Knesset c’ttee approves first stage of judicial reform

The Knesset Constitution Committee has approved the first stage of the government’s judicial overhaul. The amendment to the law on the changes to the composition of the panel which chooses Supreme Court judges was passed by the votes of 9 MKs from the coalition while 7 MKs from the opposition voted against. The amendment, which will allow the government to choose future Supreme Court justices, will now move on to a first reading in the Knesset plenum.

During the debate opposition member MK Gilad Kariv (Labor) told committee chairman MK Simcha Rothman (Religious Zionism), “I am voting against you. Against the destruction of democracy. Against contempt for the dignity of the president.”

Following the vote, Rothman began discussions on the amendments to restrict the ability of the Supreme Court to disqualify laws. The amendment to prohibit the Supreme Court to disqualify Basic Laws was also passed by nine votes to seven and tomorrow the Constitution Committee will discuss the amendments to restrict the Supreme Court’s ability to disqualify laws and the override clause.

The discussions were held amid uproar with several opposition Knesset Members ejected from the room. Outside more than 80,000 protestors demonstrated against the coalition’s planned radical judicial reform.

Published by Globes, Israel business news – en.globes.co.il – on February 13, 2023.

© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd., 2023.