In a historic move, the Israeli parliament, also known as the Knesset, green-lighted a significant portion of the contentious judicial reshaping supported by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This progression took place after a chaotic session, causing opposition lawmakers to shout "shame" and vacate the chamber before the casting of votes.
The Israeli parliament, known as Knesset. Source: Maya Alleruzzo / AP
In the absence of the opposition, the lawmakers voted 64-0 in favor of the measure. This new rule will prevent judges from invalidating government decisions on the grounds of being "unreasonable".
Justice Minister Yariv Levin, the mastermind behind these reforms, stated that the lawmakers had embarked on an "important historic process." The proposed bill has ignited controversy and protests across the country, with critics tagging the move as a danger to democratic principles.
The approved changes will enable the government to override Supreme Court decisions and provide the executive branch with more power to appoint justices. Following this endorsement by the Knesset, more protests are anticipated across the nation in the upcoming days and weeks.
The Movement for Quality Government, a nonprofit organization, publicly declared its intent to challenge the law in the Supreme Court. They argue that the measure is "unconstitutional" as it "fundamentally changes the basic structure of Israeli parliamentary democracy and the nature of the regime, while de facto abolishing the judiciary and seriously damaging the delicate fabric of the separation of powers and the system of checks and balances in the State of Israel."
The vote occurred shortly after Prime Minister Netanyahu was discharged from the hospital, following a procedure to install a pacemaker over the weekend.
The proposed reforms have been condemned by the Biden administration and U.S. lawmakers. Earlier this year, President Biden expressed his hope that Netanyahu would "walk away" from pushing these changes.
In a statement to Axios, Biden urged the prime minister not to advance the bill. "Given the range of threats and challenges confronting Israel right now, it doesn't make sense for Israeli leaders to rush this -- the focus should be on pulling people together and finding consensus," he said.
The vote also came after Biden extended an invitation to Netanyahu to visit the U.S. after the two leaders had a phone conversation last week.
The Associated Press contributed.
