In Israel, the protests continue after Parliament voted yes to weakening the judiciary. Tens of thousands of Israelis gathered overnight to demonstrate against Benjamin Netanyahu’s government’s controversial plan.
In several places, the police used water cannons and dragged demonstrators from blocked lanes. At least 32 people were injured nationwide, according to organizers, 19 of whom had to be hospitalized. Dozens were arrested.
On Monday, Israel’s parliament passed a law restricting the Supreme Court’s ability to act. It is part of a larger government package that critics see as a threat to Israel’s democracy. The coalition, on the other hand, accuses the judiciary of having too much influence on political decisions.
Resistance could be even greater
Israel’s former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert spoke of a “serious threat”. The government has decided to undermine the foundations of democracy. “And that’s not something that we can accept or tolerate,” Olmert said in an interview with Channel 4 News. There has never been anything like it, he warned. “We’re going into a civil war.”
With the new law, the Supreme Court will no longer be able to judge a decision by the government or individual ministers as “inappropriate”. Critics fear that this could encourage corruption and thus also the arbitrary filling of important posts or layoffs. According to experts, this also applies to the posts of Attorney General or Chief of Police.
Meanwhile, several petitions against the newly passed law reached the Supreme Court – including from the Bar Association, which represents more than 70,000 lawyers. The chamber justified the petition by saying that the bill was part of a broader effort to fundamentally change the legal system. The rule of law and separation of powers could then no longer be guaranteed, according to reports, in the justification.
Supreme Court reaction open
It was initially unclear how the Supreme Court would react. President Esther Chajut broke off a visit to Germany to deal with it in Israel. According to media reports, however, the petitions could take several months to be examined.
According to Tel Aviv University legal expert Aejal Gross, the Supreme Court would be breaking new ground. In Israel, no basic law has ever been repealed, only regular laws that violate the basic law, writes Gross. The State of Israel does not have a written constitution and is instead based on a set of fundamental laws.
Should the court nevertheless take action against it, Gross warns of possible consequences. “Should that be the case and the government refuse to comply with the ruling, it could lead to a real constitutional crisis.” It would therefore be conceivable for the court to wait until the government makes an actually “inappropriate” decision and then intervene.
Judiciary Committee MP and Chair Simcha Rothman has already made it clear that the government will not accept this.
threat of refusal
Health Minister Mosche Arbel took action against striking health workers on Tuesday. The doctors’ association had previously called the 24-hour warning strike. In parts of the country, the shift system switched to holiday mode, with only emergencies being dealt with. However, the labor court called for the stop after an injunction from the Ministry of Health. Meanwhile, Israel’s umbrella organization for trade unions (Histadrut) has announced that it intends to discuss a possible general strike in the next few days.
10,000 reservists want to refuse service
The impact of the vote on the military remains unclear. More than 10,000 reservists had announced that they would no longer be on duty if the law were passed. According to media reports on Tuesday, army spokesman Daniel Hagari said: “At the present time, the military is competent”. However, if the reservists did not report for a long time, the competence of the army could be damaged. “This is a gradual process that will have an impact as reservists enter service,” Hagari said.
Skeptical tones also came from Germany. Justice Minister Marco Buschmann (FDP) told the “Spiegel”: “Good friends must always tell themselves the truth. The truth is: Israel has always been a beacon for democracy and the rule of law in the Middle East. Many friends of Israel are concerned that this light will not necessarily shine brighter.”
