Law expanding government powers over the judiciary passed in Israel: Protests erupt in Tel Aviv

According to the new legal regulation passed by the parliament in Israel, the composition of the 9-member Judicial Selection Committee will change. In the committee, where the government and the opposition will each appoint a legal expert, political appointments will have veto power. Israelis protesting the new law held a demonstration in Tel Aviv. Opposition parties argued that this change would undermine judicial independence.

Leader of the main opposition Yesh Atid party, Yair Lapid, appealed to the Supreme Court for the annulment of the law. Civil society organizations and the Israel Bar Association also filed lawsuits on the grounds that the law is unconstitutional. A record number of 71 thousand objection petitions were submitted to the parliament.

ISRAELIS TOOK TO THE STREETS

During the voting process, opposition members of parliament left the general assembly hall in protest. It was noted that the deliberations lasted a total of 18 hours. The bill had previously been annulled by the Supreme Court due to allegations that it violated Israel's basic laws.

The judicial reform, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu brought to the agenda last year, led to major protests in the country. The reform package, which was postponed due to military operations in Gaza, has returned to the parliament's agenda.

In January, the Supreme Court annulled regulations limiting some of the government's powers, finding them unconstitutional. The new law was passed despite this decision by the court. Experts predict that there may be a conflict of authority between the judiciary and the executive branch.

News Source: AA