreme Court with a simple majority. Politicians should also be given more influence in the appointment of judges. Critics see this as a threat to the democratic separation of powers. The right-wing religious government argues that the Supreme Court currently wields too much political influence.
In the early hours of the morning, demonstrators blocked central roads in the country and tried to prevent MPs from entering the Knesset. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that they would “trample democracy”.
Meanwhile, Federal Minister of Justice Marco Buschmann (FDP) should arrive in Israel for a two-day visit. It is the first visit by a German minister since the new government was sworn in at the end of last year. It is the most right-wing government the country has ever had.
In addition to the opening of an exhibition on coming to terms with the Ministry of Justice’s Nazi past, talks are planned with his counterpart Jariv Levin, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and the President of the Supreme Court, Esther Chajut. In the afternoon, a visit to the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial was on the agenda.
