Israel’s parliament supports Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to limit the powers of the top court

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Israel’s parliament has voted to limit the powers of the country’s top court, as Benjamin Netanyahu’s hardline government resumes its effort to push through a controversial judicial overhaul.

Netanyahu was forced to shelve the original plan – which would have given his coalition greater control over the appointment of judges and limited the top court’s ability to strike down laws – in March after months of mass protests, which turned into a brief general strike.

After months of negotiated settlement failed to materialize, the government resumed work on the overhaul last month, introducing a bill that would allow the top court to apply a “reasonableness” test to block decisions by the government, ministers and elected officials. will prevent use.

After a stormy debate during which three opposition MPs were ousted, government MPs voted in the early hours of Tuesday to give the bill the go-ahead. It now needs to pass two more parliamentary votes to become law.

Officials from Netanyahu’s coalition of ultra-religious and ultra-right parties said getting rid of the “reasonableness” standard would help prevent judicial interference in the actions of elected representatives.

Critics argued that removing such important checks on officials would pave the way for corruption and arbitrary decision-making. Opponents of the plan have declared a “disruption day” on Tuesday, including an attempt to block roads and a protest at Ben Gurion International Airport.

In a brief video statement released ahead of Monday’s parliamentary debate, Netanyahu insisted that eliminating the reasonableness standard would not impair the top court’s ability to scrutinize government decisions.

“Even after the recovery, the courts and the rights of Israeli citizens will not be harmed in any way,” he said.

His opponents blasted the plans. Yair Lapid, head of the largest opposition party Yesh Atid, warned that he would allow the government to make inappropriate appointments or fire inconvenient officials.

“What does this have to do with Israeli citizens earning a livelihood? What does this have to do with the safety of Israeli citizens?” They said.

Benny Gantz, head of the National Unity Party, also attacked the proposals and warned that other, more radical measures would follow. The government is expected to return to one of the most controversial aspects of its overhaul – the reshaping of the body that appoints judges – later this year.

“The significance of the legislation you are seeking to advance today is that it is the beginning of a dangerous process of removing restraints from the government and eliminating judicial review,” Gantz said. “The snowball that is starting to roll here today will grow, gather momentum and crush the whole country if we don’t stop it now.”

Groups from across Israeli society are expected to join Tuesday’s protest. However, a large chain of shopping malls, which said on Sunday that it would close its facilities for 24 hours as part of the protest, partially reversed its position on Monday and said that stores in its malls would remain open. Will be able to